Intermountain Health hospitals offer a variety of options for pregnant patients for labor and delivery and postpartum care. Pregnant patients can opt to see an OB/Gyn or certified nurse midwife, and they may see a maternal fetal medicine specialist if their pregnancy is high risk.
Pregnant patients may have varying preferences about the environment and care surrounding their baby’s birth in a hospital. Intermountain has a Patient’s Choice Birth Plan for expectant parents to fill out their birth plan options such as if they prefer a non-medicated or low-intervention childbirth, or if they prefer various pain relief options such as nitrous oxide or an epidural. Patients can also specify their desires for their birth experience to aid in their comfort during labor and birth.
“Our caregivers work with each individual patient to help them have the birth experience they desire with the important shared goal of keeping both mom and baby healthy and safe,” said Katrina Jensen, RN, a nurse with Intermountain Health.
One Suite Birth
One option available is One Suite Birth. The idea behind One Suite Birth is to create a more home-like birth experience in the hospital for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care, and to provide that care in one room. The patient doesn’t have to move from a labor room to a recovery and postpartum room, and that enables families to spend more time together to connect with their new baby. The rooms are furnished with a home-like feel.
The Patient’s Choice Birth Plan for Intermountain patients, enables parents to identify preferences in the following areas:
- Comfort and relaxation, measures – breathing techniques, tub, shower, massage, cold packs, music, aromatherapy, hypnosis for birth techniques etc.
- Visitors and environment during labor, birth, and postpartum – visitors, children, still photography, medical students or residents in training.
- Hydration options – ice chips, popsicles, slushies, clear liquids, IV fluids.
- Labor positions to support physiologic birth – semi-sit, squat bar, birth ball, bedside chair, etc.
- Monitoring of baby and contractions – intermittent, cordless, continuous.
- Stimulation of labor – breaking of water, or Pitocin to assist labor.
- Pain-relief options during labor, delivery or postpartum care – non-narcotic, IV medications, nitrous oxide, epidural, etc.
- Pushing preferences – rest and descend, breathe baby down, use of mirror etc.
- Cord cutting – partner may perform it if desired and as clinical condition allows.
- Early skin to skin contact with baby as soon as it’s medically safe
- Newborn procedures, screenings, and circumcision – where performed and who is present.
- Feeding the baby – breastfeeding, lactation consultant, pumping, formula feeding.
- Length of hospital stay within medical safety guidelines
All Intermountain hospitals offer moms the opportunity to indicate birth plan options. Intermountain offers One Suite Birth at Park City Hospital, Heber Valley Hospital, Orem Community Hospital, and at Bear River Valley Hospital in Tremonton. Other Intermountain hospitals in Utah may have similar options for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care to be provided in the same room.
Women can talk to their doctor or midwife about their upcoming birth experience and also call their local hospital or visit their website for a virtual or in-person labor and delivery tour or to find out about childbirth education classes that are offered in-person or online. For more information visit:
https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/womens-health.
About Intermountain Health
Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.
