Hello and welcome to the Kaiser Permanente San Leandro medical center.
The birth of your baby is an exciting time. We will take excellent care of you
and your family. Today we're going to give you a brief tour of our labor and
delivery unit, postpartum unit, and our neonatal intensive care unit. When you
think your labor has started please call us. One of our labor and delivery nurses
can help you decide whether you're ready to come in. Plan ahead so you can reach
our facility quickly. We have reserved parking for expectant mothers by the
front of the hospital. Our labor and delivery unit is located on the third floor.
Please take the main elevators up and follow the signs to labor and delivery.
When you arrive one of our staff will greet you, check you in, and
take you to your private triage room to be assessed. If you need an interpreter,
let your nurse know. If you're ready for labor, a nurse will escort you to one of
our private labor and delivery rooms. Your labor and delivery room will have
everything you'll need for a safe delivery and recovery. We use the most
up-to-date fetal monitors to make sure your baby is doing well at all times.
You can walk or even shower while wearing a fetal monitor, depending on your health
and the health of your baby. Each room has Wi-Fi and a place for your partner
or support person to sleep. Your room will also feature our Get Well network
on a 40 inch plasma screen. Using your bedside keyboard you can use this
program to order meals, watch TV or patient education videos, read your care
schedule, and more. Your care team will include an obstetrician, also known as an Ob/Gyn.
Ob/Gyns are doctors who specialize in women's health. Your doctor will work
closely with the rest of your care team, including midwives and registered nurses,
to make sure you have a safe and healthy delivery. Midwives are registered nurses
with advanced training – usually a master's degree in pregnancy and delivery.
Many women value the personal and patient-centered care they receive from midwives.
Your entire care team will do all they
can to make sure you have the best possible birth experience. Most babies
are born through vaginal delivery in one of our labor and delivery rooms, but some
babies do need to be born through cesarean delivery. In nearly all cases
your support person can still stay with you during the birth of your baby, even
if a cesarean section is necessary. You can expect to stay in the hospital for
1 to 2 days following a vaginal birth or 2 to 3 days if you've had a C-section.
During this time you'll be able to recover and bond with the newest member of your family.
Your partner or another support person is welcome to stay with you.
Our visiting hours are 24/7. Breastfeeding is the best way to give
your baby the nutrition he or she needs. Learning to breastfeed your baby takes
time, patience, practice, and most importantly, support. If you choose to
breastfeed, our nursing staff and lactation specialists are here to help.
Most babies thrive after their birth. They stay with their moms in their rooms,
but some babies need a little extra help. For them we have our neonatal intensive
care unit, also known as the N.I.C.U. or NICU. Our team of experienced specialists is
here to provide exceptional care for your baby and support for you and your family.
Thank you for visiting our Kaiser Permanente San Leandro Labor and Delivery unit.
Today we've shown you some of what you can expect, but there's more
to see and learn. We encourage you to find out if your facility offers in-person
labor and delivery tours. We can answer your questions and tell you more
about the care you'll receive. We also invite you to sign up for one of our classes.
Thank you for choosing Kaiser Permanente for this very special time in your life.
We look forward to providing the best possible labor and delivery care
for you and your growing family.