Childbirth is one of the most special events in a family’s life. At Gateway Medical Center, expectant parents have the opportunity to prepare themselves and their family for the birth experience as well as participate in the birth and newborn care. Our goal is to prepare you as much as possible for the first days at home with your infant.
On behalf of the staff of the Family Birth Center, we invite you and your family to share with us the warm and exciting experience of family-centered care. Along with our well-trained staff of mother/baby nurses, you will have:
• Private rooms
• Fetal monitoring
• Labor, delivery, recovery in mother’s private room
• Nurse Anesthetist services available
• Father or support person permitted during labor and delivery
• A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with a 24-hour Nurse Practitioner and Neonatologist available
• Mother/baby setting
• Baby’s first photo
• Baby’s photo on Gateway’s website if desired
• Personalized lactation services and rental equipment available
• Personalized education by a registered nurse or lactation consultant
• Infant Hearing Screening - If your infant has a negative screening, a referral for additional outside evaluation will be arranged.
Family Birth Center Classes
Registered nurses who may also provide your care while you are our guest at Gateway teach Prenatal or Sibling Classes. Please be sure to watch for other classes that may be added periodically.
Bring your older children to Sibling Class. It offers an introduction to sibling interactions, a tour of the Nursery, and time to mingle with other children from expectant families. The class is offered the last Saturday of the month from 10-11 a.m. in the 3rd Floor Classroom of Gateway Medical Center. Each child receives a Big Brother or Big Sister t-shirt, button and sticker. And we’ll take a picture of your youngster to bring to the hospital to place in the new baby’s crib. Register for the class by calling 931-502-1180. Cost is $15 per child.
Prenatal Classes help mom and her support person anticipate situations that may arise during pregnancy and labor. Classes offer information on what to expect during labor, relaxation techniques, analgesia/anesthesia, newborn care and a tour of the Family Birth Center. The prenatal classes consist of five, two-hour sessions and are held consecutive Wednesdays or Thursdays at 7 p.m. Classes should be attended between the 26th and 34th week of pregnancy. To register for the classes, call 931-502-1180. Classes are located in the Liberty Room of the Medical Center unless otherwise announced. Class fee for five-week series is $50; Individual classes are $15.
Taught by a Lactation Consultant, Breastfeeding Class covers initial steps to successful breastfeeding, uses for breast pumps and other supplies. Moms also receive a book, Nursing Mothers Companion. Classes are taught in the 3rd Floor Classroom on the first Tuesday of every month from 7-9 p.m. Cost for the class is $25. To register call 931-502-1180.
Online Resources
Want to learn more? Click here to visit our Pregnancy and Newborn Health Center.
Guidelines for Visitors
We’re here to promote safety and well being for all our patients and newborns. Please follow these guidelines during your stay.
• One designated person with proper identification band, may stay with mom 24-hours a day.
• Immediate family may visit at any time.
• Adult visitors are allowed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. A maximum of four visitors is allowed in the room at a time. The nursing staff may request fewer visitors in certain situations.
• Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to visit unless they are siblings of the newborn.
• Siblings of the newborn may visit for short periods of time if they are accompanied by an adult and have no signs or symptoms of illness such as colds, fever or rashes.
• No one should visit while sick with a temperature, cough, runny nose, rash, or if they have been exposed to any communicable disease. Parents and visitors must wear a mask if they have cold sores or fever blisters.
• Please wash your hands and ask that all your
visitors do the same before touching or holding the baby.
• During RSV season, children under the age of 4 are not allowed in patient care areas.
• Circumstances requiring special consideration or visitation should be addressed to the nurse manager.
Pre-Registration
You may pre-register your visit by calling 931-502-1161 Monday – Friday 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information
For more information about our Family Birth Center, call 931-502-3300.