Introducing TeamBirth, a collaborative approach designed to improve labor, delivery, and postpartum care through teamwork and communication.
What is TeamBirth?
TeamBirth is a communication strategy aimed at enhancing patient care. By facilitating collaboration among patients, families, nurses, physicians, midwives, and other team members, TeamBirth promotes a safe and dignified birth – our primary goal at Capital Health. We put you at the center of the team!
TeamBirth Aims To:
- Enhance Communication: Ensures clear and open communication between all team members, patients, and support people to keep everyone informed.
- Provide Patient-Centered Equitable Care: Prioritizes the patient's preferences, values, and goals in the care plan. Encourages speaking up and sharing thoughts and concerns.
- Support Team Collaboration: Structured team huddles help care providers work together efficiently, improving decision-making and reducing errors.
- Provide a Positive Birth Experience: Promotes respectful and coordinated care to enhance the experience for families.
Why This Matters: Research indicates that improved communication and team collaboration during labor and delivery can lead to better outcomes for both mothers and babies. Implementing TeamBirth aims to elevate the standard of care and ensure a positive experience for every family.
What Will TeamBirth Look Like?
Structured communication is key to TeamBirth, with huddles being a central element. You can expect your care team to huddle with you at key moments throughout your stay. These huddles typically occur:
- Upon admission to the labor and delivery unit, to review your birth plan and preferences
- During labor progression, to update you on your status and discuss any changes or decisions
- Prior to significant medical interventions, to ensure you understand and agree with the proposed actions
- Post-delivery, to debrief and plan for postpartum care
- Whenever you request it, to address any concerns or questions you may have
What Happens During a TeamBirth Huddle?
- Team Introductions: All team members, including you and your supports, will introduce themselves.
- Reason for the Huddle: We discuss reasons for the huddle, your birth preferences, feelings, and concerns. We recognize that these may change throughout your stay, and we value your input.
- Care Planning: Together, we develop a plan that respects your preferences for you, labor progress, and for your baby.
- Planning for the Next Huddle: We will determine when we huddle again. You can request this at any time!
The team communicates using a labor and delivery planning board. This board is updated during the huddles.
On the Mother Baby Unit, TeamBirth maintains an environment of coordinated care. Structured communication is central to our approach, ensuring that each family is acknowledged and supported. Team huddles will be customized to address the needs of both the mother and baby, including routine check-ins, care plan adjustments, pre-discharge meetings, and on-demand huddles. The team may consist of the medical provider, nurse, lactation consultants, and other specialists as necessary for you and baby. Your huddle board will be updated throughout your stay.
