This section includes information and links related to pregnancy and childbirth, including pre-natal care, labour and delivery care, and post-natal care.
Obstetrics Victoria Hospital
Victoria Hospital
The Victoria Hospital obstetrical unit is the third busiest unit in Saskatchewan. The Obstetrical unit provides services for parents before, during, after birth, and for the newborn baby. We recommend that you pre-register with the admitting department prior to your due date.
The Obstetrics department at the Victoria Hospital is a combined unit that provides a streamlined approach to care. Many of the nurses are trained to work in Labor and delivery, nursery and postpartum. Healthy mothers and babies are cared for together and 24 hour rooming in is encouraged and expected. Teaching will be provided to promote confidence and competence in self-care and baby care skills: and to promote parent-infant bonding.
Breastfeeding as recommended by the Canadian Institute of Child Health, Health Canada and the World Health Organization is promoted and supported at the Victoria Hospital. On admission, you will be required to fill out a Mother/Feeding Plan.
Labor and Delivery
Upon arrival to the obstetrical unit, a nurse will assess your labor and if you are in active labor, you will be admitted. Your support person is welcome and encouraged to actively participate in giving you emotional and physical care. Your needs are important and individualized care will be coordinated to meet your needs. Client choices are respected, but must be safe and within hospital policy.
A range of pain relief is available, ranging from baths, relaxation techniques, positioning, narcotics, nitrous oxide (laughing gas). A referral to an anesthetist may be necessary for epidural analgesia, this is determined by your physician.
A fully equipped operating room is located on the obstetrical floor for high-risk deliveries, emergency and elective caesarean sections.
Visiting Information for Labor and Delivery
Two support people per patient, other family members must wait in ambulatory care hallway and not outside labor room doors.
Things to bring with you or to have prior to discharge from hospital
- Baby Car seat?
- Change of clothes and blankets for your baby to go home in.
- Soother if you wish your baby to have one. We do not supply soothers, for normal healthy newborns.
Visiting Information Postpartum/Antenatal Unit
Fathers/significant others and siblings of the baby are allowed to visit any time.
If bringing in younger children to visit please keep them in the room with door closed.
Children are NOT allowed to visit in the nursery. Fathers/significant others are encouraged to leave by 11 p.m., unless you are in the Victorian room which is a private room (additional cost if requested).
Other visitors may visit from 2-8 p.m. Children under 12 years of age are discouraged from visiting unless they are siblings of the baby. Please follow the hospital policy that only 2 visitors per patient at one time. Visitors are not allowed in the nursery. Visitors are requested not to use patient’s washrooms.
Visiting in the nursery is strictly prohibited by all other visitors.
Please do not visit patients on obstetrics if you have a cold, flu, fever, mumps, chicken pox, measles or any other disease that is easily spread. Please do not visit patients on obstetrics if you have been exposed to someone with mumps, measles or chicken pox within 2 weeks before visit.
Visiting may be restricted due to patient condition and/or nursing discretion.
Maternal Visiting Program
The Maternal Visiting Program provides support for all new parents. This program has been established as a result of the early discharge (within 24-72 hours) from the hospital for mothers and babies and acts as a link between the Obstetrics Ward and Public Health or Community Nursing.
The goal of this program is to provide support and a home visit within 24 hours following discharge from the hospital thus ensuring optimum health for the new mom and baby. At the home visit, postpartum and baby assessments are completed. The nurse also provides information and instruction regarding breastfeeding, postpartum care and baby care and links clients with outside services and agencies as required. All clients are followed for at least 10 days post discharge and the number of follow up visits during this time are determined by the family’s needs.
The Maternal Visiting Program also offers breastfeeding support and instruction to mothers, while still in hospital. Breast feeding support and teaching services are extended and open to the community in the form of the Breastfeeding Clinic which is run by these nurses at the South Hill Mall on Wednesday from 1 - 3 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. Self-referrals and walk-ins are welcome.
Appointments can be booked by calling them at 306-765-6034.
Telephone consultation is also available at the above number.
Registering a birth
eHealth Saskatchewan is registers vital statistics for the Province of Saskatchewan, including births. Information about registering a birth is available at http://www.ehealthsask.ca/vitalstats/births/OrderCertificate/Pages/default.aspx
Recommended website for information about prenatal, postnatal and breastfeeding
Health Canada - A Sensible Guide to Healthy Pregnancy (2007): www.healthypregnancy.gc.ca