How much can you personalize the atmosphere in the L&D room?

[Anonymous]

The only time I was in a l&d room before was when I was born, so as an adult, I’m not sure how much flexibility there is, but I was wondering if you can wear your own clothes during delivery, and if they let you play your own music, maybe warm up scented oils, or do anything to make the place feel less robotic and impersonal.


If anyone else were able to create a more personal environment for yourself in the l&d room, what did you do, and which hospital did you have your baby at? Did they give you a hard time?

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure you can’t use scented oils but no issue with music or wearing your own clothes as long as it has easy access.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked into birthing centers? They tend to be more flexible than hospitals.

[Anonymous]

I wore my own gowns to give birth. Wouldn’t recommend your own clothes but you could. I needed access to my back for my epidural. A lot of women are naked with a sports bra and then just the blanket over the bottom part. You get hot and clothes irritate.

I brought my own pillows and a blanket/ quilt for Dh. It was cold in the room and he stayed with me during both of my difficult long labors (2 days in labor, 2 days after) so he needed to be semi comfy.

You can play music or whatever you want. For the most part you’re left alone while in labor. Nurses check you every few hours and then the nurse and doctor are there when you push.

[Anonymous]

I wore a ... nightie? Spaghetti strap beach coverup. They said to me "Do you want to change - that is going to get trashed." But I was prepared to throw it out after.

We had a few different playlists. At one point everyone was singing and everyone but me was kind of dancing around.

As a surprise to me, DH had taken a picture of my dog, gotten it blown up, and taped it up in my eyeline. That was AWESOME!

I don't think scented oils would be cool.

[Anonymous]

I brought a ridiculous strand of salt lamp string lights and turned off the room lights. Highly recommend.

[Anonymous]

I had quick labors but they were unmedicated - and I have to say, although I'm totally the sort of person who would want to personalize the room I didn't care whatsoever and even had zero idea of what the environment was.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had quick labors but they were unmedicated - and I have to say, although I'm totally the sort of person who would want to personalize the room I didn't care whatsoever and even had zero idea of what the environment was.

Yeah the room environment was the last thing on my mind.

[Anonymous]

Don’t be that woman I saw leaving the maternity ward with three (!) full sized suitcases. I will admit she and her baby looked great in their matching outfits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had quick labors but they were unmedicated - and I have to say, although I'm totally the sort of person who would want to personalize the room I didn't care whatsoever and even had zero idea of what the environment was.

Yeah the room environment was the last thing on my mind.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t be that woman I saw leaving the maternity ward with three (!) full sized suitcases. I will admit she and her baby looked great in their matching outfits.

Haha that was me with my first. We had soooo much stuff that we didn’t even use. With my second and third I didn’t even bring a car seat. I just had DH go home before we left and install it and come back for us. One small bag and that is it. But I was in and out with my second and third in less than 2 days total. With my first I was at the hospital for 3 nights 4 days.

[Anonymous]

Actually our doula used incense or scented oils or something that made the room smell wonderful (maybe it was lavender) and I really liked it. I delivered at Sibley in 2019. I wasn't able to do most of the things that doulas have you do because my labor progressed fast after getting Cervidil, and got painful very very fast, so I got an epidural, which did not work. So she did what she could which included leg massages and just making the environment nice, and it helped more than you would think.

[Anonymous]

I basically bring a toothbrush, deodorant, shower stuff, and a phone charger to give birth. My first labor was 49 hours and Dh and I played music on his phone for a little bit.

[Anonymous]

I brought electronic candles, an aromatherapy diffuser, and I had a playlist. The L and D nurses definitely rolled their eyes a bit as I was a total first time mom. I thought I was going to breathe my baby into the world in some sort of Enya type trance. Ended up having complications and I puked, bled, and pooped all over the room. I could not have cared less about the room environment once I was around 7 cm—the only thing they mattered was getting that baby out alive. And the smell of that oil in labor made me want to barf. Unless you have aPerfect, easy, unicorn birth this stuff really does not matter and will not matter to you in labor, especially if you’re unmedicated and trying to get through your contractions.

[Anonymous]

Someone post the doula hospital bag list with travel poster and miso soup!