Birth Environment and Childbirth-stress, Control & Outcome

The intent is to surround the woman and her caregivers with specific types of auditory, visual, and tactile stim uli. One key feature of the ambient room is what is missing-the standard hospital bed. As an alternative, a portable double-sized mattress with several large pillows is set up in a corner of the room. The intent is to allow the woman freedom in positioning and to permit close contact with support people, and to limit the routine use of continuous elec tronic fetal heart rate monitoring and other technologies during normal labor. Lighting is dimmed. A wide variety of music selections are also available.