More and more pregnant women, when giving birth, opt for hospitals that guarantee a respected and humane delivery , as they are aware of the importance that this experience will have forever in their lives. And fortunately, there are also more and more professionals and hospitals aware of this reality.
Such is the case of the Gynecology and Obstetrics service and the midwives and Nursing team of the Delivery Room of the Torrejón University Hospital (Madrid), which since 2011 have maintained their commitment to respecting the decisions of the mother and the nature that surrounds the birth process.
But this year more than ever, this team of professionals has wanted to emphasize its commitment to the philosophy of childbirth respected through the project ‘Meet our delivery room’, an online program in which pregnant women can learn in detail about how their follow-up will be pregnancy and delivery in this time of pandemic, thus clarifying all your doubts and increasing your confidence and security in these moments of so much uncertainty.
‘Meet our Delivery Room’, a website with information on Respected Delivery
‘Meet our Delivery Room’ is an online program of the Torrejón Hospital accessible on the ‘Ser Mamá’ website, from Ribera Salud, which offers the most complete information on the philosophy of respected childbirth, the accompaniment of a person throughout the follow-up process of pregnancy and childbirth, the facilities of the center, and the extraordinary measures put in place to guarantee the safety of pregnant women and their babies against contagion by COVID-19.
According to Dr. Belén Santacruz, head of the Gynecology and Obstetrics service of said hospital, this project emerged as an alternative that would allow professionals to be close to pregnant women at these times when antepartum visits with the delivery service, which historically they had been offered, they have been suspended because of the pandemic.
“We are very proud of our work philosophy, of maximum respect for the birth process and of the quality of the team of doctors, midwives, nurses and assistants that we have in the service; and this project reflects everything we can offer to our pregnant women. to feel confident, secure, protected and calm during your pregnancy and delivery, “she says.
On the web, a team of obstetricians, neonatologists, anesthetists, midwives and nurses explain to mothers through videos all kinds of details related to the monitoring of pregnancy and childbirth in these times of COVID, as well as how to proceed in in case the woman tests positive at any time during pregnancy or before delivery.
Accompaniment during consultations and delivery
From the Hospital of Torrejón they send a reassuring message to mothers: ” We consider that it is a right of the woman and her partner to be able to establish bonds with her baby before delivery, and to be accompanied in these important moments that can create so much anxiety “ .
Therefore, and with the aim of guaranteeing the mother a feeling of protection, security, trust and intimacy, the Hospital allows the accompaniment of pregnant women , both in consultations and during delivery or cesarean section (scheduled or non-emergent intrapartum cesarean section) provided that all safety and prevention measures are complied with.
Respected delivery, prioritizing the mother’s wishes
Among the contents that the program offers to pregnant women are the explanation of the philosophy of respected childbirth , which prioritizes attention to the mother’s wishes during the delivery process, guaranteeing aspects such as freedom of movement in the room dilatation therapy, music therapy, non-pharmacological pain management or bathtub delivery.
But in addition to this information, we also find more practical videos, in which professionals explain to mothers what the spaces they will go through when they go to the hospital to give birth , in which areas the delivery area is divided and what care they will receive in each one of them, as well as all the equipment that you will find in the labor and recovery units (balls, lianas, mats and cushions …).
“We know that having the information in advance provides a context of tranquility and security that is very beneficial during labor. That is why we talk to them about what will happen when they go into labor, what will happen when they arrive at the ER, or if they can access epidural analgesia or choose other non-pharmacological ways to manage pain “- explains Dr. Belén Santacruz
Skin to skin from birth
Another important point mentioned in the videos of the ‘Meet our Delivery Unit’ project is the importance of skin-to-skin between mother and baby from the moment of birth, even if the woman were positive for COVID.
In the videos, a midwife explains how to proceed in these cases to minimize the risk of contagion to the baby, and how, if the mother so wishes, it is possible to establish breastfeeding with due precautions (use of a mask, hygiene, cleaning of the breasts …).
What happens if the woman is positive for COVID during pregnancy or delivery?
When the woman enters the hospital to give birth, a PCR test is performed, and if it is positive, she will be informed of the safety protocols that must be carried out , which include, among others:
- The use of personal protective equipment by health personnel caring for the mother
- The use of a mask at all times, both by the pregnant woman and the companion
- Monitoring the baby’s heart rate continuously throughout the delivery process
- Hygiene and precautionary measures when making skin to skin and breastfeeding the baby
- In the event of a cesarean section, the companion cannot go to the operating room
- It will not be possible to offer birth in water, because it increases the risk of contact with secretions and fluids, nor the use of nitrous oxide, due to the emission of aerosols that occurs during its use.
If the positive for COVID occurs during pregnancy , the professionals have wanted to send a reassuring message to mothers, assuring them that special protocols and follow-ups will be carried out to guarantee the accompaniment and well-being of the mother and the baby.
“The pregnancy stage is a time when emotions, and especially anxiety, are very intense. A pregnancy and delivery in a COVID-19 pandemic generates even greater stress and pregnant women must know what will happen if they contract the virus during pregnancy or childbirth, so we are prepared to give them all the necessary attention and information “- says Dr. Santacruz.
“In our hospital we have established protocols and circuits to maintain the safety and protection of all our pregnant women, their babies, their companions and our professionals; and, for this reason, we have implemented protocols of attention in Consultations and Delivery rooms that allow us continue with the highest quality care even if the mother is positive for COVID-19 during her pregnancy or delivery. “
The Torrejón University Hospital is just one example that more and more hospitals are aware of the importance of respecting and humanizing the care and care of the mother and baby during pregnancy and childbirth, and especially in these times of pandemic and uncertainty that we are living.
Photos | Torrejón University Hospital
Via | Torrejón University Hospital, project ‘Meet our delivery room’
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