We want to ensure the experience of giving birth at Trillium Health Partners is a positive one for you and your family. Knowing what to expect during the birth, including things like your options for pain relief and who can be with you, helps prepare you to have the best experience possible.
You can find answers to other questions about your pregnancy and having your baby in our Before Baby Is Born, Coming to the Hospital and After Baby is Born pages.
Resources for Patients & Families
Below are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions
What options will I have for pain relief?
What do I need to know if I am having a vaginal birth?
What do I need to know if I am having a Caesarean birth?
Who can be with me in the birthing room? Can we record or
photograph the birth?
Can someone stay with me in the hospital?
What options will I have for pain relief?
Pain medication is given upon your request once you are in labour. Walking, using a jacuzzi tub, birthing ball or massage chair if available are ways to manage pain. If you wish to receive an epidural, the anesthesiologist (doctor who specializes in anesthesiology) will be paged and arrive at the earliest possible time, but during certain times, he or she may be delayed with an emergency.
What do I need to know if I am having a vaginal birth?
Every effort is made to allow mothers to deliver their babies vaginally, unless you and your doctor or midwife has chosen otherwise. During a low risk birth without complications, you may or may not require an IV, depending on if you choose to have an epidural for pain relief. Our obstetricians do not routinely perform an episiotomy (a cut made into the tissues behind the entrance to the vagina (perineum) to assist the birth of the baby). Your baby will be placed skin to skin with you (or your partner) and can remain there until you arrive on the post-delivery unit. Please continue to care for your baby skin to skin as this allows your baby to become used to the outside world, supports breastfeeding and has many more benefits as well.
Trillium Health Partners supports women who have a vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC). If you have previously given birth by caesarean section and would like to try giving birth vaginally, we encourage you to consider a trial of labour with your current pregnancy. Discuss this option with your doctor or midwife if you are interested.
There are cases where you may require a caesarean section even if you have planned to deliver vaginally. Your health care provider will discuss this with you.
What do I need to know if I am having a Caesarean birth?
If you are having a planned Caesarean birth (often called a “C section”, your doctor will pre-book your surgery date. You will be admitted to the hospital at least 2-3 hours before your scheduled C section so we can prepare you. *It is important that you do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before, as this may delay your surgery.
During the procedure, you may have one support person in the room. When the baby is born you or your partner can provide skin to skin care in the operating room as well as the Recovery area. We have produced a resource booklet and video in collaboration with Peel Public Health to help you with breastfeeding after a C section.
Who can be with me in the birthing room? Can we record or photograph the birth?
We encourage labouring mothers to have support persons, including doulas, spouses or partners, with them at all times. Other support people are welcome to be with you upon your request. They may be asked to leave the room if you or your baby(s) require immediate medical attention and the staff feel they are unable to properly care for you because there are too many people in the room.
There is a telephone in each room, and cell phones are permitted. To promote privacy for you and other mothers in labour, we suggest you only bring to the hospital, the people you want to support you through your labour. Your support person may use the phone in your birthing room to contact other friends and family with the news.
Cameras are welcome into the birthing rooms. You may also use a hand-held, battery operated video camera if you have the permission of all staff in the room. Videotaping is not permitted at the time of birth, or during caesarean birth, forceps, vacuum, breech or during emergency procedures. Please also refrain from videotaping in the hallways.
Can someone stay with me in the hospital?
Patients are welcome to invite someone to stay overnight if they are in a private room. In a semi-private or ward room, someone may stay past hospital visiting hours, if mutually agreed upon by the other mothers and partner sharing the room.
