Why Every Pregnant Woman should consider a Midwife for her Birth

The first time I attended a hospital birth with a midwife I was very surprised what I saw. I had attended so many births with OBGYNs that I almost wasn't sure what a Midwife does.

Midwife Christine Hackshaw of Midwifery Women's Care, applying pressure to first time mom Emily's lower back during a contraction.

Last March, I hosted a "Match Your Midwife" event at the Women's Center at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Midwife Courtney McMillian from Boca Midwifery spoke about the different kinds of midwives that there are.

For hospital births, there are two types of midwives:

Nurse-midwives, who are educated and licensed as nurses first, then complete additional education in midwifery. They are known as Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs). CNMs are licensed to practice in all 50 states. They are usually licensed in individual states as Nurse Practitioners (NPs).(source) 

The other type of midwife is known as a Direct-entry midwife. They are educated or trained as midwives without having to become nurses first. They may be Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) or Certified Midwives (CMs). (source) 

Direct-entry midwives are trained to provide the Midwives Model of Care to healthy women and newborns primarily in out-of-hospital settings. They do not have nursing education as a prerequisite for midwifery education. (source)

Certified Midwife (CM): Certified Midwives are individuals who have or receive a background in a health related field other than nursing, then graduate from a masters level midwifery education program. They have similar training to CNMs, conform to the same standards as CNMs, but are not required to have the nursing component.

Certified Professional Midwife (CPM): The vast majority of direct-entry midwives in the United States are Certified Professional Midwives. The CPM is the only midwifery credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings. Their education and clinical training focuses on providing midwifery model care in homes and freestanding birth centers. In some states, CPMs may also practice in clinics and doctors offices providing well-woman and maternity care.

What I learned and observed at my very first birth with a midwife was that most women who choose a midwife for their prenatal care, labor and delivery are looking to have a less medical intervention approach to their entire prenatal and birthing experience.

Midwives generally work with low risk pregnancies, but they also can serve as a woman's gynecologist. As an example, I see a midwife as my gynecologist. Midwives also work with their patients regarding family planning, monitoring pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum and newborn care. But they do so much more than that. Many of our local midwives in Boca Raton in addition to obstetrics and gynecology, also care for women in the fields of menopause, adolescence and teenager care.

At births, often times I will see a midwife help with the delivery of baby for mom, help with the delivery of the placenta, the cutting of the cord and any stitches mom may need in the case of tearing, and then help mom get baby latched on for breastfeeding.

What I have seen from the distance as a birth photographer on my client's birth team, sometimes in the case that a pregnancy (or a labor) may become high-risk, an OBGYN who works closely with the midwife will step in to assist with prenatal care or in the case of birth, to assist in the delivery of the baby. However, depending on the practice, I have seen midwives (such as Midwifery Women's Care and Boca Midwifery) successfully helping mommies with vbacs (vaginal birth after c-section) and I even recently attended a vba2c (vaginal birth after two c-sections) with Courtney McMillian at Boca Midwifery. 

In the case of a cesarean section, OB doctors will step in to do the surgery. What I personally have loved about working with Boca Midwifery when it comes to a mom needing a c-section is that their midwives tend to attend the csections in the operating room for their own patients who they have seen throughout their pregnancy who may have become high-risk due to a developed medical issue in pregnancy, or if they needed a cesarean during labor. For me this is everything. I am a huge proponent of supporting birthing women in all stages of their journey, and to have the midwife who you've trusted your entire pregnancy journey, go with you into the operating room when your birth unexpectedly calls for it, means everything. So much fear fades and so much trust grows in its place. 

When working with an OBGYN, I have personally experienced them typically heading to the hospital (they are usually about 5-15 minutes from the hospital here in Boca Raton) when the nurses update them that the mom is around 8 - 9 centimeters dilated. They usually arrive and wait for mom to get to 10 centimeters dilated and then help mom with pushing. I have seen this common practice at most hospitals throughout south Florida from Miramar/Pembroke Pines all the way through Jupiter, FL. Even in the case where generations of women have used a specific OB (mom, daughter), I cannot recall a single birth in one month shy of four years of birth photography where an OBGYN came and sat with a mom for 4-6 hours of her active labor prior to delivery, (with the exception of retired OBGYNS who are the fathers of my laboring client, attending their birth as a support part of their birth team, not as the delivering OB).

And so why does this matter, when your provider gets to your laboring? Read on...

Many first time moms (and even second and third time moms) will be in labor anywhere from 10 - 24 hours). And you only get to 10 centimeters dilated at the very tail end of that labor process. The first few hours may be manageable, but once things pick up, many women find themselves needing pain management techniques as well as someone to keep them focused, empowered and encouraged.

So it is not ideal to only rely on your OBGYN and labor and delivery nurses for support and encouragement, as they will not be spending 90% of your earlier labor with you. I do not say that to dissuade you from using an OBGYN for pregnancy and delivery though. As there are many benefits and pros of using and staying with an OBGYN. I personally used an OBGYN for the first 20 weeks of my second pregnancy (Dr. Jane Rudolph from Women's Health Partners off of SW 18th Street in Boca Raton, FL) and I absolutely adored every waking minute of my time spent during prenatal visits with her. She was patient, kind, incredibly sweet and warm and compassionate. She'd take the time to ask about my questions and concerns and go through them all. She spoke to me on a personal level about her own kids and pregnancy journeys. She'd end every visit with an exceptionally warm and tight hug. I trusted her completely and felt so warm and safe under her care. And staying under that type of care for a woman's entire pregnancy is definitely an incredible plus. However, it is important to consider what is your individual need for labor support. For women who know they will need a professional who is well educated on pregnancy, labor, birth and post partum to be at their side through labor, who will not have to run off because they are working with other patients (as labor and delivery nurses are often called to do), a highly hospital natural birth experienced labor doula maybe an important consideration. I encourage moms to make a list of their personal needs and expectations for their pregnancy, their labor, their post partum, and evaluate if a labor doula, a midwife, a post partum doula or a registered baby nurse could fit in those needs.

In contrast, in my personal experience having worked with a few hospital midwives, I have witnessed midwives from Boca Midwifery (Courtney McMillian and Polina Goldenberg) and Laurie Gibbons from Women's Health Partners, Kathy Fair and Christine Hackshaw from Midwifery Women's Care and Kathleen Philbin from Select Women's Healthcare sitting for hours with mom, often times on the foot of her bed, sharing positive words of support, advice on how to breathe through contractions, suggestions on position changes to alleviate some pressure / getting baby in a better position, and I have often times seen these midwives provide touch-support to mom. Touch support I would say can range anywhere from applying pressure to the hips or lower back during contractions to running fingers along mom's arms and shoulders along with light pressure for a soft massage. And even applying cold compresses to mom's neck and forehead. This form of extensive support during active labor and end stages of labor can be so crucial and encouraging to laboring moms. 

(all of the above midwives deliver at Boca Raton Regional Hospital in Boca Raton, FL (off of I-95 and Glades Road in East Boca) which is my favorite hospital to work in as a birth photographer but also as a mother with the exception of Kathleen Philbin who works up north at Good Samaritan Medical Center in West Palm Beach, FL) 

Below, you'll find a list of questions to ask a midwife or OBGYN during your first consultation with them to make sure they are the right provider to suit your personal needs and expectations, as well as questions to ask closer to the third trimester. If you'd like to go to a page where you can more easily print them, click here.

MIDWIFE/OBGYN CONSULTATION INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

INITIAL CONSULTATION

1. To Yourself: Do you feel supported, respected, do they listen and answer your questions patiently?

2. Are they open to birth plans? What if you have a birth preferences list?

3. What hospitals do they have privileges at?

4. How many vaginal checks do they do during pregnancy and during labor? Should I get them, how necessary are they, what are the benefits/downsides and when do I need to have them done?

5. Under what circumstances during pregnancy would you recommend an induction? How can an induction affect the outcome of my birth (vaginal / cesarean) What type of inductions do you do?

6. What is your opinion of doulas? What percentage of your patients use a doula? What doulas do you recommend?

7. Under what circumstances during labor would you recommend to administer medications such as cervidil or pitocin?

8. How do you handle past due dates? (Over 40 weeks, over 41 weeks)

9. What is your percentage of your patients get an epidural, What percentage have vaginal births? / percentage of c-sections? Under what circumstances during pregnancy would you recommend a scheduled cesarean?

10. Who is your backup Midwife or OB? Who is the OB covering doctor? How is he/she during labor? When can I meet them?

11. What are your feelings about delayed cord clamping? How long do you delay for? Can you do cord blood banking AND delayed cord clamping?

12. Are you planning any vacations, trips, major surgeries, or other events 3-4 weeks before my due date, or up to 2 weeks after my due date that would interfere with your attendance at the birth?

What positions do you feel comfortable delivering in? (on back, squatting (using a squat bar), on all fours (knees and elbows)?

13. Is your practice VBAC friendly?

CLOSER TO THIRD TRIMESTER

1. What are your feelings on the dad catching the baby, or me catching my own baby? Will you deliver the baby? Or will you assist me in birthing him/her/them?

2. How do you feel about hypnobirthing? Are you experienced with delivering babies for moms who are using hypnobirthing?

3. How does it work if I am GBS positive - how often do you administer antibiotics during labor and do you do specific procedures with the baby after birth

4. Do you do IV/Heplock? Are you ok with laboring tubs, (or hydrotherapy by standing in the hospital shower), eating small snacks during labor?

5. What are the pros and cons of vitamin K shot and eye ointment

6. Do you offer or suggest taking specific childbirth preparation courses?

7. During labor, how close together should my contractions be before I head to the hospital?

8. If my water breaks before labor (contractions) even begins, how long can I labor at home for before I am required to go to the hospital?

9. What happens in the event of pre-term labor before 38 weeks?

10. Under what circumstances, if any, do you perform episiotomies? Do you recommend doing perineum massages throughout pregnancy leading up to birth?

11. How long will you and/or your support team stay with mom and baby after the birth?

12. Is breastfeeding support offered?

13. Do you deliver breech? [Most babies will move into delivery position a few weeks prior to birth, with the head moving closer to the birth canal. When this fails to happen, the baby's buttocks and/or feet will be positioned to be delivered first. This is referred to as “breech presentation.”] Do you recommend trying to turn the baby if the baby is in breech position during labor or in the last few weeks of pregnancy or do you recommend a cesarean birth?

Stunning VBAC Birth in Boca Raton: Midwife Delivers Baby After Two C-Sections

Words from the mama: 

“I am still in shock and awe at what God can do. My pregnancies have been very difficult, from Aaden's loss to complications with Brooklyn's birth (both ending in c-sections). I always dreamed of having a VBAC, a birth without complications, where I could just enjoy my baby. This was it. Having the support of Boca Midwifery made all the difference."

“Everyone was patient with me and my concerns and considered my history. I couldn't ask for more. I had the best support and birth team I could ask for. Everyone was patient with me and my concerns and considered my history. They truly listened to my fears and desires for this birth. Having a midwife and doula who understood my previous c-sections and supported my VBAC journey was so important. I couldn't ask for more. Thank you to Lisa Raynor, my doula, Courtney McMillian, my midwife at Boca Midwifery, Paulina Splechta, my birth photographer and filmmaker, and of course my husband, David. I literally could not have labored nor survived this pregnancy without you."   - Jocelyn

When I first met Jocelyn, I felt an instant connection. Hearing about her previous c-sections really resonated with me and learning of the heartbreaking loss of her baby, Aaden, forged a deep connection between us.

I understood her journey on a personal level, having experienced two unplanned cesareans myself with my babies and neither of my births went as planned.

But Jocelyn had something I didn't: an incredible birth team that included a midwife, doula, and her birth photographer. Seeing the support she had from Boca Midwifery, I was excited to see how her labor would unfold. But I was also a little nervous for her, admittedly, and felt like we all needed to pray together that this mama would be able to experience a healing VBAC after her loss.

I was so excited for her to experience a VBAC and to meet and hold her baby immediately, and I knew it in my heart that this could only happen with Boca Midwifery. They understood her medical history and they cared for her the entire pregnancy, but it was a delicate journey Jocelyn had been on, from experiencing the loss of one of her children and complications with her daughter Brooklyn's birth, and I was anxious to witness the birth of baby Riley. I didn't know if we would witness her having a vaginal delivery or if we would have to go into the operating room. I feel the entire labor and delivery staff was rooting her on at Toppel Family Place (The labor and delivery unit of Boca Raton Regional Hospital in East Boca [off of Glades Road, just east of I-95]). 

A lot of birth workers uncover a deep passion for their work due to their own emotional and personal history, and with me, it is completely true. Originally, I wanted to test the waters four years ago when I photographed my first birth. But once I captured that birth for my client, I knew this is where my heart belongs and its become so much more than photography over the last four years. 

In all this time, four years, I had never witnessed a vaginal delivery after TWO CESAREANS. I had attended many VBACs (vaginal delivery after cesarean) with Boca Midwifery, Women's Health Partners, Dr. Skeete down in Ft Lauderdale, and vbac home births with midwives Gelena Hinkley, Sandy Lo, Mary Harris. But I had in all this time never seen a mommy successful deliver a baby vaginally after having two previous c-sections. And the reason I haven't before seen a vbac after two c-sections is not entirely that the trial for a vbac after two csections failed with previous clients. It's not that at all.

Pros & Cons of VBAC

Many people question the safety of VBAC, but reading through legitimate, backed medical research (such as mayo clinic, cleveland clinic, and going just straight to the National Institute of Health and combing through the latest VBAC research studies, you will see that is merely a myth, and so it begs for us to discuss the pros and cons of VBAC. I do hear a lot of people saying why would you want to go through a vaginal birth if you could just schedule a smooth and calculated repeat c-section.

I will urge you to pause and view this interview I did with Dr. David Lubetkin, who partners with Midwives Courtney, Nikki and Ryan at Boca Midwifery, where I ask him about the pros and cons of VBAC. I think if you are a mom in south Florida and you’ve had a c-section before, and would like to know whether you qualify for a Vaginal Delivery with your next pregnancy after your previous C-section, it’s good to hear from the OBGYN who’s practice has the highest success rate of VBAC in Palm Beach County and Boca Raton:

It's that often times the mommys who have had two csections stay with their provider who automatically schedules a repeat third csection for them with their third delivery. These moms are simply not aware of the option to try for a vbac after two c-sections. No one has even told them that its physically possible to achieve. And what the benefits to having a vbac are instead of scheduling a repeat cesarean. Most of the vbacs I have documented in my four years as a birth photographer here in south Florida have been moms who had a c-section with a practice (sometimes traumatic, physically or on an emotional level) and change practices, hoping for a more positive, empowered and supported experience for their subsequent pregnancy to a practice heavily experienced in achieving safe and successful VBACs. Many of my VBAC birth clients with Boca Midwifery have exactly this story. 

As Jocelyn's entire birth team stood around her during her final pushes, I thought to myself, "this is happening, this mama is going to meet her baby right now"

I felt the tears begin to swell up in my eyes, I tried to hush them and focus on capturing this incredible moment. I stood near mom's shoulders, making sure that her midwife was blocking any angles that would prevent Jocelyn from being able to share photos from her birth story with her family and friends, I looked up at Jocelyn and her husband David, they were smiling at each other, at their doula and midwife, at me. Their doula, Lisa Raynor, was proudly beaming a smile back at them and at me. Baby nurse Donna was eagerly waiting to meet their sweet baby, also wearing a proud smile for mama. Her midwife, Courtney McMillian, was focused and positive and their nurse Peggy knew this moment was about to happen.

This moment would contribute to the shift in the change of the world's view of birth. A successful vbac after two cesareans for Boca Midwifery, for the labor and delivery staff at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, but most importantly, a footprint in the history of birthing women, showing them, that with the right support and birth team for your pregnancy, skilled vbac professionals who have a great deal of patience and success rates, a vbac after two csections is possible.

Knowing this fact, it put chills on my back. 

Knowing that maybe someday, I too could experience a vbac, after my two unjust csections with previous providers and birth teams who had failed to support and encourage me in the ways I needed.

You can watch the film of the birth of Riley below:

Uploaded by Paulina Splechta on 2018-07-05.

Jocelyn's two-time cesarean scar and baby Riley's teensy feet

My Breastfeeding Journeys | It Goes By So Fast

Wow I haven't looked at this blog post in years.

I went back to it tonight as I was talking to one of my birth clients from December about her struggles with how freaking hard breastfeeding a baby can be in the beginning and I went back to this blog post to show her that it can get better...

But mannnn!

It all seems like a distant memory now... like I never breastfed! It's just been so long.

My younger one, Emma, weaned completely - shortly after she turned 1. We had to supplement a ton after she was 3-6 months because I almost completely was unable to produce a few months after she was born, but pushed to about 12, 13 months with her. Now she's 2 and a half and I totally feel like its all a distant memory.

Lasts such a short blink of the eye.

I feel for the mamas who can't. The ones who don't want to. The ones who fight really hard to.

It's the hardest thing ever. Not easy at all.

I have no regrets nursing Kate forever and barely even nursing Emma, just didn't have it in me after two hard pregnancies.

Click here for my breastfeeding journey with my daughters

Tips on How to Choose a Photographer to Document Your Birth

I am a mom of two girls under five. I missed out on the opportunity to have either of my births documented, and with that comes the loss of not knowing what reaction my husband had to becoming a daddy for the first time when Kate was born, and if he cried, smiled, laughed or was surprised the second time I gave birth, when Emma was born.

My births were complicated, so it was difficult for me to focus on anything but meeting my girls for the first time. I think this rings true to most moms, whether they have a complicated or fairly straightforward birth, the moment your child is born, mommies and daddies tend to have tunnel vision, and are memorized by this little life they've been waiting to meet for the last 9 months.

I have been photographing birth now for four years, and there are certainly many times when I am editing birth stories that I daydream about having a third. However, with the changes in health I've experienced with age and over two pregnancies, despite my dream of having three children, our family is complete.

Having thought this through so many times, I've prepared a list for you on tips you can consider when deciding who and/or what kind of photographer you'd like to hire to document your birth story.

There are many choices to make, so let me lay them out for you below

1. Daddy takes the pictures

Pros:

Definitely the simplest way to save money when you're on a budget is to have your partner or spouse take the pictures. They'll be proud of themselves for having captured what will become some of your most treasured memories.

Cons:

I could never be a doula, because doulas need to be incredibly resilient to emotions because their job is to support moms emotionally and physically during labor and birth. is When I put my camera down, I get emotional, I may cry, I may feel my hands shaking a bit.

Consider the emotions you may want your partner or spouse to feel as they are emotionally (or physically) supporting you during your labor, and how emotionally invested you may want them to be as they meet your baby for the first time.

Do you want your partner/spouse to be completely vulnerable and experience the raw and real emotions of becoming a parent for the first time ever to this little baby?

Holding a camera or phone and focusing on taking pictures that aren't blurry creates a degree of separation between the parent and the experience.

The focus on taking pictures helps me keep my composure during a birth so that I don't cry, so that I feel more like I am watching a movie rather than experience the birth in person. Do you want your partner or spouse to experience a degree of separation?

When daddy holds the camera, you would miss pictures of his emotional reaction to meeting your baby... like these:

2. Okay, so not daddy. How about best friend (or sister or aunt) takes the pictures?

Pros:

Having a close friend, sibling, grandparent or doula photograph during your birth helps take the pressure off your partner and spouse. But the cons can leave parents heart broken, so be sure to read on...

Cons:

If I had a dollar for every time parents came to me an told me they wish they hadn't let their friend/sister/doula/parent take the pictures at their last birth. The results can sometimes be great! But when you had your expectations set to having these moments documented and end up with blurry pictures, blown out pictures (too bright) or too dark pictures, or no pictures at all, it can be heart breaking.

If you're lucky, you may get a picture of the delivery - but you may never see his face because your photographer was very focused on taking pictures of your newly born baby

And sometimes, the one person who was suppose to take pictures didn't during moments that you realize afterwards, truly mattered to you.

and sometimes, that person becomes too nervous to take pictures. 

maybe because they've never attended a birth before and had no idea they would react this way, and sometimes, even to those women who have had several of their own children and attended births before, friends/family who are doulas, paramedics, doctors, they never realized they'd be so emotional when it was their baby sister giving birth.

Pictures captured by family and friends and other inexperienced people who haven't been trained in capturing artistically beautiful angles during even the most complicated labors and births, tend to look more like they were from the birth chapter of an anatomy textbook. 

3. So how about our family photographer? Or our wedding photographer?

Pros:

You'll probably feel more comfortable working with a photographer you've known for a while now. Plus they will probably either charge you very little or not at all, this being their first birth

Cons:

One of the number one drawbacks of hiring a photographer who's never photographed a birth before, is that most likely, they haven't been educated on the birth process and what to expect. They aren't aware of the very quick and totally unexpected changes in lighting, staff, space that all happen last minute. 

Most photographers are trained to photograph in the best lighting conditions (and most wedding photographers use an external flash for dark receptions). But what most photographers are not trained in is to photograph gorgeous artwork when there is a lack of lighting to work with. A lack of space, a lack of timeline and everything is unexpected.

Circumstances surrounding how unpredictable birth is can cause very capable and experienced family, portrait and wedding photographers to very suddenly question their capability.

You also may realize you actually don't feel more comfortable using a photographer who takes your family pictures (or who photographed your wedding) because you're not comfortable with that person seeing you give birth, seeing you naked, and then doing future family pictures with them.

What to look for in an experienced, professional birth photographer 

1. The first thing I would look for in an experienced, professional birth photographer is if I love their work. How many births have I seen from them? 1? 5? 20? What does an entire birth story look like? 

2. Depending on the type of birth you plan to have (hospital hypnobirth, induction, cesarean, home birth,  birth center) the photographer should be able to show you samples of previous similar births they have captured. Those proofs should be all of the same high quality and they should impact you emotionally. 

3. Depending on when you are due, you should find out if your birth photographer has any prior commitments during that time. Do they already have 8 other birth clients or 10 photoshoots scheduled two weeks before and after your due date? Do they have an anniversary or a family or child's birthday during that time? Is there a major holiday (like Thanksgiving or Christmas) occurring during that time? It's okay if there is a schedule conflict. What matters is how your photographer approaches that conflict. Are they ok with missing their child's birthday party or Christmas with their family. Their answer to that is what's important.

4. Does your birth photographer work with a reliable back up? Emergencies do happen and if your photographer is unable to be present at your birth, you want to be sure they have a very talented and reliable photographer who serves as their back up. You also want to be sure your photographer defines the parameters of what constitutes an emergency worth missing your birth for.

5. How professional your birth photographer seems to you. If you're having a hospital birth, (or end up needing a transfer to the hospital during labor at home), are high risk or have any medical conditions that can result in extra medical intervention and even a cesarean birth, you want to know how your birth photographer will handle themselves around the most esteemed medical professionals in a hospital setting. If your photographer is inexperienced with working along side of medical professionals ranging from nurses to OBGYNS, NICU nurses, neonatologists and anesthesiologists, it can affect how much of your birth story they are allowed to photograph

6. How many births your photographer has been paid to photograph. Lets get real for a moment. I am proud of the work I did photographing my very first five paid births. I had older, less capable equipment to handle darkly lit rooms back then, and I had less experience, but the work was good. But to be real with you, as an artist, I don't think its as good as the work I capture now, four years later, over one hundred births later. The more births your photographer attends, the more experience they gain working with lighting, unexpected last minute changes, lack of room. You basically learn to expect more things not going your way at a birth as a birth photographer so you condition yourself to expect everything going wrong all at once and plan in advance how you will handle those situations. 

7. Privacy. How much does your photographer honor your privacy and confidentiality? 70% of the births I have documented over four years will never be seen by the public eye Why? because 70% of the birth clients I have had over four years have asked me not to share their photos or films with anyone. I can completely empathize with this. I have a few cell phone pictures from my two births, of which maybe 3 have ever been shared publicly. I feel particularly guarded about my two complicated and emotional births and wish for these images to never be shared with anyone. Your photographer who value your privacy over their own publicity/brand awareness at all times. 

8. Relationship. You should love your birth photographer. They should not feel like a stranger paparazzi the day of your birth but like an old friend who makes you feel safer and more supported because they are there for you. I don't believe in photographing births for families who don't feel comfortable having me in the labor room with them. So I go above and beyond to get to know my families better during their pregnancies by meeting with them in person and getting to know each member of the family before my clients ever go into labor. 

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I hope this list of tips on how to choose a photographer to document your birth has been helpful to you. Feel free to print it out by going to the top left of your browser, clicking File > Print. 

If you're interested in learning about what kind of questions you should ask your OBGYN or hospital Midwife before you hire them and before you go into labor... you can find that here

For questions to ask during a hospital tour... you can find those here

Questions to Ask on a Hospital Tour

The facility you choose to birth in can be as important as the provider you hire for your birth.

As a mommy, I have experience birthing at two different hospitals in two different counties in Florida. There were pluses and minuses about my experiences and I have learned that so much to do with my minuses has to do with the birth team I selected for my births. So if you are on the fence about your provider, be sure you check out my list of questions to ask an OBGYN or Midwife before you give birth here. 

Below I am including a list of questions that as an expecting couple, you should read through to see which questions are important to you, print and highlight and ask when you go on a tour of the hospitals you are considering birthing in.

The first thing I suggest is calling the hospital you hope to birth in and requesting a private tour. Private tours may not be offered at every hospital, but what I like about the hospitals that do offer private tours are, the person giving the tour usually has more experience to answer your questions with more accuracy and more current information and they usually have more time to show you around and talk to you.

Paulina Splechta capturing a December 2017 birth in a labor and delivery room at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING A HOSPITAL TOUR

HOSPITAL AND ROOM INFORMATION

1. Are L&D rooms shared or private? What about post partum rooms? Is there the option for a private room (and if so, is there a fee?) Are the bathrooms private or shared?

2. Will I stay in the same room from labor through post partum?

3. When I arrive and I am in labor, do I get admitted to a labor and delivery room immediately or do I go to a triage area first to be assessed? What happens during an assessment? And how long before I can be admitted to my own L&D room?

4. Are all the rooms the same as the one we’re being shown? Are some smaller or larger, less renovated, does every room have a window?

5. Does each room offer a TV? With how many channels?

6. Is there wireless internet access?

7. How many births take place at this hospital on average each day?

8. What happens if all of the labor and delivery rooms are full? How often does that happen?

9. How many operating rooms do you have in the event that I need a c-section?

10. How many people am I able to have as part of my birth team in the room while I'm in labor and during delivery? How many people are able to come with me into the operating room in the event of a C-section?

11. Is there a waiting area for friends and family? (Can I see it?)

12. Will I have access to hydrotherapy to help with pain management during labor via a shower or a laboring tub?

13. Is there a couch/bed for my partner/spouse to spend the night with me while I'm in the hospital?

14. Is this a teaching hospital? If so, can I expect interns or students to be present during my delivery? Can I request that they not attend if I don’t feel comfortable with them there?

15. Where should I park when I arrive in labor? Where should my birth team or guests park when I am in labor / post partum?

16. Does the hospital offer pregnancy and birth classes? And what kind? (If so, is there a fee?)

17. When and where do I go to register myself for the hospital?

18. What are your maternal and infant mortality rates at this hospital?

Orchid Nest doula Samara supporting a mom during her labor at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

LABOR AND DELIVERY QUESTIONS

1. (If you plan on it) I intend on walking during labor am I restricted to my room?

2. When will I get an IV line when I arrive to the hospital? Does the hospital offer hep-locks?

3. Does the hospital offer intermittent fetal monitoring during labor?

4. What is your approach on pelvic exams during labor and how frequently do nurses do them?

5. What positions can I give birth in? Ie. pushing on side, on hands and knees, squatting.

6. What labor and birthing equipment does the hospital offer? Ie. birthing/laboring balls, peanut balls, squat/birthing bars, showers, laboring tubs, rocking chair, birthing stool.

7. What's the hospital's C-section rate? How familiar is the hospital with gentle cesareans (clear drape replaced blue drape once baby is born, immediate skin to skin, breastfeeding all in the OR) and how frequently do you do them?

8. How comfortable is the hospital with working with doulas? How comfortable is the hospital and L&D nurses with unmedicated births and hypnobirthing?

9. Are there any situations that my birth partner/spouse won't be able to be with me (such as getting an epidural or preparing for a c/section)?

10. Is there a policy regarding videos or photos during labor and delivery?

11. Can I eat and/or drink while in labor? Can I bring honey sticks or popsicles for labor?

12. Can I wear my own labor gown during labor as long as it has buttons everywhere and access to fetal monitoring belts/epidural if needed?

13. What is the hospital position on placenta encapsulation?

14. How long can the baby exam be delayed for, how long am I able to do the initial skin to skin bonding with my baby immediately following labor before any procedures are done with my baby (vitamin K, eye ointment, baby exam).

Dad catching baby along with Dr. Lauren Feingold of Women's Health Partners during parents second birth at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.

POST PARTUM QUESTIONS

1. What is the hospital's policy on washing the baby following birth?

2. What is the hospital's position on immediate skin to skin?

3. What is the hospital's position with delayed cord clamping and cord blood banking? Am I able to request for my partner to cut the cord?

4. Is there a newborn intensive care unit (NICU)? What floor is it located on? Is it easy to access from the postpartum rooms?

5. Does the hospital have a nursery? How often can I request for my baby to be taken to the nursery if I need to rest? Will my baby be brought to me for feedings?

6. Does the hospital offer a lactation consultant? How soon after birth can I meet with one?

7. Does the hospital have a breast pump I can use during my stay?

8. How long will I stay in the hospital post-delivery?

9. Does the hospital offer a special meal for new parents? Are we able to use our own delivery services for post-birth meals?

10. What are the visiting hours and policies once the baby is born? Are children allowed to visit during early labor and after birth?

11. What security measures does the hospital have in place to insure the safety of Mom and Baby?

12. Does the hospital offer infant CPR classes for new parents before discharge?

13. Does the hospital offer breastfeeding support classes?

14. Does the hospital offer whooping cough vaccinations for parents and caregivers?
 15. Do we need to have a car seat installed in our car before we can take the baby home?

Big sister meeting her baby brother at Boca Raton Regional Hospital

Read the Questions to ask an OBGYN or Midwife before you give birth here. 

Birth of a Second Baby Boy! | Boca Raton Regional Hospital

I met this extraordinary mom when we were both pregnant a couple of years ago.

Our friendship and connection through our previous pregnancies together made it so special when she and her husband reached out to me to capture the birth of their second son. 

Tears welled up in my eyes when I sat with this sweet family talking about their hopes and dreams for meeting their second little boy. It moved me so much to see how excited (and a little nervous) they were, but most of all, you could see the love in their eyes, their faces, the way they looked at each other in eagerness and joy. 

And it made me so happy to hear that they would be meeting their little boy at my favorite hospital in Florida (Boca Raton Regional Hospital) with one of my favorite practices too - Women's Health Partners.

I cannot wait for you to view and enjoy the images from this incredibly sweet and beautiful birth story below. I hope you love them as much as I do!

What Does On-Call Mean & Why You Shouldn't Ask Just Anyone to Photograph Your Birth

Watch a calm, behind the scenes short trailer of the experience of having Paulina Splechta, professional birth photographer and film maker attend your birth

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The most commonly asked question by families who are expecting a new baby and considering hiring a Birth Photographer is..

"So... how does it work?"

I love to answer this question, and its an excellent one. The way birth photography sessions work is unlike any other type of photography you've ever done before. It is similar to a wedding in that it is one of the greatest milestones in your life that happens quickly, and only once, and can never be simulated or repeated exactly the way it happened.

But unlike all portraiture photography (such as newborn and family photography) and unlike wedding photography, birth photography brings with it the element of unpredictability.

Boca Midwifery Nurse Certified Midwives Courtney McMillian and Polina Goldenberg patiently waiting on a mom in labor

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One of my favorite practices to work with in Boca Raton, Boca Midwifery, recently posted the perfect example of how unpredictable birth is with the following quote...

“She chose a midwife. She hired a doula. She stayed at home for hours in early labor. She was active, rocking and swaying to get her baby to come down. She walked the halls, she used the shower. She endured 18 hours of natural labor beautifully. Sometimes you do everything right and birth still doesn’t go as planned. So this baby was born by cesarean. Not at all how this mom had planned to bring her baby in to the world, but she was okay. Why? Because she was still respected. She was educated and part of the decision. Her mom and husband were by her side as she greeted her new baby boy. She saw him emerge from the womb, and stared at his sweet little face as he took his first breaths, while we allowed the cord to pulse. Routine procedures were delayed and he was in his mother’s arms just minutes after being born. He was latched on to the breast as soon as she was back in her room. Not ideal, but ok. In the end, she has no regrets. She was well-prepared for her ideal birth but also realistic about her priorities. She trusted her birth team and is so, so happy with the outcome overall. And she is so proud of herself. THIS is what informed birth is about. THIS is why she won’t be in another doctor’s office, years down the road, still crying about her birth. Unfortunately we hear horrific stories of birth trauma every week in our office. It doesn’t have to be that way. Choose your birth team wisely.”

— https://www.facebook.com/BocaMidwifery/

Boca Midwifery patient with her newborn baby boy, older daughter and husband the day after her cesarean birth.

So the next question is...

"if birth is so unpredictable, how do you make it in time to document the birth story?"

When I start working with my birth clients, we start preparing for their birth story from the very first day they contact me. 

I take limited birth clients each month to ensure there is no overlap, although it is estimated that "only 5% of women go into labor on their due date (In other words, it is wrong for 95%!). [source]"

Once an expecting mother becomes my birth client, I am available to her via text, phone call, and email through her entire pregnancy. And for a healthy pregnancy without any risks or complications, I go on-call for birth clients at 38 weeks gestation. 

Boca Midwifery patient with her newborn baby girl the day after giving birth at Boca Raton Regional Hospital

"So what does being on-call mean?"

Addressing this question requires a multi-faceted answer.

Because working as a 12-month-per-year on-call photographer involves the client, the medical provider, the birthing facility, the photographer, and the photographer's personal life (family/children). 

Certified Nurse Midwife Courtney McMillian of Boca Midwifery with her patient and newborn baby girl.

COMMUNICATION

Me being on-call for a client means that I have my cell phone with the volume always on, even during the night. During the day, my cell phone is never in my purse or in another room, it is with me, in my hand, 24 hours of every day, 7 days of every week from the time my client is 38 weeks pregnant until her baby is born. Furthermore, I instruct birth clients to only call, and never to leave a voicemail after 9pm and before 9am, so that I don't miss a text during the night if they are updating me on early labor progress.

Being on-call means anywhere from as little as 5 to as many as 200 text messages can be exchanged during day time, as well as multiple phone calls during the day and night updating me with early labor progress, the birth client or her partner or spouse giving me updates from their doula or nurse on labor progress, and sometimes, to tell me there has been a change made by their OBGYN or Midwife to their previous birth plan.

Being on-call also means that I do not travel outside a specific distance from my birth client's birthing location in any direction so that I can attend her birth as soon as she is in active labor and ready for me to arrive and begin documenting her journey. 

PRIVACY

Unlike other fields of the birth world such as obstetrics / midwifery where a birthing woman may occasionally have a different practitioner from the practice who she's met during her prenatal visits deliver her baby if her chosen provider is unexpectedly unavailable, hiring a birth photographer can sometimes be a leap of faith for first time and even second time parents. 

Some of my birth clients understandably need extra privacy and confidentiality, and my goal is to work as closely to my birth clients as possible without a need for hiring a backup photographer to replace me during births. Although it is important for me to work with highly professional and skilled women (who are also mothers) who are put to the strictest standards of high quality birth artwork in the event I have an imminent emergency during a client's labor, my goal is to always be dependable and attend every one of my birth client's births myself, and I am glad to say in four years of birth photography (out of my ten years of working as a photographer), I have attended each of my client's births myself.

Because of this, I refrain from going to locations where I know I won't have cell phone signal when I am on-call for my clients, such as certain grocery stores, movie theaters, malls, etc. Or if I am on-call for a client and need to briefly go somewhere there is no cell phone signal where they would temporarily for 1-2 hours not have access to me, I am sure to check in with my birth clients prior to ensure there have been no early signs of labor and inform them when I will be reachable again.

Certified Nurse Midwife Courtney McMillian of Boca Midwifery steadily waiting on her patient without rushing

Being on-call means I also have a back up contact number, and although this has never happened, if my birth client calls me multiple times and cell towers are being funky, they have a back up number to call me on where they can reach me immediately.

And lastly, being on-call means I have to have my personal life in check. I am fortunate to have a supportive and active spouse, grandparents down the street, full time childcare and meal planning ready to ensure my personal life continues to move smoothly with my absence in mind.

To paraphrase from the awesome post done by Boca Midwifery and changing it a bit to apply it to the artwork I create for my families...

THIS is why my clients won't hire an photographer without years of birth artwork experience, years down the road with subsequent births. Unfortunately I hear sad stories of family portraiture photographers, siblings, husbands, grandparents missing the shot, pictures being blown out (too bright) because they didn't know how to deal with the last minute and unexpected changes in light, blurry pictures, or pictures not being special enough because they were too anatomy-textbook-like.

It doesn't have to be that way. Choose your birth team wisely, including your professional birth photographer who will quietly work around you so as not to disturb the birth process or the birth professionals caring for you. Someone who has formed great relationships with midwives and obstetricians who welcome your birth photographer to document their patient's stories.

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CONTACT ME TO SET UP A COMPLIMENTARY BIRTH PHOTOGRAPHY & BIRTH FILM CONSULTATION TO TALK ABOUT YOUR BIRTH STORY.

I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

Deployment During Birth | Broward General Hospital Fort Lauderdale

Time didn't exist for them.. and despite them between on opposite sides of the globe (daddy serving our country during her labor) they were totally there together, not an ocean apart. And he will always remember how happy she was to have him with her. Because I didn't miss a single moment of it.

*limited 2018 birth story availability

Follow this link to view their entire birth story with Dr. Skeete in Broward General Hospital in Fort Lauderdale

click here to view

The Ultimate Guide to the Third Trimester | Things to Do Before You Go into Labor

The Ultimate Guide to the Third Trimester & Things to Do Before you Go into Labor

 

Things To do During the Third Trimester

For all my birth clients with January due dates and February due dates here in south Florida and Boca Raton, a common question is, what should I be doing in my third trimester to prepare for labor, for birth and to prepare for meeting my baby and bringing my baby home?

First things first... 1. Movement

Once you are in your third trimester, its important to be attentive to how active your baby is, and monitor and keep track of your baby's movements, especially if your OBGYN or Midwife suggests it. If you notice a decrease in movement, some medical providers will tell you to let them know. It's always good to be on the safe side and keep a vigilant mind.

2. Prenatal Visits

At some point during your third trimester, your prenatal visits should become more frequent. Some time between 32 and 36 weeks, you will start seeing your provider on a weekly basis rather than once every few weeks. Be sure to ask your provider what kind of exams, tests and discussions you can anticipate to arise over the course of these visits so that you can be well informed.

3. Cord-blood banking

Be sure to talk to your doctor about cord blood banking, what it is, how it is done, what the pluses and minuses are and how to plan for it. If you are planning on doing delayed cord clamping, make sure your provider is aware since these two processes can affect each other and not all providers may offer their agreement to do both.

4. Classes

At this point, you may have taken a pregnancy and childbirth class, but this is the perfect time to educate yourself and make decisions about whether you know enough about baby care, breastfeeding, labor, pain management techniques during labor and infant CPR. Sometimes your local hospital will offer some of these classes, there is an amazing childbirth class offered by Diane Ellen at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Other times you can contact a local birth center such as Natural Birthworks birth center in Margate or an organization such as The Orchid Nest in Delray Beach to find out about their class schedules and offerings. The Orchid Nest offers hypnobirthing classes in Delray Beach as well as at local hospitals, so be sure to inquire asap as classes sometimes have several dates and may be booked out in advance.

5. Breastfeeding

If you are planning on breastfeeding your baby, this is the perfect time to learn as much about breastfeeding as you can. Get yourself a breastfeeding pump, many insurances now cover the cost of excellent, high grade breast pumps. Every city nowadays has a local La Leche League Chapter, which is a group of women who are pregnant and have already had their babies who meet on a monthly basis to discuss important things to prepare for during pregnancy and techniques to use following birth to have the best opportunity at breastfeeding. There are many local lactation consultants in south Florida such as Sandra Lobaina with Peaceful Pregnancy Pathways in Margate, FL who you can contact should you have problems breastfeeding. Be sure to equip yourself with anything you may need to make breastfeeding more comfortable for you, whether that be a nursing cover, nipple shields, nipple ointment to help prevent dried out nipples, or the use of an inverted nipplette from Avent that helps with flat or inverted nipples. 

6. Pediatrician

This is the perfect time to choose the right pediatrician for your baby. 

If you live in south Florida, there are a vast recourse of amazing pediatricians that come with glowing recommendations from south Florida's best OBGYNS/Midwives and doulas. Some of my favorites are: Dr. Edna Tello with Personalized Pediatrics, Pediatric Associates who have many locations making it very convenient to get easy well and sick visits (my favorite location is in Coral Springs but they are also located in Coconut Creek and Boca Raton). Several of my clients love working with VIPediatrics in Boca Raton, and many holistic first-time-moms love working with Dr. Linda Colon in Coral Springs with Coral Springs Holistic Pediatrics. Many of these great pediatricians are affiliated with some of the best hospitals in south Florida including Broward Health Coral Springs, Northwest Medical Center, Boca Raton Regional Hospital (formerly known as Boca Community Hospital) and West Boca Medical Center.

Scheduling in-person interviews with pediatricians is best. That way, you can sit with them, see how comfortable you feel with them, and ask them all the questions you may have about their approach towards pediatric care for your new baby. 

Now it's time to make sure you have everything you need for when you bring your baby home. Here is a list of items you should have prepared and ready for use, just in case your baby makes an unexpected arrival, so you can be totally prepared:

1. Bedding: Have your baby's crib and bassinet set up, bedding washed and put on and ready

2. Stroller: You may want to take your baby for walks in your neighborhood after giving birth, you don't want to have to deal with that assembly after you brought your baby home. I love youtube videos because you can type in the name of your stroller and find instructional videos on how to assemble, open and close your stroller.

3. Baby Monitor: Do you have a registry at Babies R Us or Target in Boca Raton? Did you know that anything that wasn't purchased from your registry for your baby shower, these stores will usually offer you a 10-20% off discount for the remaining items on your registry? This is the perfect time to use that discount on a great monitor. I recommend looking up reviews on the best video monitors on amazon.com because you'll always have more of a peace of mind when you can see your baby on the monitor!

Educate Yourself on the Stages of Labor

Once you have all this done (I know my December due date moms just finished up setting up their nurseries this week!) It's time to educate yourself on stages of labor.

We go over this together during our first meeting because you need to know how to update me on the progress of your labor and when to expect me to arrive at your birth. However, I will also share my resource list with you so that you can contact a some of my favorite local doulas (ranging from Delray Beach and Boca Raton doulas to Fort Lauderdale and Miami doulas) so that they can help you prepare and go over various labor pain coping strategies, especially if you are planning an unmedicated birth (or even leading up to getting an epidural during labor) it is good to learn about your options now so that you can be prepared, know what to expect and know what you want. 

Doula and Birth Plan

When you hire a doula, she should help you to create a birth plan, also known as a birth preferences list. 

Although birth is unpredictable, it is good to have an idea of what you'd like from your birth as long as everything goes smoothly with mom and baby. Things to consider for your birth preferences list are: who would you like to cut the cord, do you plan on having delayed cord clamping, what your pain management tools are, who will be part of your birth team and present during labor and birth and more.

What to do with a Birth Plan / Inductions

Make sure you make a copy for your provider and whoever their backup doctor or midwife is in case of emergency and they are not with you during delivery. You also want to make copies for your nurses. Nurses at the hospital work in 12 hour shifts, so depending on how long you are in labor, you may need a new copy for each nurse if it is not left in the room. If you end up being induced, you may be in the hospital for 1-3 days leading up to birth, depending on what medications your provider will administer and how your body reacts to them.

Long Labors

It is not uncommon for first-time moms to be in labor anywhere from 12 to 24 to 30 hours. 

Most first time moms are in labor for an average of 15 to 20 hours. And usually, it shortens with subsequent births. You won't be in intense labor for the whole time. It usually starts with sporadic uninformed contractions that feel like your belly or the skin on your belly is tightening, stretching, contracting. Then, as they become more uniform and start coming in more consistently, as they become more frequent and intense they may be accompanied by lower back ache or menstrual-like cramps below your belly. 

Hospital Bag

I tell all my birth clients, even my home birth families, to be sure you pack a hospital bag around 35-36 weeks in your third trimester, because in the event you need to go to the hospital, even if its for a non-emergency situation, you don't want to waste your time or energy trying to make sure you have everything last minute. 

Home Care

A lot of my birth clients wonder whether they should hire a house keeper or housecleaner before they have their baby, and the answer should always be yes!!

It is such a calming and relaxing feeling, coming home to a beautifully clean home once your baby is born. And it takes care of everything on your to do list that you won't have to worry yourself with when you are recovering from birth with a newborn. 

Post Partum Care

It is a great idea to stock up on your favorite snack foods, freezer meals, pain medication, toiletries and menstrual pads for postpartum bleeding. A lot of moms like to get underwear just for wearing during the postpartum bleeding time frame.

Install your baby's car seat

You definitely want to install your baby's car seat by 36 weeks. Hospitals won't let you take your baby home unless you install the car seat in your car, and be sure you are using an infant car seat, so you can remove it from the base that is attached to the safety belt in your car and bring it upstairs to securely seatbelt your baby. Again, I love to take to youtube because there are many car seat technicians who help guide you with step by step instructional videos on how to specifically install your car seat. 

Tour Hospital

Make sure to schedule a tour of the hospital you will be birthing at and be sure you register! I didn't realize the two don't go hand in hand! You must do both. Be sure to google list of questions to ask on a hospital tour and bring the list with you, and ask the questions that matter to you. 

Older Children / Fur Babies

Make sure if you have older children or pets that you make arrangements for family or friends or sitters who will be staying with them while you are in labor. Add their contact information to your birth plan. 

Late Pregnancy Complicatons

Sometimes are women near the end of their pregnancy, certain medical conditions may come up such as premature labor, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and GBS. Make sure you educate yourself on these issues and talk to your provider about your concerns if you notice any symptoms. 

Past your due date!

Don't worry if you go past your due date. It is estimated that only 5% of women go into labor on their due date. The next 50% of women will go into labor within 7 days of their due in either direction, and the rest outside of that. It is so normal for first time moms to not go into labor until after their due date and some even at 41 weeks. 

Christmas Babies | Due with your Baby over the Holidays

With the winter holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah coming up, a lot of moms with January due dates and February due dates are checking their lists for last minute baby purchases!

With the start of pregnancy, many of my birth clients loved the options from motherhood maternity in the Boca Raton Town Center Mall for pregnancy clothing, (maternity jeans with belly bands and longer tees) as well as comfy choices from the maternity lines at H&M and Target. Many of these comfortable maternity items then become useful during the "4th trimester" or basically the first three months post partum as you are slowly recovering from birth. 

Mid-way into pregnancy, maybe around 7 months, many moms will plan their Baby shower and some of my favorite baby shower locations in Coral Springs, Parkland and Boca Raton happen to be club house rentals! They are intimate, cozy, quiet and perfect size for an intimate gathering of friends and family to celebrate mom-to-be!

One of our favorite purchases with our second baby was the Arm's Reach Cosleeper Bassinet, however, by the time our second daughter was well over six months, all my birth clients here in south Florida and in Europe were raving about the HALO Bassinet Swivel Sleeper, which literally is probably one of the most comfortable bassinet systems I have ever seen. I love all things Amazon, and am totally an amazon prime mom, so I hyperlinked the title above for easy two day shipping options :)

It's great for a number of reasons, and here are my top favorite reasons:

All sides of the bassinet are designed for the utmost breathability so when factors like SIDS come into play, moms rest easy knowing their baby will be safe.

A huge huge reason why I especially love the Halo Bassinet, is because I am a two time cesarean birth mom and if you have had a belly birth yourself, you know how tough the recovery from a c-section can be, and with this bed's movability, it is ideal for nursing mothers as the base easily tucks under beds. I highly recommend it! I truly feel like this is one of the basic newborn essentials that should be on every single baby registry. I am fairly certain I remember seeing a HALO Bassinet system in every birth client's home in the entire year of 2017!

Along with breathable bassinets, comes a very important breathable must-have for down the road once your baby starts sitting up (which is usually a sign they have outgrown the bassinet) -- and that is - a breathable mattress! 

Breathable mattresses are the latest and greatest technology in helping to prevent suffocation when a baby turns over on their stomach during sleep which is a huge asset in preventing SIDS.

Rated as one of the best and safest, breathable mattresses on the market is the Newton crib mattress, learn more here.  

Now for moms who are currently 36 weeks pregnant, I really do feel you lucked out with the cold fronts we have been getting in south Florida over the past couple of weeks of this December compared to moms who have a May or June due date, July, or even an August due date in the summer of 2018!

 With basically one month left, first time moms can feel relieved that their baby is now full term and by 37 weeks they can go anytime now!

Other Important things to take care of if you haven't at this point is to find the right pediatrician for your newborn baby.

There are several excellent practices in Coral Springs and pediatricians in Boca Raton and Parkland that I would be happy to recommend, feel free to reach out to me!