There's a new hospital opening locally, and everyone wants to know: does it have tubs? Does it have showers? Is it actually going to be different? Amsy and Stephanie took that energy and ran with it — building out their full dream hospital wishlist, room by room, from labor and delivery all the way to the doula lounge they desperately need someone to build. Some of this is realistic. Some of it is aspirational. All of it is overdue. Labor & Delivery rooms: Built-in soaking tubs in every room — large, comfortable, with a place to lean, a seat, and yes, a cup holder Walk-in showers big enough to sit in with a birth ball, with multiple shower heads including a rain shower Adjustable dimmable lighting, twinkle lights, and Galaxy projectors — or full LED projection ceilings showing stars, oceans, or fields of flowers (the technology exists, people) Plus-size friendly beds that are actually long enough, because the current ones are not Yoga mats, birth balls, peanut balls, birth stools, and birthing stools in every single room — not one shared set for the whole unit that may or may not be inflated Mounted labor support bars and rebozo hooks for squatting, hanging, and leaning Wireless fetal monitors that actually work, with a real option for intermittent monitoring for those who want it (continuous fetal monitoring is associated with increased C-section rates) Soundproofed rooms — because hearing someone else's labor or a baby crying when you're just starting out or recovering from a C-section without your baby is genuinely harmful Staffing & culture: Midwifery-led units for low-risk laboring people, which is how most uncomplicated births should be managed Spinning Babies trained nurses — or at minimum, some kind of physiological birth training so staff know how to use positioning to get babies into optimal alignment C-section experience: Maternal-assisted C-sections available for those who want them — where mom scrubs in, puts on sterile gloves, and delivers her own baby out of her abdomen. Not for everyone, but for those who want it, it can completely transform the experience Clear drapes as an option for those who want to see without being fully hands-on Skin-to-skin as the default, not something you have to ask for The newborn exam done where mom can actually see it — not behind a drape or in a separate room with a window Partners and doulas in the OR the entire time, including during the spinal placement Postpartum: Lactation support that doesn't disappear when you go home — in-hospital IBCLCs are great, but what happens at day five when you're on your own? A culture that genuinely treats doulas as collaborative members of the birth team, per ACOG's own recommendations For doulas specifically (Amsy's personal wishlist): Badge access so she's not waiting in a security line when someone is crowning A dedicated doula lounge with a bed and a massage chair for those long overnight labors when mom is sleeping but she can't leave A 24-hour cafeteria that delivers, because the current situation of everything closing at 2am and reopening at 6am leaves a significant gap during the exact hours when most babies are born A comfort cart stocked with coping tools — wooden combs, twinkle candles, a Galaxy projector, essential oils — for families who don't have a doula bringing those supplies Amsy is drafting the email to hospital administrators. We'll keep you posted. Find Amsy Dees Website: amsydeesdoula.com Instagram: @amsydees.doula Find Stephanie Dawson Website: growlakeland.com Instagram: @grow.lakeland DISCLAMER: The views shared on this podcast are our own and do not represent any specific organization. This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for guidance specific to your care.
