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Childbirth at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) supports you and your baby before, during, and after giving birth. This guide helps families and care partners learn what to expect and how to prepare.
Before your baby arrives, you can share your preferences for your birth experience. In your registration package, there is a section to write down any special requests and tell us what is important to you. We also recommend talking about these with your care provider so they can give advice and support.
Please bring the following paperwork with you:
When you come to the hospital, you must bring the following items with you:
You may also want to bring items that will make your stay more comfortable, including:
Please leave valuables, including jewelry and body piercings, at home. WRHN is not responsible for any lost or stolen items. If you forget to bring something, WRHN may sell what you need. The gift shop and pharmacy are on the third floor.
Throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period, you will be cared for by one of the following kinds of healthcare providers:
An obstetrician is a doctor who specializes in both low and high-risk pregnancies. At WRHN, an obstetrician is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide care. The on-call obstetrician will help with your labour and birth. After birth, obstetricians continue to provide care to you but do not provide care babies.
Some family doctors have special training to provide primary obstetric care in low-risk pregnancies. These family doctors have “privileges” to deliver at WRHN. They provide complete care and advice for low-risk patients throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postpartum period. Family doctors care for you and your baby after you go home from hospital.
Midwives provide complete care and advice for low-risk patients throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postpartum period. Your family doctor can refer you to a midwife, or you can contact the midwifery practice yourself.
Midwives care for you and your baby for six weeks after birth. There are four midwifery groups that currently practice at WRHN:
The amount of pain experienced in labour varies greatly from one person to another. Your pain will depend on:
Your care team is here to support you and the ways you choose to relieve pain and find comfort. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada shares information about the options for pain management:
In addition, a few other types of pain relief include:
Talk to your care provider for more information about managing pain during labour.
A caesarean section (C-section) is a surgery to deliver your baby through an opening made in your abdomen and uterus.
If a C-Section is required or your choice, your doctor or midwife will refer you to an obstetrician who can deliver your baby by C-Section. Your midwife or family doctor will still be part of your care.
If you are having a scheduled C-section, we will give you a date and time to come to WRHN to have your baby.
You will need to do blood work before you come for your C-section. Your healthcare team will explain when to do this. Your surgery may be delayed if:
C-sections take less than one hour. In most cases, you can have one support person with you during the procedure. We will ask them to wait outside the operating room until you are under anesthesia. They will sit at the head of the bed and support you. Other care partners will not be able to enter the operating room or recovery room.
When you are in active labour, we will admit you to a birthing room. We will also admit you if there are any concerns that make it safer for you to stay in the hospital.
When you come to WRHN for a vaginal birth, here is what you can expect:
We will explain all the procedures to you before we do them. We encourage you to ask questions at any time.
Labour is the process your body goes through to give birth to your baby. Inducing labour means helping you start labour before it begins naturally.
During your pregnancy, your healthcare provider will discuss induction of labour with you if required, including:
The process to induce labour may be as long as one to two days or as short as a few hours. This depends on how ready your body is for labour. If you are having your first baby, it often takes one to two days for the baby to be born with induction.
It is important to know that your induction may not happen on the day it is planned for, even when you have an appointment. Each day, our team reviews the list of patients scheduled for induction. We decide the order that patients are called to the hospital based on the reason for the induction. There may also be delays when the Childbirth program is busy.
On the day of your induction appointment, call us at 10 a.m. at 519-749-4300, ext. 2345. Ask to speak to the resource nurse. They will tell you what time to come to the hospital.
Only bring the items you need for labour and birth. Your care partner can bring the rest after the baby is born. You can eat normal meals while you wait for your induction.
If you have had a C-section in the past, you may still be able to labour to have a vaginal birth. Talk to your care team for more information. They can help you decide if vaginal birth is a good option for you.
Delayed cord clamping means waiting to cut the umbilical cord after your baby is born. During the delay, your baby gets more blood from the placenta. The delay will be between 30 seconds and one minute.
You may decide you want to save your baby’s umbilical cord blood and stem cells. Talk to your healthcare team about your options and take time to research:
Please tell your healthcare team if you plan to collect stem cells. We also have emergency collection kits available if you decide to do this at the last minute.
After your baby is born, your nurse or midwife will encourage you to hold your baby with skin-to-skin contact. They can also help you start breastfeeding or chestfeeding.
After about one hour, we may transfer you to another room. This will be your room for the rest of your time in the hospital. You can include the type of room you would like in your registration package.
You can expect to stay in the hospital for:
If you are getting care from a midwife at home, you may be able to go home sooner. Talk to your healthcare team if you have questions about going home. They will help you and your baby go home safely.
The first six weeks after your baby is born is the early postpartum period. During this time, your hormone levels and uterus are returning to a non-pregnant state. It can be an exciting and challenging time.
You will have a postpartum appointment with your healthcare provider about six weeks after giving birth. If you are being cared for by a midwife, you will have visits with them sooner.
Here is what you may experience during the early postpartum period:
It is common to experience pain or discomfort during the postpartum period. We will give you a package with over-the-counter pain medicines and instructions on how to take them. They can help you manage some of the symptoms.
After you give birth, it is important to give your body time to rest. You may want to slowly become more active as you recover. Here are a few guidelines about exercise and activity after giving birth:
Talk to your healthcare provider about returning to normal activities. You should also talk to them if you experience pain with activity.
During and after pregnancy, there are physical and emotional changes. It is important to learn about what you might experience and when you might need help.
Many new parents experience emotional changes called baby blues. They are common and usually only last for seven to 10 days. You may have the baby blues if:
Sometimes, these feelings do not go away and become more severe. This is called postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can happen to any parent. It is important to seek support if you:
Here are some resources that can help:
Call 911 if you ever have thoughts of hurting yourself or your baby.
For more information about postpartum depression, visit:
Go to the nearest emergency department or call 911 if you experience:
Call your care provider or go to the nearest emergency department if:
Before your baby is born, you will need to find a healthcare provider for them. This could be a:
This is who will care for your baby after you go home from the hospital.
Talk to your doctor or midwife about your options. You can also use the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario website to find doctors who are accepting new patients.
The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends you take your baby to a healthcare provider:
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) cares for newborns who need close monitoring and specialized care.
All babies have their bilirubin levels checked after birth. We do this blood test after your baby is 24 hours old. It can be done before you go home or by returning to the Well-Baby/Bili Clinic.
Breastfeeding or chestfeeding has many benefits for you and your baby. Health Canada and the World Health Organization recommend only feeding your baby human milk for first six months. After six months, you continue breastfeeding or chestfeeding along with feeding other foods.
If you choose to breastfeed or chestfeed, feed often in the first few days to help with milk supply. Your nurse, midwife, or lactation consultant can support you. Babies fed only breast milk should get a daily vitamin D supplement. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
If you choose to feed formula, use an iron-fortified commercial formula. Only feed your baby human milk or formula for the first six months.
Call your or your baby’s healthcare provider if your baby:
Go to the nearest emergency department if your care provider is unavailable.
