What to Expect
During Delivery
(IP Edition).

Labor and birth are the most anticipated moments for every Intended Parent. Although we cannot predict everything that will happen, as pregnancy and labor can be unpredictable, we will address the basics to help ease the fear of the unknown. This is a general guideline. Labor, delivery and post-delivery varies case-by-case.

Types of Labor

• Natural 
• Scheduled induction:
  • This will be decided between your surrogate and her prenatal care provider.
• C-section: 
  • This will be decided between your surrogate and her prenatal care provider.
• Emergency c-section:
  • Occurs only when medically necessary for the safety of your baby and/or surrogate.

Labor and a Planned Vaginal Birth: 

• Your Surrogate Will Go to Hospital/Birth Center When

• • Water Breaks 
    • Your surrogate will let you know when this happens, and will also call her prenatal care provider.
    • Your surrogate may go straight to the hospital and labor there, may go to the hospital to be checked for any problems and return home to labor for some time, or may choose to wait at home until contractions begin
  • Labor Contractions Begin
    • Typically, it is recommended to go into the hospital when contractions are less than 5 minutes apart.

• While She’s Laboring
  • If you’re with her, be calm and try to help her relax. 
  • If you’re not with her, do not call or text her repeatedly.
    • It’s in your baby’s and your surrogate’s best interest to help her remain calm and happy, not stressed out.
  • Do not hover over your surrogate. 
    • Hovering can make her very nervous and uncomfortable. 
    • Again- it’s in your baby’s and her best interest for your surrogate to remain as comfortable as possible.
  • Labor can take hours or even days. 
    • Your baby and surrogate will be monitored very closely by hospital staff and her care provider the whole time. 

• What You Can Do While She’s Laboring:
  • You can chit-chat with her if that’s what feels right at the time. 
  • If you have nervous energy and you don’t want to make her nervous, maybe go for a walk around the hospital. 
  • Feel free to bring a book, magazine or project to work on.  Your surrogate will appreciate not having to take care of you while she is in labor.
  • Eat and stay hydrated!  It’s important to take care of yourself so you are feeling ready for when your baby arrives!

• While She’s in Active Labor 
  • Perhaps you can stand behind the doctor and watch your sweet little miracle come into the world! 
  • If you, or your surrogate, isn’t comfortable with you watching the birthing process, you can:
    • Stand by your Surrogate’s head or stand off to one side. 
    • Step out into the hallway or waiting room. 
    • Stand behind a curtain in the delivery room, so you can hear everything, but not have to see it. 
  • If you find yourself standing for long periods of time, make sure to soften your knees and move around a little.  Straight legs and locked knees can make you pass out!

• After Delivery
  • Typically, you will cut the umbilical cord, but be sure to discuss this with your surrogate beforehand.
  • Baby is usually handed to you for the first skin-on-skin contact. This helps begin to build a bond between Baby and parent, but it is also to help stabilize Baby’s body temperature.
  • You will spend the first hour or so in the room with your surrogate.  After this time, you will most likely be moved to your own room with the baby.  However, you will still be on the labor and delivery floor and you will be able to visit with your surrogate whenever you and she wants.

• Physical Examinations in Delivery Room:
  • Measurement of Baby’s: Temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate
  • Measurement of Baby’s: Height, weight, head circumference
  • Cord care: A baby’s umbilical cord will have a clamp. It will need to be kept clean and dry until it falls off naturally, within 1-2 weeks post birth. 
  • Baby’s first bath: Given by one or both IPs and assisted by a nurse.

Planned C-Section

• If your surrogate has a planned c-section, she will probably not go through the laboring process.  
• A specific date and time will be chosen for the c-section by her and her care provider.  
• Your surrogate will arrive at the hospital a couple of hours before the planned c-section time so they can prepare her for the surgery.
  • Your surrogate will not be allowed to eat a certain number of hours before delivery (vaginal and c-section) so she doesn’t become ill during delivery or the operation. 
    • Please do not eat in the room with your surrogate. Take your meal out to the waitinging area or even into the hospital’s cafeteria.
    • Because of heightened sense of smell during pregnancy, please be sure to chew gum or use a breath mint after eating and before returning to the labor/delivery room.

Who Will Be in the Delivery Room?

• The number of people allowed in a delivery or operating room will ultimately be decided by your surrogate’s care provider. 
  • You can ask your surrogate to discuss this with their care provider ahead of time, so decisions can be made in advance. 
  • Typically, it will be at least one IP, your surrogate and her support person in a standard delivery room. 
  • In the event of a c-section, care providers usually only allow one or two people in the operating room. 
    • One person will most likely be your surrogate’s support person.
    • If a second person is allowed in, you will have to decide which of you it will be.
    • If you can’t be in the operating room, a nurse will bring Baby to you within a couple of minutes of birth.
  • Your surrogate will also be attended by a doctor, nurse and a nurse for Baby.
  • Your surrogate may also be attended by a support person known as a “doula”.
    • A doula is a person trained in childbirth to provide emotional, physical, and educational support to a woman before, during, and after labor. 
    • The doula’s goal is to help everyone have a safe, memorable, and wonderful birthing experience. 

Your Baby’s birth is a very special time for you and your surrogate.  Your surrogate will love seeing you with your baby, and you shouldn’t feel shy about spending time with your surrogate.  We encourage you to have the surrogate’s family meet your baby, to take pictures with everyone, and to celebrate the special beginning you gave your child.