What to Expect at Your First Maternity Hospital Visit

Preparing for a maternity hospital visit can be as exciting as overwhelming, especially when you’re a first-time visitor. However, as they say, a great stress-reducing factor can be the level of preparedness that you have at the time. So, here are some useful tips on what to expect at your first maternity hospital visit.

The very first visit

The purpose of the very first maternity hospital visit is to establish prenatal care that includes confirming pregnancy, initial assessment, and care setup. At first, the obstetrician-gynecologist or other maternity doctor runs a test to confirm your pregnancy. Then – at the initial assessment stage – you go under a thorough medical evaluation that includes medical history, and any previous pregnancies. As a result – in the last stage – the specialists will establish a plan for your continuous prenatal care, that includes scheduling future appointments and any needed tests.

The documents and items you will need to bring with yourself

As the first maternity hospital visit is required for running tests and establishing ongoing prenatal care, the process will most probably require some identification documents, such as your passport or ID card, as well as any other previous medical record, including ultrasound results and test results (including but not limited to AIDS test). Aside from documents, you can also bring comfortable clothing, toiletries, and other items you may find useful, however, you most probably won’t need those as, in many cases, the first visit doesn’t require staying in the hospital.

The services many maternity hospitals offer

There are many maternity hospital services​ to ease the whole prenatal procedure and treatment. Starting from the actual prenatal care that includes regular check-ups in order to monitor the health of your and the baby’s health. The first visit will also help you understand if you want to continue the treatment at the hospital and also what services they offer for postnatal care, including breastfeeding assistance and newborn care guidance. Since hospitals are equipped with many maternity doctors, at the first visit you will also get the chance to ask about and get acquainted with the emergency services the facility has for potential complications during both pregnancy and childbirth.

The available facilities

During the first hospital visit, you will also get to explore the maternity department, its comfort and safety level, rooms, and if they have private room options, as well as family involvement and nutritional support. The priority of an advanced hospital is to provide advanced equipment, especially when it comes to child delivery and the mother’s health support during the procedure. So, the hospital should have advanced equipment that will be used during the labor. Lastly, the family involvement and nutritional support relate to your additional comfort during your stay. The family involvement relates to the permission of other parents to be present for the child’s delivery, and the nutritional support covers the aspect of food that the hospital will or will not provide during your stay, preferably three times a day.

The overall process of your first maternity hospital visit

Back to the first visit, during which you can expect an overall consultation with your maternity doctor or gynecologist. In the consultation process, you will thoroughly discuss your health history, lifestyle, and any other concerns you will potentially have related to your pregnancy safety. This is when you will need the additional documents you have brought with you, so the doctor will have a better understanding of your health condition.

Then, it’s time for a physical examination that includes blood pressure checks, weight measurements, and an ultrasound session. These are measurements that will be taken a couple more times in the future to better control your health throughout the whole pregnancy.

After the necessary checkups, your doctor may or may not prescribe you some prenatal vitamins and nutritious food variants to include in your everyday diet. And, as a final step, you will also schedule the next appointment or a few following ones to create a regular check-up plan during the entire pregnancy.

Emotional support

Pregnancy is already an exciting, emotional, and overwhelming process for many women and to reduce the anxiety and stress levels in the body, you can ask for emotional support sessions, as in any available psychologists you could get an appointment with for a few times a month or during the whole pregnancy. This will help you emotionally prepare yourself for becoming a parent or welcoming one more baby into your life. Typically, for these sessions hospitals provide specialists with experience in the specific field for better results.

Conclusion

The whole process of a healthy pregnancy starts with the very first visit to the maternity hospital, which will not only set regular check-ups for your and the baby’s health but will also make the whole pregnancy period safe and worryless. So, prepare all the documents, and necessary products you may need during your visit and make your very first maternity visit appointment in a safe and advanced hospital that you will trust in the following months.