Bon Secours-affiliated physicians, hospitals, diagnostic and health care facilities are located all around Richmond. Compare our birthing options, and find classes at any of our hospitals and in Innsbrook, at the Bon Secours Center For Family Health.

Memorial Regional Medical Center, with a beautiful, healing environment. In the Richmond area, MRMC is the only national Top 100 hospital for stroke and the only hospital in Central Virginia to receive the highest grade in all categories of stroke care. Memorial also is nationally ranked at the highest level in cardiac by-pass surgery, treatment of heart attacks and heart failure, cardiac interventional procedures, and pulmonary/respiratory treatment. In 2003, MRMC became one of fewer than three percent of the nation's hospitals, and one of only five in Virginia, to be named the highest overall quality hospitals.

Richmond Community Hospital, celebrated its first century of care in 2003. With a rich tradition in the heart of historic Church Hill, Richmond Community is recognized nationally for outstanding emergency department care and psychiatric services.

St. Francis Medical Center, our newest hospital, opened in 2005 and delivers compassionate care to families south of the James River. The beautiful peaceful setting of St. Francis provides a restful healing environment for patients, families and staff. The chapel, prayer gardens, fountains and walking paths are designed to enhance the spiritual aspects of healing. The beautiful, private birthing suites, equipped with jetted tubs, flat screen televisions and Aquarius multi-head showers, represent the premiere birthing experience for Chesterfield families.

St. Mary's Hospital, a tradition in Richmond's West End. St. Mary's is recognized nationally for outstanding care for mothers and babies (obstetrics and NICU), back and neck surgery, hip and knee replacement, emergency services and stroke care. In addition, St. Mary's is home to the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in the West End, as well as board certified pediatric emergency physicians in our Peds ED. With our pediatric care unit, St. Mary's provides one-stop care for children who need specialty and subspecialty care. St. Mary's is also the home of a unique, sensitive forensic nurse program in the emergency room, providing assistance with cases of domestic abuse or rape.

Birthing Options
Come tour our birthing centers, e-mail us, or call 804/340-BABY for more information. We think you'll like what you find!

	Center for Family Health	Memorial Regional	Richmond Community	St. Francis	St. Mary's
Location	Innsbrook	Hanover	East End	Chesterfield	West End
First delivery in		1998		2005	1966
All major insurances		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Love and Learn with Bon Secours	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Commonwealth Parenting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bon Secours Baby Club	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Birthing center tours		Yes		Yes	Yes
Delivery care model		LDR		LDR	LDR
Labor hydrotherapy		Jetted tubs		Aquarius multi-head showers; jetted tubs	Jetted tubs
All types anesthesia		Yes		Yes	Yes
Family centered care		Yes		Yes	Yes
Mother-Baby care		Yes		Yes	Yes
Flexible rooming-in		Yes		Yes	Yes
Electronic infant security system		Yes		Yes	Yes
Lactation consultants	A Woman's Place 545-1665	Yes		Yes	Yes
Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU)		Yes		Yes	Yes
BonSecoursNICU.net		Yes		Yes	Yes
Web nursery		Yes		Yes	Yes
New baby call-in from home		764-BABY		594-BABY	673-BABY
Providers Available
Female OB-Gyns		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Perinatology)		Yes		Yes	Yes
Neonatology onsite		24/7/365		24/7/365	24/7/365
Certified Nurse-Midwives		Yes		Yes	NA
Doula services		Yes		Yes	Yes

Note: The Center for Family Health and Richmond Community Hospital offer out-patient birthing classes and support only. Birthing centers are not available at these two facilities.

All major insurances
This hospital accepts all major insurance plans and most smaller plans. For up-to-date information, please check with your insurance plan.

Love and Learn with Bon Secours
Prenatal and Parenting Education Program
Prenatal, birthing and/or parenting classes are offered at this location. Go to our online class catalog for more information on this exciting program, with more than 50 classes and groups.

Commonwealth Parenting
Bon Secours and Commonwealth Parenting have teamed up to make sure you don't feel dropped off without an instruction booklet once you deliver! CP offers even more classes for parents of children of all ages. For more information, visit CP or call 80/545-1272.

Bon Secours Baby Club
A Central Virginia exclusive! In 2004, this great new program replaced the well-known Bon Secours Little Lamb Club. Membership is free and open to all. Members receive discounts for our most popular classes and with private instructors and merchants all over Richmond. Beeper program for dads/support person, free e-mail pregnancy and newborn milestones, $100 discount at Bon Secours hospital stay for birth, and more. For more information e-mail us, or call 80/340-BABY.

Tours
Take free tours of our birthing centers. Available to those starting to plan for birth or pregnancy as well as for parents near delivery.

Delivery Care Model
Both LDR and LDRP suites look alike: large, comfortable rooms, with ample space to walk around and for your family to be with you. Each includes a specially equipped birthing bed, so that you can labor and deliver without being moved from room to room or from bed to bed. There is a private bathroom and shower for each suite.

With an LDR facility (labor, delivery, recovery), most mothers stay in the same birthing suite throughout labor, birth and for an hour or so after birth. In an LDR facility, these moms then move to a private 'postpartum' room for the remainder of their stay.

LDRP models add the p for postpartum, or care after birth. In an LDRP care model, many mothers are able to stay in the same birthing suite from the time they enter the hospital until they go home. Private postpartum rooms are also available for longer lengths of stay.

In either LDR or LDRP, the discomfort and inconvenience of moving from room to room during this very private, important family time is greatly decreased or eliminated altogether.

Family Centered Care
We subscribe to the definition of family centered care as developed by the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA):

"The birth of a baby represents, as well, the birth of a family. The woman giving birth and the persons significant and close to her are forming a new relationship, with new responsibilities to each other, to the baby, and to society as a whole. Family-centered reproductive care may be defined as care which recognizes the importance of these new relationships and responsibilities, and which has as its goal the best possible health outcome for all members of the family, both as individuals and as a group.

"Family-centered care consists of an attitude rather than a protocol. It recognizes a vital life event rather than a medical procedure. It appreciates the importance of that event to the woman and to the persons who are important to her. It respects the woman's individuality and her sense of autonomy. It realizes that the decisions she may make are based on many influences of which the expertise of the professional is only one. It requires that all relevant information be made available to the woman to help her achieve her own goals, and that she be guided but not directed by professionals she has chosen to share the responsibility for her care.

"The practice of family-centered maternity care is founded on this philosophy and encompasses birth practitioners, birth places, and maternity-newborn care, as determined by the needs and choices of each woman and her family."

Mother-Baby Care
At our hospitals, mothers and babies are not seen as separate individuals. Care is designed around the two of you together, an 'ensemble' whose medical and emotional needs are complimentary. Maternity and nursery nurses coordinate your care, so that you and your baby are able to take best advantage of your time for learning about each other. Mother-Baby Care works hand-in-hand with flexible rooming-in (below) to assure you have the skills and experience needed to parent successfully when you leave the hospital.

Flexible Rooming-In
Flexible rooming-in allows you and your baby to determine the amount of time you want to spend together. At our hospitals, mothers may elect to room in part-time (e.g., during the day) or full-time...or to go back and forth between the two options. The more your baby is with you, the more experience you will have when you go home; but there are times when a long nap—with the knowledge your nurse will bring the baby if the baby is hungry—is the best medicine.

All Types of Anesthesia
Your preferences for pain relief are completely up to you. Many women labor with little or no medication, and many women have epidural anesthesia during much of labor. At our hospitals, we believe the choice is between you and your physician or nurse-midwife. You have a full range of options, and we have the staff to provide support for your decision.

NICU and BonSecoursNICU.net
While most births are completely normal, all of our hospitals have neonatologists and neonatal intensive care units, just in case. Go to our High Risk section for more information on neonatology, NICU and BonSecoursNICU.net—our innovative computer link program between babies in our NICU and parents at home, as well as resources for high risk pregnancies, preemies and multiples.

Female OB-Gyns
Women often have a preference in the gender of their health care providers. At our hospitals, we have both male and female OB-Gyns available

Certified Nurse-Midwives
Certified nurse-midwives, or CNMs, are licensed health care practitioners educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery. Most were nurses first, and then went back for a master's degree program in nurse-midwifery. CNMs provide primary care to women of childbearing age including prenatal care, labor and delivery care, care after birth, gynecological exams, newborn care, assistance with family planning decisions, preconception care, menopausal management and counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention.

At Bon Secours, CNMs practice with physicians, so that the full range of care is available to women at all times.

Doula Services
The word 'doula' refers to an experienced woman who helps women during labor, delivery and/or the post-delivery period. The doula provides the mother with physical and emotional support along with her partner. Although fathers play a vital support role, sometimes additional help is needed. With a doula, a father can share in the birth at the level where he is most comfortable. The doula’s skills and knowledge can help him to feel more relaxed and to participate as much as he wishes in the birth, assuring the mother of full labor support at all times. Doulas working with Bon Secours-affiliated providers and with our parents are welcome at all Bon Secours hospitals.

Lactation Consultants
Lactation consultants are specially trained and certified to assist mothers with breastfeeding preparation and learning successful breastfeeding skills. They are available at all our hospitals and at A Woman's Place, located in the Bon Secours Center for Family Health in Innsbrook, and can often make the difference for a positive, long-lasting breastfeeding experience. Call 340-BABY for more information or to locate a lactation consultant near you.

New Baby Call-In
At 3 a.m., when your new baby is doing something unexpected and you can't decide whether or not to call the baby's doctor, our nurseries provide a safety net. You can call our nurseries to ask that 'dumb question.' To us, it's not 'dumb;' it's what parenting is all about and we're up and happy to help.

Web Nursery
This is the Internet equivalent of 'going by the nursery to see the babies!' You can have your baby's photo posted on the Internet so that relatives and friends in other cities can view your baby and leave messages for you. Parents authorize posting of photographs. To ensure security, no last names are ever used. There is no extra charge for this option, but it is part of the overall baby photo package, so not all parents select this option. Photographs appear online within a few days of birth. To see our babies, visit:

• Memorial Regional Medical Center Nursery
• St. Francis Medical Center Nursery
• St. Mary’s Hospital Nursery

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High Risk Care for Women and Infants
Over 4,000,000 women will have babies in the U.S. this year. The majority of women have normal, healthy pregnancies. Yet as many as one in four will experience complications, and some of their babies will be at risk for premature birth or developmental issues.

• 1,680,000 will have placentas that form too low in the uterus
• 1,050,000 will develop problems with blood pressure (hypertension, preeclampsia or HELLP)
• 840,000 will have abnormal bleeding
• 504,000 will develop pregnancy (gestational) diabetes
• 380,000 will have premature labor
• 12,600 will have such severe nausea or vomiting that they will require hospitalization.

Whether it's gestational diabetes or blood pressure problems, a low-forming placenta or premature labor, the Bon Secours health care team can help. You will work with women and men who understand what you are going through, as professionals and as mothers and fathers. And, while we take our work very seriously, you are as likely to see a warm, welcoming smile as emergency equipment, because we love what we do.

The High Risk Care Team
Care of mothers and babies with complications of pregnancy takes a highly skilled team, not available at every hospital. And, when tiny lives are at stake, that team needs to be supported by pediatric subspecialty care committed to communication and coordination. That's what you will see at Bon Secours Richmond hospitals. Bon Secours maternal-fetal-medicine and NICU teams include:

• Perinatologists, obstetrician-gynecologists who have completed advanced training, or a 'fellowship' in the care of very high risk pregnancies and births. Perinatologists are maternal-fetal-medicine specialists and fetal diagnosticians, like Ron Ramus, MD of Bon Secours Perinatal Services and Lisa Troyer, MD of the Virginia Women's Center. Perinatologists care for mothers who are at risk of complications before the baby is born, in consultation with your OB-Gyn physician or nurse-midwife. Perinatology consults and care are available at Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital(West End), Memorial Regional Medical Center(Mechanicsville) and St. Francis Medical Center(Chesterfield).
• Neonatologists, pediatricians who have completed advanced fellowship training in the care of very sick or premature babies. Neonatologists often consult on high risk prenatal care before the baby is born, and during and after delivery, lead the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) teams. At Bon Secours Richmond Health System hospitals, the neonatology teams are led by Bonnie Makdad, MD of Commonwealth Neonatology. Commonwealth Neonatology's ten neonatologists and eight neonatal nurse practitioners staff Bon Secours three NICUs all day, every day.

Dr. Makdad and her associates provide NICU services on site at St. Mary's Hospital, Memorial Regional Medical Center and St. Francis Medcial Center. While some hospitals have neonatology available on call only, at each Bon Secours hospital, at our three NICUs, you have the assurance that neonatology is in the hospital, every day, all day, and always ready...just in case.

Bon Secours also has Virginia's only 24/7 live-camera access for parents of babies in our NICUs with our BonSecoursNICU.net, a free service for parents. And, with both perinatology, parents have the advantage of a coordinated team approach for both mom and baby.

• Pediatric subspecialty physicians you perhaps never knew existed. These are pediatricians who completed a fellowship in a particular pediatric subspecialty, like cardiology, and who only take care of children with problems. Subspecialists available at our NICUs include pediatric cardiologists, gastroenterologists, neurologists, pulmonologists and other subspecialties required for comprehensive NICU care.
• Neonatal nurse practitioners, or NNPs. These are nurses who have completed advanced practice certification focusing completely on the care of premature and sick babies.
• A multidisciplinary critical care team of nurses and respiratory therapists you will see frequently as an integral part of your care team. And many more you may never meet: pediatric radiologists, pharmacy specialists, lab staff, and radiology staff--team members whose skills are finely tuned for very tiny babies.
• Our Bon Secours transport team, part of our Children's Critical Care Services. Our transport team ensures that whether your baby is born at a Bon Secours hospital or outside our system, you will receive complete care with the best advances in technology, and the love and compassion you expect from Bon Secours.

Resources and Links for High Risk Pregnancies and Infants
We are constantly adding high risk care resources for parents, siblings and family. Note that Bon Secours Richmond Health System receives no reimbursement or other benefit for these listings, which are complimentary. And, if you have a site you feel should be included in this list, please let us know.

Bon Secours also does not endorse any of the groups included in this list. Use common sense as you evaluate information. Remember that no resource list can ever replace the advice of a medical provider--if you have questions or an emergency, please call your physician.

Informacion en Español

• FAQ: Bebés prematuros
• Información: el síndrome Down
• Nacimiento prematuro
• PartosMultiples.org
• Traduzca al español or another language

Twins and Multiple Births:

• MOSTonline.org Mothers of SuperTwins (triplets and more)
• Mo-Mo's website for parents expecting twins or more from a Monoamniotic Monochorionic Pregnancy
• Multiplicity.com
• Mothers of Twins and Mothers of Multiples
• PreemieTwins.com
• The Triplet Connection
• TwinsMagazine.com

Complications of Pregnancy :

• About.com's pregnancy ultrasound examples
• ChildOfMyDreams.com, for infertility and adoption information
• Limbo, a discussion group for parents who have lost one or more of their multiples
• National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD)
• OBFocus.com is a website for families with high risk pregnancies, maintained by a group of California perinatologists
• Resources for pregnancy loss
• Twin to Twin Transfusion Foundation

Problems, Sharing and Solutions

• Aaron's Tracheostomy
• American Heart Association's Children and Heart Disease
• Left Heart Matters for parents of children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
• National Down Syndrome Society
• National Organization for Rare Disorders
• Support Organization for Trisomy 13, 18 and Related Disorders

Prematurity Resources

• Breastfeeding.com's Q&A on Breastfeeding and Prematurity
• Neonatology on the Web's Resource list
• Premature Baby, Premature Child
• Preemie-L.org
• PreemieParenting.com
• Premature Child
• Premature-Infant.com, by a NICU nurse and mother of a preemie
• Preemie WebRing
• Shopping for Prematures:
  • LaPetiteBaby.com
  • PreemieTwins.com Shopping
  • Twin items auction site

Questions and Resources

• About.com's Pregnancy Dictionary
• CenterWatch.com for clinical trials information
• e-Medicine's Neonatology Terms and Articles
• Johns Hopkins' Harriet Lane Internet Information Links
• MedLinePro.com, medical search engine
• PubMed medical literature search index

Reading List

• By Sidelines.com
• Diane Maroney's articles for parents of prematures
• National Organization of Mothers of Twins library
• Preemie book list from PreemieTwins.com
• PreemieParents.com Reading Room
• Twin Magazine's Reading List

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BonSecoursNICU.net™
As human as the web can get

WATCH YOUR BABY 24/7

When a baby is born early, or is sick, there is nothing of more concern to a new father or mother than not being able to be with their baby, day and night. Even ten years later, mothers and fathers remember the pain of needing to rest, but not wanting to leave their baby's side.

As part of our overall care and coordination, we started BonSecoursNICU.net ^TM. Using computer imaging, mothers who are recovering themselves can see their baby or babies from their own bed, and parents can see babies 24/7 from home. There is no charge for this service.

This high-tech video program, named BonSecoursNICU.net™, originally started in May 2002 at Bon Secours Richmond hospitals, Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, and St. Mary's Hospital in the West End. The program expanded to include St. Francis Medical Center, which opened in September 2005 in Chesterfield.

The Bon Secours Richmond hospitals are the first in Virginia, and among the first in the country, to encourage parents to monitor their children from the mother's hospital room or from home with computers and video cameras. The response has been overwhelming. Parents, physicians and nurses alike say the project has dramatically improved parent communication, satisfaction and confidence in their own capability to care for their new babies at home.

The Bon Secours program uses a dedicated, secure URL to connect parents. The baby can only be seen by viewers with a password. If a hospitalized mother cannot physically be with her NICU baby or babies, she is given a laptop computer at her bedside. After she goes home, we sign out a computer for the parents to use at home. In either case, a tiny video camera at the baby's bedside transmits an image to the parents anytime they request it, 24 hours a day. Parents understand that the camera may occasionally be turned off when their baby, or one nearby, is receiving treatments.