Family Birthing Centre

The birth of a child is a unique experience. In a warm and peaceful setting, the Family Birthing Centre (FBC) team provides high-quality family-centred care and support during pregnancy through delivery and up to 2 weeks postpartum.

Our team will be pleased to assist your family during this memorable event. Every year, we welcome over 450 families and their newborns at HGH Family Birthing Centre.

Features of the Family Birthing Centre

  • 5 appointed rooms equipped for labour, delivery and post-partum
  • 3 standard patient rooms
  • Spacious rooms with private bathrooms
  • Therapeutic baths and showers to help with pain management
  • Overnight accommodations for father or other support person
  • Secure environment with an electronic infant protection system

Our team follows guidelines and standards of practice through the More Ob Program, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program.

How to access our services?

  • We accept women for pregnancy follow-up. Ask your family doctor for a referral to the HGH Family Birthing Centre Antenatal Clinic.
  • If you do not have a family physician, you may call the Obs Clinic at 613-632-1111, extension 52003 for an appointment.

Important COVID-19 Information

Due to the COVID-19 situation, we have made changes to our regular processes. Please review the following information to help you prepare for the birth of your baby. We are here to provide expert and loving care to keep everyone safe.

What to expect when you arrive at HGH to give birth?

1 – At the hospital entrance, we will verbally screen you for symptoms and exposure to COVID-19.

  • You will have to wear a mask and wash your hands.
  • Your support person will not be permitted to accompany you until you are admitted to the hospital.

2  – At the entrance of the Family Birthing Centre, a nurse will perform a second and more detailed screening.

  • In the triage room, we will assess your condition to determine the stage of labour. If you are in early labour, we may ask you to go home until you are further along. This is normal practice.
  • If you are progressing in active labour, we will admit you to the hospital. This is when we will call your support person to join you.
  • Your support person will also be screened at the hospital entrance. If the screening result is satisfactory, they will be directed to your room.

About your support person

Your support person cannot accompany you to pregnancy follow-up appointments and ultrasound exams.

Only one support person will be allowed during labour and throughout your hospital stay.

Your support person must:

  • Be healthy and able to pass the screening questionnaire with satifsfactory results.
  • Wear a mask – their own or we will provide one.
  • Wash their hands.
  • Restrict as much as possible their movement within the unit and outside the hospital.

What to bring

  • Please ensure that you bring everything you and your support person will need for the duration of your stay. Remember to bring your car seat with you when you come to the Family Birthing Center. Please check the detailed list of items to bring in the section below.
  • Bring a cooler with enough snacks and drinks, as you will not be able to leave the room. Every room is equipped with a small refrigerator where you can keep food items refrigerated.
  • The hospital will provide drinking water and meals at mealtimes for the support person.

Visitors and children

Visitors, including your own children, are not allowed.

Special procedures

Caesarean Birth – To protect your newborn’s health and your own, strict protocols have been developed for operating rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support person will be permitted to enter the operating room only if security measures can be respected.

Induction of Labour – Patients who are having an induction will be allowed to have their support person join them when they have been admitted to hospital.

While we continue to recognize the importance of parents’ presence following the birth of a baby, we need to face the very real concern of COVID-19 infection being passed on to our fragile patients and their health care professionals. Precautions prior to handling baby will be recommended for parents to decrease possible transmission to baby.

Thank you for your patience and collaboration as we navigate through these challenging times.

 

About The Program

Pregnancy follow-up appointments at HGH Obstetrical Clinic

  • From the start of your pregnancy to the 32nd week, appointments are scheduled every four weeks.
  • From week 32 to 36, follow-up appointments are scheduled every second week, and then every week until delivery.
  • For your first appointment, it is very important that we receive your present pregnancy medical history from your family doctor, including all lab, ultrasound and IPS results.
  • During your first appointment, a nurse will explain the process for the upcoming weeks, including hospital pre-registration and the signing of consent to treatment.
  • The FBC and Obstetrical Clinic physicians and nurses work as a team and you will most likely meet all of them during your follow-up appointments.
  • On delivery day, the physician on call will assist you.

Rh-negative blood type

  • As an expecting mother, if your blood type is negative (A-, B-, AB-, O-) and your unborn baby’s blood type is positive, there is an Rh incompatibility. If some of the baby’s blood leaks into your system, it could lead to your body producing antibodies against your baby’s blood. This condition can affect your baby’s health.
  • If your blood type is negative, your family doctor will most likely prescribe a RhoGAM injection at 28 weeks of pregnancy.
  • When you have your prescription, call the OBS Clinic at 613-632-1111, extension 52003 to make arrangements. You do not need an appointment, but you will need to visit two departments in the same day to complete the process.
  • First, you have to go for a blood sample at the lab, before 10:00 in the morning. Then, you will receive the injection at the FBC by 1:00 p.m.

Admission to your room

  • When the time comes and you’re in active labour, you’ll be admitted to your room, where you will stay for labour, delivery and post-partum stages.
  • Up to two persons can accompany the whole time.

Length of stay

  • Women giving birth vaginally usually stay between 24 and 48 hours after the delivery of the baby.
  • Women giving birth by caesarean section usually stay between 48 and 72 hours after the birth of the baby.

What to bring

  • For the expecting mother:
    • Health Card
    • Comfortable clothes, pyjamas and underwear
    • Nursing bra and nursing pads
    • Personal care products: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lip balm, hand lotion, etc.
    • Sanitary napkins
    • Breastfeeding pillow
    • Breast pump
    • List of your medication, including prescribed medication, over the counter, vitamins, supplements and herbal medicine
    • Prescribed medication in its original packaging
    • Books, magazines, MP3, Tablet, etc.
    • Extra pillows for comfort.
  • For the baby:
    • Infant clothing
    • Diapers
    • Infant car seat – make sure you are familiar with the use and the installation of the car seat before bringing it to the hospital
  • For the father or support person:
    • Change of clothes
    • Snacks

Support programs and services during your hospital stay

  • Help with breastfeeding is provided by nurses trained by the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program.
  • Newborn registration with the Registrar General of Ontario – HGH staff will complete the Notice of live birth within 48 working hours following delivery. To complete the process, parents must also fill out an online form with Service Ontario. The nurses will assist you in this process.

After you leave the hospital

  • Our community partners, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit or the CLSC will call you within 48 hours following your hospital discharge. They will offer programs designed to help families make healthy choices. They will also visit you at home at a later date.
  • Two weeks after delivery, you should see your family physician for a post-partum exam for your and your baby.
  • Call us or visit us with your baby if you have any worries or questions before your appointment with your physician.

The team

The Family Birthing Center team includes close to 30 healthcare professionals.

  • Nurses
  • Physicians