The delivery of a baby is a magical time for parents, regardless of whether it is their first baby or second. When it comes to finding the best hospital in India in the city of residence, parents need to take a lot of factors into consideration before they make the final decision. It is important to choose a good hospital in India for your delivery, which promises comfort for the baby and the mom-to-be. While some people may prefer to visit the biggest hospital in India, some may be more comfortable with a smaller, specialisedhealthcare institution. It varies from person to person what they may consider to be the perfect hospital, but here is a generic list of things that you should keep in mind before you choose the hospital:

If you are at the point where you are looking for the best hospital in India for your delivery, it may be safe to assume that you have a regular gynaecologist that you visit. The first thing that you could do is check out the hospital where they practice and consider it for your delivery. Of course, a number of times, parents are not happy with the hospital or they live too far from it, so they end up changing their doctor. However, what you should remember is that in the end, it is your own decision and you should be happy with it.

If your delivery is covered by your health insurance provider, you will have to choose a hospital from the list of network hospitals that are covered under your policy for cashless admission and treatment. And in case your delivery is not covered by the insurance, you need to find out the costs and do a comparison of the different hospitals, based on the facilities they offer.

Make sure you read all the reviews you can for the hospitals you are considering. It should give you a good idea of what you can expect when you visit for your due date. If after this you have managed to shortlist a couple of hospitals or have decided to simply choose the biggest hospital in India, it is pertinent that you visit the hospital beforehand. Once you visit the hospitals, there are a lot of things that you should check; for example:

• Facilities: See the facilities that are being offered by the hospital. While most hospitals in India offer highly advanced facilities, it is still important to see them first hand to decide whether you find them suitable or not.

• No. of doctors on call at any given time: What does the roster of the hospital look like at any given time? When it comes to the delivery of a baby, you cannot always be sure of a smooth experience. Early labour, the water breaking, etc. are some of the things that may cause you to rush to the hospital before your due date. The hospital should be well staffed at all times to deal with any situation that may arise.

• Emergency response: Check the reviews of the hospital regarding this, how far it is from your home, how many ambulances they have, and how soon do they dispatch help. As mentioned earlier, there is no telling if you may have to be rushed to the hospital at any time, so the hospital’s emergency response should be up to the mark.

• Rooms: Ask to have a look at some of the rooms that you may be admitted into. Check the rooms thoroughly to ensure that you and your baby will be comfortable here, especially after you come to the room after the delivery.You can also find out whether they have arrangements for an attendant to stay with the mother.

• Delivery rooms: The delivery room is one of the most important things that you must check out. See that it is equipped with modern technology, is hygienic and clean, and again, is comfortable.

Having a baby is one of the happiest moments in the parents’lives. Therefore, you should not leave any stone unturned. Put in the research and choose your delivery hospital months in advance, so you can make sure that everything goes off seamlessly.