What to expect on admission

When you are admitted to the Labor & Delivery Unit, your nurse will listen to the baby’s heart tones and assess your contractions by applying the external fetal heart monitor.

The nurses follow the national standard guidelines for monitoring a woman in labor. An intermittent device, also known as an IV start, will be placed so IV fluids or medications can be given if needed.

This may or may not be attached to a continuous IV bag of fluid. Your nurse will also draw a blood sample during this procedure to make sure your blood count is in the normal range.

You can usually move about and even take a warm bath or shower with an IV. Your nurses and healthcare provider will help and encourage you to use different positions during labor.