Delivering your baby at Mount Alvernia
Childbirth, especially for first-time mums can be super intimidating, and rightly so. There are so many things happening at the same time: mums and aunties reminding you every 2 hours to drink your herbal tea, being tsk-ed at every time you get up to do anything, and being forced to look at cute baby pictures “so your baby will turn out cute too”.
Back in 1996 when my parents were maternity hospital shopping, they told me they’d chosen Mount Alvernia because their friends had told them good things about it. It was also relatively more affordable than other private maternity hospitals, and for the kind of homely feel they’d heard so much about, it was an easy choice. In fact, they liked it so much that they proceeded to have my brother at Mount Alvernia again two years later.
Here are 5 reasons why Mount Alvernia Hospital is the hospital so many expecting mothers choose to give birth at:
1. Nurses that slowly become your second family
An underrated aspect of visiting a hospital, nurses that make you feel at home can prove more important than finding a great doctor. Nurses are like your extended family, so when your hubby’s off running errands, you’ll have someone who knows exactly what you need and at what time.
With your new second family of nurses taking care of you and your baby’s welfare, you can devote your time to getting ready for the big push, the actual childbirth, and recuperation. The nurses also provide personalised home care guidance for you, like lactation consulting and demonstrations so that you and your family can adapt to life when you get home.
2. A reputation for smooth natural births AND C-Section
Natural births
I had a Biology teacher who insisted on giving birth at home in her bathtub because she wanted her childbirth to feel natural, in the comfort of her own home. There are a growing number of women in Singapore looking at natural births as an alternative to hospital births, as they believe natural births lower risks to the baby. However, there’s no hard evidence for that yet, and experts say giving birth at home might lead to unexpected complications.
If you’re interested in going through the procedure of natural birthing while minimising as much risk as possible, Mount Alvernia has the facilities and experienced midwives to make sure that you’re in good hands throughout the birthing process.
C-Sections
Source: Mount Alvernia Hospital
As a footling breech baby, I ran the risk of dying if my parents hadn’t opted for a C-Section. I was lucky, because my mum got to plan and prepare for her C-Section way ahead of my due date. But natural births go wrong sometimes, and that’s normal. If the mother has a low-lying placenta, has had two or more previous cesarean births, or abnormal fetal presentations, it may be better to have a C-Section instead.
Consult your doctor with what delivery method is the best for you, and go in the consultation room with an open mind so that both you and your baby are kept safe and healthy. My mother described her C-Section as painless and smooth-going so much so that when it was my brother’s turn, she chose to do a C-Section, even though she didn’t need it.
3. Crash courses to care for your baby like a veteran nurse would
Crash courses
First time parents in particular are anxious to make sure that their newborns grow up well, and it’s normal to be completely clueless as a young parent. From childbirth education, bottle feeding and weaning, baby massage classes, and confinement nanny training to personalised individual consultations, your baby’s going to be 10/10 when you check out.
Support Groups
Raising a kid is no easy feat. There are so many factors to consider, and parenting can tire you out if you’re not well equipped for it. As advocates of breastfeeding, Mount Alvernia started the Alvernia Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group, so new mums can gather together to share “mumhacks”, and share about common issues they face.
Find out more about Mount Alvernia’s Parentcraft Centre here.
4. A legit online portal that beats dodgy forums on the interweb
Scrolling through pages and pages of possibly unreliable blog reviews of young mothers can be misleading, and when it comes to making the right decisions for your child, you don’t want to make mistakes. Mount Alvernia’s maternity webpage gets you all the information you need, from precautions to take when your baby falls sick, weight management after childbirth, and maternal and paternal rights.
You can also siam the long waits at hospitals by booking appointments and scheduling maternity tours.
5. An ‘instruction manual’ for one of the toughest transitions in life
Maternity care doesn’t start when you’re pregnant, and it sure doesn’t stop when you’re out of the hospital. Mount Alvernia’s free guidebook makes sure that you know what’s happening each step of the way, from planning a pregnancy, to waving your kiddo off into his first day at nursery.
Researched and written based on the knowledge of their trusty doctors, Mount Alvernia does the homework for you, and even includes tips on how dads can get involved through the entire pregnancy journey.
First time mums are in good hands
Signing the lifelong contract of being a full-time parent isn’t always the easiest transition to make, and that’s okay. Giving birth is nerve-racking, and the thought of possible complications during childbirth isn’t the easiest to deal with, but that’s okay, too.
Clearing your confusion and allowing you to focus on bringing a healthy baby into the family is a specialty of Mount Alvernia’s, so much so that they’ve won a Young Parents’ Award for Best Maternity Hospital (2016/2017). Equipped with parent-child centred services this extensive, the first chapter of your family’s latest tales is set to start on a positive note.
Find out more about Mount Alvernia’s maternity packages here
Bonus: Mount Alvernia’s pastoral care
Mount Alvernia Hospital was started by three nuns who felt that public hospitals in 1949 were overcrowded and understaffed. Over 50 years old, the hospital is still providing all-rounded care for anyone with warmth and compassion, so much so that you’ll feel right at home with family members for nurses.
Besides offering specialist services, Mount Alvernia is the only hospital to provide Clinical Pastoral Care for patients and their families by giving emotional and spiritual support. They also provide baby blessings for all races and religions, or if you just need a friendly, non-judging listening ear. Find out more about their Clinical Pastoral Care service here.
This post was brought to you by Mount Alvernia Hospital.