Family Birth Place Ended Millennium With Record Number Of Births
According to Rita Stocksdale, director of women’s health nursing at Clark Memorial Hospital, 1,609 babies were born in the year 2000, a 10 percent increase over last year.
“Our excellent team of physicians and nurses and the superb care families receive are the main reasons for the increase in deliveries,” says Stocksdale.
Since the late 80s, Clark Memorial has experienced a 200 percent increase in deliveries.
According to Stocksdale, the popularity of the programs offered through the Family Birth Place has also contributed to its success.
“The Family Birth Place works with families to follow their individual birth plan, such as the use of doulas and midwives in the delivery room,” says Stocksdale.
The Family Birth Place includes seven private Labor/Delivery/Recovery Suites, 14 private postpartum rooms, two C-Section surgical facilities, a full-time lactation consultant, and the only breastfeeding center located in a hospital in the metro area. The unit also has eight board-certified obstetrician/gynecologists and two midwives.
Clark Memorial Hospital offers a variety of classes for new parents, including Boot Camp For New Dads, Practical Parenting, Breastfeeding Basics, Brothers and Sisters To Be, Grandparents To Be, and one-on-one pre- and post-natal exercise consultations. The hospital also equipped each room with ClarkVision, an educational television system that allows mothers and fathers to access information 24 hours a day on a variety of topics.
The personal attention and care the mother and father receive does not stop after they leave the hospital. New mothers are encouraged to bring their baby back for a weight check or to discuss any issues with the full-time lactation consultant. In addition, a doctor can order Southern Home Care, the home health care division of Clark Memorial Hospital, to send a specially trained mother/baby nurse to provide continued teaching and support for new parents.
“We really feel our services give our parents the best start possible,” continues Stocksdale.
For more information on the Family Birth Place, call 283-2582, or visit www.clarkmemorial.org.
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