Living in a big city like Mumbai, it is important to get familiar with the different maternity hospitals and nursing homes around the city soon after your pregnancy is confirmed. To-be mothers are always jittery about their pregnancy journeys. What helps, is choosing the right maternity hospital in Mumbai that provides comfort and care before and after your labour process. The advantage is that there are countless hospitals in the city which provide some of the country’s best medical care.

If you choose a maternity hospital while keeping in mind your expectations and budget, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have a smooth childbirth without any complications. Below are some pointers to keep in mind while you are making up your mind:

1. Distance from your home: From a practical standpoint, it is always better to have your maternity hospital close to home, so that you don’t have to get stuck in traffic when your baby is on the way. You don’t want to prolong your labour pain either.
2. Insurance: Make sure the hospital takes your insurance, as certain hospitals may not come under your specific insurance coverage.
3. Feedback: Ask any new mothers among your family, friends and colleagues who have given birth at that hospital to learn what their delivery experience has been and whether they can vouch for the hospital’s staff and service.
4. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): If your baby is born premature or unwell, he or she may need special medical care. Therefore, it is important to check whether the maternity hospital has a NICU with specialised medical equipment like cardiac and respiratory monitors, incubators and well-trained staff.
5. Access to a blood bank: Check whether the hospital has its own blood bank or access to a blood bank with your blood type, just in case you bleed excessively during childbirth and require a blood transfusion.
6. Hygiene in the hospital: Make sure you take a tour of the maternity hospital in advance and check its level of hygiene. See whether the linens are changed regularly, the rooms are cleaned every day and if the medical equipment is properly sterilised before use.
7. Power back-up: India often faces power cuts in big cities, so make sure the hospital you pick has adequate power back-up so that equipment such incubators are continuously running.
8. Ambulance service: Smaller hospitals may not have ambulance services, but it is always better to choose one which has a 24/7 ambulance service. This is important in cases where pregnancy complications may require you to be quickly transported to a bigger hospital for specialised care.
9. Nutritionists and paediatricians: Choose a maternity hospital with in-house or on-call nutritionists and paediatricians so that you and your baby can be adequately taken care of pre and post labour.
10. Budget: Ask the hospital for an approximate quote for the medical expenses and see if it falls within your budget. Many big, private hospitals are quite expensive so always check whether the charges are well within your financial limits.

Choosing a maternity hospital for the birth of your baby can be stressful for both you and your family. If you take into consideration the above points, you can zero in on a good hospital which will give you a safe and clean environment for a smooth delivery experience.