Planning Your Birth Experience
Having a baby is an exciting time, and the entire staff at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital wishes to make this the most wonderful birth experience possible. Your thoughts, wishes, and choices are important to us. We ask you to spend some time sharing your plans for your birth experience.
This birth plan guide was made to help you when thinking of topics that are important to talk about with your health care team. Please stay flexible in case you or your baby’s health calls for your health care team to change your plan. This birth plan reflects your current wishes. You can change it at any time.
If you would like to print a copy of the birth plan guide to bring to your next appointment, please click on the icon to the left.
Birth Plan Guidelines
Below are some general guidelines to keep in mind when planning your birth experience.
Womancare Birth Center (WCBC) Visiting Guidelines
Locked Unit
- For security reasons, all visitors to the WCBC will need to obtain a UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Visitor Badge at the Information Desk in the main lobby.
Access Badges
- Each patient will also be given up to 4 access badges to be used by family and friends who the patient permits or requests to be inside the WCBC. Access badges are color-coded by day of the week and are active for a 24-hour period. Visitors must use their access badges to enter the WCBC by swiping the badge in a card reader at the WCBC entrance doors.
Visitor Limits
- Because the Triage area has limited space, visitors are limited to only 2 support persons.
- In the WCBC, 4 visitors (including your primary support person) at a time are permitted and can take turns being with you once you are in a Labor, Delivery, and Recovery (LDR) room.
- Staff members may request that fewer than 4 visitors stay with you based on your condition and the baby’s condition. Visitors also may be asked to step out if you wish or if we need to give you care.
Professional Doulas
- Doulas may be part of your health care team and are not considered visitors.
Sibling Children
- Only sibling children who have completed the Magee “Children at Birth” program may be present for labor and/or birth. They must be with an adult (other than your primary support person) at all times. No other children under age 13 are permitted to visit in the WCBC. Call 412-641-8096 for information about the “Children at Birth” program.
Visitors During Birth
- 1 or 2 visitors may be present. The new baby’s siblings are allowed to visit after the baby is born. Siblings must be with an adult.
Cesarean Birth Support
- In the event that you have a Cesarean birth, only 1 support person may be present.
Sick Visitors
- Any person who is sick or has been exposed to an infectious disease (such as chicken pox) in the past 3 weeks should not visit.
Visitor Hours
- After 9 p.m., only your primary support person will be permitted to accompany you and your baby to the Mother-Baby unit.
Patient Jewelry Removal
All jewelry and body piercings should be removed before coming to the hospital. The presence of jewelry creates risk factors during labor, birth, or surgery, including:
- Breathing problems due to piercings of the mouth, lip, or tongue (they can cause interference to your airway)
- Swelling of fingers or limbs from tight jewelry
- Infection at piercing sites
- Interference with medical instruments and equipment
- Loss or damage of jewelry
Photographing, Filming, and Recording Within UPMC Facilities
Delivering a baby is a very special time. We understand that families may want to record memories of this special event. As long as there is no interference with health care delivery and the members of the team agree to be included in any recording, video, or photos, we encourage you to record your memories of this special event.
Please know that the health care needs and desires of the health care team will determine whether you are able to record/photograph your delivery.
Photographing, filming, and recording are not permitted in the following situations:
- During a Cesarean Section
- During direct patient care procedures (for example: epidural insertion, urinary catheter insertion)
- In any public area, including hallways (where the privacy of other patients, visitors, and health care team members must be ensured)
Photographing, filming, and recording in the health care setting require the voluntary verbal agreement of any health care team member who is present. Any member of the health care team may request that photographing, filming, and recording stop.
Photographing, filming, and recording are permitted only for private, noncommercial use.
Filming Childbirth
During the delivery of the baby, photographing, filming, and recording must be done from the head of the patient's bed.
