This is a popular option with many women, and more and more hospitals have a person like this on staff. Let them explain to you when your baby can't stay, rather than when he can, for a clearer understanding of hospital rules. In some hospitals partners can remain with you 24 hours a day, and others have special visiting times for your other children to come and see you. Costs vary, and often your choice of hospital is determined by your insurance coverage. Be sure and check your insurance coverage, as it's common now for individuals to pay a higher percentage of maternity costs than they once did.
Most hospitals do for malpractice reasons.
If yours does, ask what is the required length of time. It's usually between 20 and 30 minutes, although if you're using Pitocin, have an epidural, or are labeled high risk, EFM use is usually required for your whole labor. Every hospital maternity floor has two sets of rules, only one of which is written. It's determined by the OB committee of the hospital, and includes issues such as EFM use or whether or not your partner can be with you during a cesarean. Copyright 1992 by The Harvard Common Press.