Where to Park

Texas Health Rockwall has a large parking lot in front of the hospital. Moms arriving for labor during daytime hours can be dropped off at the main entrance. If arriving during the night, you should park and enter through the emergency department entrance.

View hospital map.

Where to Check In

Registration occurs at the main reception desk in the front lobby during business hours. On evenings and weekends, registration is completed in the Emergency Room.

Food and Drink During Labor

During your labor, your physician will monitor your diet and what is allowed during labor.

Personal Medications

Prior to arriving, ask your doctor about any medications you take regularly or that are prescribed.

Items to Bring With You to Labor and Delivery

When packing a labor bag, be sure to include:

• Driver’s license or ID card
• Insurance information
• Phone, camera, video camera and charging cables

Other items that may keep you comfortable during labor include:

• A deck of cards, books, magazines, music, tablet, etc.
• Bathrobe or labor gown
• Labor support tools
• Comfy slippers/socks (skid-proof)
• Snacks for your partner

Please note you do not need to bring your luggage or car seat to your room until after delivery.

We are here to help you have the birth experience that best fits your wishes and needs.

What’s in Your Room

Our modern and spacious labor and delivery suites provide a private and comforting environment. Each room includes:

• Flat-screen TV
• Sleeper sofa for a support person
• Free internet access
• A private bathroom with a shower
• Wireless monitoring systems available by request

Birth Plans

If you have a birth plan, please share it with your nurse when you arrive at your labor room. You do not have to create one. We will try to follow your wishes as long as they does not interfere with the health and safety of you or the baby.

Visitors

Filming and Photography

Documenting this special occasion is important for many of our families. Cameras are allowed with the following conditions:

• Your medical provider and any nurses or other providers in the room must consent to the video or photography. The individual recording the birth must sign the hospital’s Photographer/Videographer Agreement.
• Video or photography can begin only when allowed by the provider or hospital staff.
• The individual must obtain permission to photograph or videotape any hospital staff before doing so.
• Only hand-held devices are allowed in Labor and Delivery (no tripods).

Please note that the provider or nurse may require the individual to stop photographing or videotaping at any time.

Pain Management and Labor Support Tools

There is no medical “best choice” for managing pain during labor. Everyone has different pain thresholds. Instead, it’s a question of what makes the most sense for you and your partner. If you find that you want additional pain management during labor, the options available at Texas Health Rockwall include:

• Natural Labor Support Techniques
• Labor Support Tools
• IV medication
• Epidurals

Texas Health Rockwall has birthing balls, peanut balls and labor bars for use during labor and invites you to bring other labor-support tools. When you arrive at Labor and Delivery, please notify your nurse if you would like to use one of them.

Our goal is to maintain scheduled delivery dates. To provide excellent care to you during the birth of your child(ren), the scheduled time of your arrival might change. If there are any changes, we will call you (usually 1-2 hours before admission). We will also communicate any changes with your doctor. If you have questions or concerns about changes to your scheduled delivery, talk to your doctor.

Before Your Delivery

If you are having a scheduled induction or cesarean at Texas Health Rockwall, please remember the following:

• Do not eat or drink anything at least eight hours before your procedure.
• After check-in, you will be prepared approximately two hours prior to the procedure.

Scheduled Cesarean Births

When you arrive at Labor and Delivery, please inform the staff that you're here for a scheduled cesarean. You will be taken to your room, where you’ll stay for approximately two hours. During this time, nurses will monitor your baby, and your anesthesiologist will meet with you to discuss your options before you head to the operating room.

In the operating room, you can expect a team that typically includes two physicians, two nurses, an anesthesiologist, and a certified surgical technician. One support person may accompany you during the surgery, provided there are no safety concerns. The procedure generally lasts about one hour.

After surgery, you and your baby, along with your support person, will be moved to a recovery room, where you will remain for approximately two hours. If there are no safety concerns, you will have skin-to-skin contact with your newborn to facilitate the first feeding.

Learn more about what to expect before, during and after your c-section.

Skin-to-Skin

Immediately after birth, your baby will be placed skin-to-skin with you for at least one hour. This intimate contact facilitates the first feeding, keeps your newborn warm, stabilizes blood sugar levels and is beneficial for all babies.

The Golden Hour

The first hour after birth is called the “Golden Hour.” During this special time, only mom, baby and one support person will be allowed in the room to promote a peaceful environment for resting and bonding.

Baby’s First Examination

After the first hour, your newborn will receive their first examination. At this time, your family can be present for baby’s first exam and measurements.

Your Pediatrician is Notified

We encourage you to select a pediatrician before your baby’s birth. Following your baby's birth, we will promptly notify your pediatrician. If you haven't chosen a pediatrician or one without hospital privileges, the on-call pediatrician will provide care for your newborn.

Transition to Your Hospital Room

You and your baby will remain in Labor and Delivery for about two hours before being transferred to your designated room for the remainder of your stay.

Your Mother and Baby Room

Texas Health Rockwall has 10 spacious mother-baby suites for families to comfortably stay after the birth of their baby. Rooms include

• A pull-out couch for a support person
• Flat screen TVs
• Free internet access

How Long Will You Stay

Typically, you will be discharged between 24 and 48 hours after a vaginal delivery. For a cesarean, discharge usually occurs between 48 and 72 hours after surgery. However, exceptions may be made for shorter or longer stays based on your needs or preferences. Please discuss your discharge plans with your nurse.

Get Up and Walk

Within six hours of your birth, your nurse will help you get out of bed to walk around. Walking will improve your circulation and prevent blood clots.

You Will Be Visited Hourly

Your nurse or a care assistant will regularly come by to check on you. If you would like less frequent visitations, just let the nurse know.

Visitors

Meals and Dining

• Celebration Meal: To celebrate the arrival of your baby, Texas Health Rockwall offers a gourmet celebratory meal for the parents to enjoy during their stay. After delivery, mom will receive a menu to select the celebratory meal for herself and her guest.

• Regular Dining: Moms will receive a menu to select their breakfast, lunch and dinner during their stay. If you have special dietary needs, let your nurse know.

• On-Campus Snacks: There is a Fresh Market on the first floor that offers quick self-serve food items 24 hours a day. There is also a café on the first floor.

Breastfeeding Support

During your hospital stay, your nurse will be the primary contact for breastfeeding education. A lactation consultant will visit you daily during your stay to provide one-on-one assistance in the privacy of your room, if desired.

If you have issues with your newborn or with breastfeeding, you can make an appointment with a certified lactation consultant. Most insurance companies typically cover lactation consultants. To make an appointment, please call 469-698-1301.

Baby’s Screenings and Procedures

During your hospital stay, your baby will be examined daily by a pediatrician. If your pediatrician has privileges at the hospital, they or a member of their practice will visit you each day. If your pediatrician is not on the medical staff, an on-call pediatrician will provide care. Additionally, your newborn will undergo several tests, which may include:

• Blood screen (age 24 hours)
• Hearing screen
• Jaundice
• Heart screen (age 24 hours)
• Car-seat screen (when applicable)

Circumcision

If desired, circumcision for your baby boy can be performed during your hospital stay. In most cases, your baby will be returned to you within an hour after the procedure.

Where Baby Will Stay

At Texas Health Rockwall, we prioritize minimizing the separation of mothers and their babies. We encourage moms to keep their babies in their hospital rooms, even at night, through a practice known as rooming-in. Many of your baby’s evaluations and examinations can occur in your room. This setup allows mothers to learn their baby’s cues while having staff available to answer questions and provide education. With support from our experienced nurses, parents can gain the skills needed to confidently care for their babies in the comfort of their hospital rooms.

Birth Certificate and Social Security

While you’re in the hospital, a coordinator will reach out to assist you with the paperwork needed to register your baby’s birth. You will receive documentation to submit to your insurance company.

Find more information on requesting your child’s birth certificate or social security information.

Even if your doctor gives the green light for discharge, there are important steps that must be completed to ensure your safety and security before you leave.

• Your baby’s heart screening and newborn screening test were completed at age 24 hours
• Your OB/GYN has visited and said you can go home
• The pediatrician has visited and said your baby can go home
• You rented a breast pump, if desired
• You have completed all necessary paperwork
• Your prescriptions have been ordered or sent to your pharmacy
• You have reviewed your medications with a nurse
• A nurse or technician has brought a wheelchair to take you to your car