Labor and delivery

• Anesthesia providers on-site to deliver pain relief options, including epidurals
• Antepartum unit for high-risk pregnancies
• Certified nurse midwives
• Dedicated operating room for planned and unplanned cesarean sections (C-sections)
• Family-centered maternity care
• Lactation consultants to assist breastfeeding mothers
• Maternity classes
• On-site Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Private, comfortable rooms for labor and delivery
• Remote monitoring capabilities for mother and baby
• Secure unit with advanced safety measures and 24/7 fetal monitoring
• Spacious mother-baby suites for postpartum care
• Tours of our maternity unit

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, our hospital is equipped with the technology, resources and physicians needed to help you have a safe pregnancy and birth experience. This includes our antepartum unit for pregnant women requiring an inpatient hospital stay prior to birth.

If you need antepartum care, we will do everything we can to help make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.

We believe when you feel educated about labor and delivery, you feel more prepared and confident when the big day comes. That's why we offer a variety of opportunities to help you learn what to expect during labor, delivery, your hospital stay and the newborn phase.

Maternity classes

We know preparing for your baby's arrival can be overwhelming, which is why we provide you access to a range of maternity classes. The goal of our classes is to educate you on labor, delivery and newborn care. Courses offered at our hospital include:

• Baby Matters — This interactive, three-hour class educates parents on their baby's development before and after birth. We will discuss a range of topics, including infant care and how much sleep your baby needs.
• Gestational Diabetes — This two-and-a-half hour class is geared toward educating women with gestational diabetes about proper nutrition and exercise during pregnancy.
• Intensive Prepared Childbirth — This eight-hour course discusses the signs and symptoms of labor, breathing and relaxation during labor, benefits of a labor coach and medical intervention during delivery, including C-sections. At the end of the course, you will take a guided tour of The Baby Suites.

To register for one of our maternity classes, please call our Consult-A-Nurse® team at (813) 653-1065 or find a class and sign up online.

When to preregister for your maternity stay

For your convenience, you may preregister online for your maternity stay. You must first create a My Health One account before preregistration. Preregistration allows you to save time on the day of delivery.

If you wish to preregister in person, preadmission for labor and delivery can be completed in three easy steps:

• Get preadmission forms from your OB/GYN's office or at our hospital and complete and return these forms no later than the fifth month of pregnancy. After we receive your paperwork, we will verify your insurance benefits and determine any deductibles and copays for which you are responsible.
• Stop by the hospital maternity admissions office to sign your admission forms, complete a medical questionnaire and confirm your insurance benefits. Please bring your driver's license or another valid picture ID and your insurance card. This process takes approximately 10 minutes. Our office is open for preregistration services Mon - Fri: 7:30am - 4:00pm.
• Please plan to pay any amounts not covered by insurance by your seventh month of pregnancy. You may pay online, over the phone, by mail or in-person at the maternity admissions office.

With these clerical tasks taken care of in advance, you will proceed directly to the obstetrics assessment center when you arrive on the day of your delivery.

What to pack for your stay

We make it our mission to provide all the items you will need for labor and delivery. However, you may find that bringing a few personal items makes your experience more comfortable.

We suggest your labor bag include:

• Camera and/or video camera
• Comfortable laboring clothes, such as a robe and slippers
• Eyeglasses (try to avoid wearing contacts, if you can)
• Focal point, such as a comforting picture
• Hair ties or clips
• Items for relaxation, such as a tennis ball for back pain during labor
• Lip balm

We also recommend you pack the following items for your postpartum stay:

• Comfortable clothes, such as a nightgown, nursing bra and underwear
• Sanitary pads (if you do not wish to use those provided by our hospital)
• Toiletries, such as mouthwash, toothpaste, toothbrush and shampoo
• Comfortable outfit and shoes to go home in

Florida state law requires a properly installed car seat for your baby's ride home. In addition to a car seat, you may wish to bring the following items for your baby:

• Blankets
• Diapers
• Going home outfit, including socks and a hat
• Pacifiers

While you are a patient in The Women's Center, the health of you and your baby are our top priorities. We maintain a highly skilled staff that is prepared to provide excellent care in every delivery scenario, from vaginal birth to C-section.

Our team supports your birth plan and respects your preferences, while ensuring the safest possible labor and birth for you and your baby.

Remote obstetrical monitoring

We are committed to providing full-service patient care, which is why we use innovative telemedicine technology to monitor you and your baby during labor. This technology allows your OB/GYN to remotely access information such as fetal heart rate and maternal contraction patterns.

This information is communicated in real-time directly from our labor and delivery unit to your physician's smart phone.

To make it easier to plan your stay, we have outlined hospital-specific questions we are commonly asked.

Are my children allowed to stay?

Children are not allowed unless they are older and a designated labor support person. If a child is 12 years old or younger in the waiting room, an adult must be present and responsible for the child.

Healthy siblings are allowed to briefly visit in the labor and delivery suites following delivery.

How many people can I have with me in the delivery room?

You may have three support people with you during labor and delivery. In the case of a C-section, you are allowed one support person.

May I walk during labor?

Walking is permitted during labor at the discretion of your obstetrician and labor nurse.

What are the visiting guidelines?

• We do not allow visitors 12 years old or younger, except for siblings of a newborn.
• Visitors must show photo ID to security prior to entering The Women's Center.
• Visitors are given a laminated "visitor pass" to wear during their visit.
• Visitors' photo ID cards will be returned when the "visitor pass" is returned to security.
• Visitors may be asked to limit visits based on mom's condition.
• Two visitors are allowed at a time in the labor and delivery and antepartum rooms.
• Four visitors are allowed at a time in the mother-baby rooms.

After labor and delivery, we are here to support you during recovery and help ease the transition into your new life with a newborn. During this time, we support you however we can so you can learn to care for your baby with confidence.

Whether you choose to breastfeed or use formula, our staff is readily available to help you learn to feed your baby. They also help you get into a schedule of feeding your baby every three to four hours, which is routine for newborns.

Postpartum education

During your stay, you have access to our educational resources at the Family Maternity Center. We provide basic education on caring for your newborn and yourself following childbirth. Topics commonly discussed include:

• How to use proper breastfeeding techniques
• How to speed up a healthy recovery from childbirth
• How to bathe, feed and dress your baby
• How to take your baby’s temperature
• How to recognize signs of discomfort or illness and know when to consult a physician

Going home from The Birthing Suites

Prior to discharge from the hospital, every new mother is asked to attend a discharge class that includes detailed instructions regarding self-care and infant care. Any specific instructions concerning you or your baby will be communicated by your nurse.

You will be provided with an application for your baby's birth certificate and Social Security number, which needs to be completed and mailed to the appropriate government agencies.

Postpartum depression support

Pregnancy and birth are wondrous and life-changing experiences. As such, many women experience the "baby blues" after birth, which may be described as feelings of sadness and fatigue. However, if these feelings last for more than a short time, it could be postpartum depression.

If you feel you may have postpartum depression, you're not alone. Postpartum depression is common. In fact, about one in eight women report having postpartum depression symptoms.

We recommend talking with your OB/GYN or nurse if you experience postpartum depression symptoms, as they can help you get the support and resources you need to feel better. Seeking help is the first step to feeling like yourself again.

During your hospital say, your baby will receive care from our nursery staff under the direction of a board-certified pediatrician. Once you take your baby home, your baby will have a checkup with their pediatrician. For this reason, it is important to select a pediatrician in advance of your child's due date.

If you are a part of a health plan, you may wish to contact your insurance company for a listing of approved providers.

Our hospital offers complete pediatric services with additional resources, such as an on-site NICU.

You may also browse pediatricians in our physician directory.