Family-centered care at the Upper Chesapeake Family Birthplace

One of the most personal and exciting events is the birth of a child. It is a time when parents to be want the very best technology and the most compassionate care in a setting that is comfortable, pleasant, secure, and private. The Family Birthplace at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center (UCMC) delivers. From the earliest stages of planning a family to the first years of parenthood, the Family Birthplace is here to provide support, education, and care every step of the way.

The Birthplace promotes family involvement with patient rooms designed to accommodate an overnight stay for a family member. The rooms are also spacious enough to allow family members to be present and help in the birthing process.  The rooms are designed to provide mothers the advantage of laboring, delivering and recovering all in the same "home-like" setting, without having to be moved from one room to another.  Mothers are also offered the flexibility of having the baby stay with them in the room or receive care in the nursery when the mother is resting.

For couples considering starting a family, the Family Birthplace offers a Pondering Pregnancy program designed to answer questions and educate. The seminars provide advice on:

• Getting healthy prior to pregnancy
• What lifestyle changes you can expect
• The cost of having and raising a baby
• Infertility information
• Relationship issues.

During the pregnancy, couples can meet with one of our nurses for prenatal evaluations and the outlining of an individual birth plan to meet their specific needs. The birthing plan provides options such as pain management choices, alternative therapies, or having a Doula present. The goal is to have the moms govern their care. With support from the physician, the nurse midwife and the Family Birthplace team, the mom guides the process.

The Birthplace has a comprehensive offering of expectant parent classes to get parents and other family members from grandparents to siblings ready for the new arrival. The experienced Birthplace nurses instructing the courses are often the nurses the parents will see during the labor and delivery process, ensuring continuity of care.

When it comes time to deliver, couples can enjoy the comfort of experiencing all aspects of their baby's birth in one room. There are nine private Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Post-Partum rooms designed to promote the comfort and décor of home. The rooms are spacious enough to accommodate a family member throughout the birthing experience. The rooms feature recessed state-of-the-art operating room lighting, a large bathroom, and storage area.

There are three triage rooms and an operating room suite right on the unit if mom requires a C-section. A three-bed antenatal testing area located in the Birthplace offers tests to ensure fetal well-being. Non-stress tests, oxytocin challenge tests, AFI tests and sonograms are performed here on an outpatient basis.

For the peace of mind of our patients, Upper Chesapeake Health has 24-hour anesthesia and pediatrician coverage. The Level II Nursery ensures newborns requiring specialized care get the services they need. Newborns that are greater than 32 weeks gestation and weigh more than 1500 grams may be cared for in this unit.

The Birthplace features an advanced computerized security system. Parents can rest assured that when they are not holding their baby, the baby is in the careful hands of the Family Birthplace caregivers.

Family Birthplace services don't end after the hospital stay is over. Follow-up home care visits, breast feeding consultation and support and parenting seminars are offered. Lactation experts are available in the Birthplace to help moms with breast feeding. The Birthplace also offers a Warmline for moms to call with questions about breast feeding.

For more information about the Family Birthplace or for a referral to one of our Obstetricians or Nurse Midwives, call HealthLink at 800-515-0044.

Pediatric Care
The Upper Chesapeake Medical Center is proud to present an expanded pediatric service. Our team of board certified pediatricians and registered nurses are committed to providing the best possible care for your child around the clock. We have pediatricians in-house 24 hours a day.

For a child's emergency care needs, there are pediatric treatment rooms in the Emergency Department that are private and separate from the main treatment area. All equipment in these rooms is designed specifically for use in caring for children.

The family-centered inpatient care means rooms have accommodations for parents to be with their child throughout their stay. Meals will be provided for family members and age specific toys, videos and books as well as special menus are available for children.

Our concern for children extends beyond the hospital walls. With parenting support groups and educational classes, babysitter programs, CPR programs for parents, and wellness programs offered at area schools, we are committed to shaping the health of the younger members of our community.