Preparing for birth can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re introduced to new medical terms and options along the way. This glossary is designed to help you feel informed, confident and empowered as you plan your labor and delivery experience at Tampa General Hospital. Below, you’ll find clear, easy-to-understand definitions of common terms related to pain management, monitoring, newborn care and birth preferences—many of which are included in your TGH Birth Preference Sheet.
At Tampa General Hospital Obstetrics Center, we are proud to offer care that is both highly personalized and nationally recognized. TGH is ranked among the Top 5 Hospitals in the Nation and is the highest-ranked hospital in Florida for Obstetrics & Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report for 2025–26. We are also the only Baby-Friendly® designated birth facility in Hillsborough County, supporting bonding, breastfeeding and rooming-in whenever possible.
As a Level IV Maternal Care–Verified Perinatal Care Center, the highest designation awarded by The Joint Commission, TGH is uniquely equipped to care for both routine and high-risk pregnancies. Our team partners closely with the University of South Florida to combine academic medicine with compassionate, family-centered care—ensuring you and your baby receive the safest, most advanced care available.
We encourage you to review these terms and discuss any questions or preferences with your labor and delivery team. While your birth plan helps guide your experience, flexibility may be needed to ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your baby. Our team is honored to support you every step of the way.
Rooming-in is a hospital practice that supports keeping your baby in your room throughout your hospital stay to encourage bonding, breastfeeding and responsive care. It also allows you to learn your baby’s cues and follow safe sleep guidelines.
A birthing ball used during labor can help improve comfort, encourage opening of the pelvis and promote the baby’s descent into the pelvic region, helping labor progress. Sitting, rocking and squatting are common movements used on birthing balls.
Continuous fetal monitoring tracks your baby’s heart rate and contractions continuously to provide ongoing information about your baby’s well-being during labor. Electronic sensors attached to your abdomen gather the data and provide immediate alerts to potential distress. While this option may be preferable for high-risk pregnancies, it can restrict movement during labor compared to intermitted fetal monitoring.
It is TGH’s policy to delay cord clamping. Delayed cord clamping means waiting at least 30 seconds after birth before clamping the umbilical cord, allowing more blood to flow to the baby. This approach can help prevent anemia and may benefit brain development in the baby.
Delayed infant bathing postpones the first bath to help maintain a stable body temperature, support skin health and immune system protection, as well as promote early bonding and breastfeeding. In an ideal scenario, you should wait 24 hours before the baby’s first bath. If that is not possible, wait at least six hours.
Directed pushing involves coaching from your care team on when and how long to push during contractions, often used when additional guidance is needed.
An epidural is a form of regional anesthesia that provides significant pain relief by numbing the lower half of the body while allowing you to remain awake and participate in your delivery. Medication is delivered through a catheter that has been inserted into the epidural space near the spinal cord.
The golden hour refers to the first hour after birth, focused on uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact, bonding and initiating breastfeeding whenever possible. It helps stabilize the baby’s blood sugar, breathing and heart rate and can help reduce crying.
The hepatitis B vaccine helps protect your baby from hepatitis B, a serious liver infection that can be passed from mother to child at birth. The vaccine is typically administered shortly after birth.
Also known as auscultation, intermittent fetal monitoring checks your baby’s heart rate at scheduled intervals, allowing more freedom to move during labor for low-risk pregnancies. A provider using a handheld Doppler or stethoscope listens to your baby’s heart rate for a short period (e.g. 1 minute) at set intervals, such as every 15 to 30 minutes.
IV pain medication is given through a vein to help lessen labor and birth pain and promote relaxation, though it may cause drowsiness and does not completely eliminate discomfort.
Nitrous oxide, sometimes called “laughing gas,” is an inhaled birth pain relief option used during labor that helps reduce anxiety and discomfort while allowing you to remain awake, alert and in control.
A placenta plan can refer to how you want to deliver your placenta, such as via active management (medicated delivery) or natural delivery (waiting for the placenta to detach naturally). It can also document whether you want to keep or discard your placenta after delivery; this is noted on the whiteboard in your room and you’ll receive a bracelet to identify your request.
Preservative-free vitamin K is an injection given to newborns to help prevent serious bleeding disorders and support healthy blood clotting. It is formulated specifically to eliminate the preservative benzyl alcohol.
Skin-to-skin contact, also called Kangaroo Care, places your baby directly on your chest after birth to promote bonding, regulate temperature and support breastfeeding, when medically appropriate—even in the operating room.
VBAC refers to delivering vaginally after a previous cesarean birth and may be an option for some patients based on their medical history and pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Labor & Delivery at TGH
Planning for childbirth often brings up many questions. These frequently asked questions address common topics about labor and delivery at Tampa General Hospital, including pain management options, newborn care and Baby-Friendly practices. This section is designed to help you better understand what to expect and support informed conversations with your healthcare provider as you prepare for your delivery.
Tampa General Hospital offers several labor pain management options, including nitrous oxide, IV pain medication and epidurals. Your care team will work with you to choose the option that best supports your comfort, safety and birth preferences.
Yes. For low-risk deliveries, Tampa General Hospital supports natural childbirth options such as movement during labor, use of birthing balls, intermittent fetal monitoring and spontaneous pushing when medically appropriate.
Intermittent fetal monitoring checks your baby’s heart rate at intervals and allows more freedom of movement, while continuous fetal monitoring tracks the heart rate and contractions throughout labor for ongoing assessment.
Yes. Tampa General Hospital is the only Baby-Friendly® designated birth facility in Hillsborough County, supporting breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact and rooming-in whenever possible.
Yes. Delayed cord clamping is a routine practice at Tampa General Hospital when medically appropriate and allows additional blood flow from the placenta to your baby after birth.
When medically appropriate, the TGH labor and delivery team supports skin-to-skin contact, also known as Kangaroo Care, in both labor rooms and the operating room.
Newborn care at TGH may include vitamin K injection, eye ointment and the hepatitis B vaccine. Parents may also request delayed bathing and discuss the timing of these procedures with their care team.
Level IV Maternal Care is the highest designation awarded by The Joint Commission and means Tampa General Hospital is equipped to provide advanced care for both routine and high-risk pregnancies and deliveries.
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) may be an option for some patients based on their medical history and pregnancy. Your care team will help determine if VBAC is appropriate for you.
TGH offers a Birth Preference Sheet to help communicate your wishes for labor, delivery and newborn care. We encourage you to review it with your healthcare provider before your delivery.
Experience the TGH Difference
To learn more about the options available to you when you give birth at Tampa General Hospital’s Obstetrics Center, or to schedule an appointment, call our team at (656) 230-8545.
