Get ready for labor

• Pack your hospital bag ahead of time. Install the car seat.
• Use a birth plan to make choices about childbirth.
• Go to all your prenatal care checkups, even if you feel fine.

Every hospital is different, so it's a good idea to schedule a tour of the hospital a few weeks before your due date. This will help you know what to expect when you get there for labor.

When you arrive to have your baby, you will probably:

• Fill out hospital admission paperwork, including insurance information (it's common for this to be done in advance through the health care provider)
• Go to the labor and delivery unit
• Change into a hospital gown, or your own nightgown or big shirt
• Be examined to see how dilated (opened) your cervix is
• Be connected to a fetal monitor to time the contractions and check the baby's heartbeat

September 2009