Family Maternity Center
The Birth Experience
Your children and other family members may visit you during labor. The presence of your children at birth is a decision for you to make with your health care provider. If children attend the birth, an adult, other than your partner, must be present to care for them. If your children are attending the birth, we encourage you to enroll them in our family birth classes. During your labor and delivery, family members may wait in our lounge near the Family Maternity Center.
During Labor
Laboring mothers are admitted to one of our private birthing rooms, designed to provide a relaxed atmosphere in which to fully appreciate the birthing experience. If you wish, you may walk around the Family Maternity Center during labor. Many mothers find that walking is relaxing and helps to pass the time during early labor.
Our private birthing rooms are equipped to handle all types of vaginal deliveries. All our rooms have the capacity for electronic fetal monitoring, infant resuscitation, and radiant infant warmers. Our special birthing beds adjust to various labor and delivery positions for maximum comfort.
Many women plan to avoid drugs during labor and delivery. Should you need medication, various forms of pain relief are available. During active labor, you are closely monitored by your nurse and your health care provider.
A delivery room is readily available for complicated deliveries, multiple births, and Cesarean deliveries or for parents who prefer a more traditional birth experience.
After the Birth
As soon as possible after your baby's birth, you are encouraged to touch, hold, and cuddle your baby. Only two vital procedures take priority over this:
- Removing any mucus that might interfere with your baby’s breathing
- Drying and covering the baby to prevent loss of body heat
Babies are unique individuals from the moment of birth. Studies have shown that they can see, smell, and feel and can recognize their mother's and father's voices.
If you plan to breastfeed, we encourage you to feed the baby as soon as possible after delivery.
Your baby will also receive erythromycin eye ointment and a vitamin K injection after delivery.
For safety, immediately after your baby's birth, an identification band is placed on your baby's ankle and a matching band is placed on your wrist. Another similar band is given to your partner or support person. The numbers on these bands are checked each time your baby is brought to you. The numbers are also checked when you take your baby from the nursery. Only you and the person wearing the similar band are allowed to take your baby from the nursery. More newborn protection information.
Following the birth of your baby, you are encouraged to walk and move about as soon as you feel able to do so. You will have assistance to the bathroom and may shower when you feel ready.
