We’re exploring option from conception to childhood to help women take control of their fertility, birth experience, postpartum healing, and motherhood journey! This is a safe space for all parents to hear what the experts have to say and to hear from influencer parents and their take on parenthood! Join us for all things birth and parenthood for an empowering and educational walk with a birth and newborn expert and the found of Tranquility by HeHe Maternity Concierge, HeHe Stewart.
Episodes
23 hours ago
23 hours ago
13 min
You made it to the hospital! You’re having contractions, you’re ready to meet your baby, and then someone tells you… you’re not being admitted yet. WHAT?! Before you assume something is wrong or feel like you’re being sent home to fend for yourself, let’s talk about what hospital triage actually is, why it happens, and how to navigate it without feeling completely lost.
In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe breaks down what happens when you arrive at the hospital in labor, from the questions you’ll be asked and the monitoring you may encounter to cervical checks, IVs, and how your care team decides whether it’s time to admit you to labor and delivery. She explains why some hospitals use around six centimeters of dilation as an admission benchmark, why you might be asked to labor at home a little longer, and how to communicate with your provider before you even walk through the doors. She also covers why things like cervical checks and IV placement are not automatically something you have to agree to.
Plus, HeHe shares practical tips for making triage work for you, including when to call your provider, what information to communicate ahead of arrival, and how to let your team know about your pain-management preferences. Because if you’re hoping for an epidural or nitrous oxide, having those conversations early can help your team understand what you’re looking for. You deserve to know what’s happening, understand your options, and feel like an active participant in your birth, not like you’re just waiting for someone to tell you what happens next.
Knowing what triage looks like is one thing. Practicing how you’d handle it is another.
Practice your birth decisions before you’re in labor with the Labor Live Challenge: https://joinlaborlive.com
In this episode:
- What hospital triage actually is and why it’s a filtering process before admission
- When to call your provider after your water breaks or contractions become rhythmic
- Why you may be asked to labor longer at home before being admitted
- What to communicate to your birth team before arriving at the hospital
- What happens during triage, including contraction monitoring, fetal monitoring, vital signs, and cervical exams
- Why dilation, effacement, and your overall situation may factor into admission decisions
- How providers may check whether your water has broken
- Why cervical checks and IVs are options to discuss, not automatic yeses
- How to communicate your pain-management preferences before you’re deep in labor
- What you can do while waiting, including walking and tracking your contractions
- How to reframe triage so you feel more informed, prepared, and confident advocating for yourself
Practice your birth decisions before you’re in labor with the Labor Live Challenge: https://joinlaborlive.com
Get the exact words for saying no to cervical checks, IVs, and other interventions with Scripts for Advocacy: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy
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CHAPTERS
00:00 You Made It, But You're Not Admitted?!
01:33 Introducing Labor Live
02:18 Join the Monthly Simulation
02:52 What Hospital Triage Is
03:28 Admission Criteria Basics
04:09 When to Call Your Provider
05:47 Arriving and Waiting in Triage
06:36 Triage Intake Questions
07:26 Checks, Monitors, and Options
09:26 Reframe and Next Steps
CONNECT
HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/
The Birth Lounge on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.birth.lounge/
KEEP LEARNING WITH HEHE
Want the exact words for the conversations that can make or break your birth, from declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions? Grab Scripts for Advocacy: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy
LINKS MENTIONED
Labor Live Challenge: https://joinlaborlive.com
Scripts for Advocacy: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy
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