St. Francis Medical Center Birthing Center
Great Expectations: Your Journey to Having a Bon Secours Baby
The COVID-19 crisis has everyone feeling a little on edge, but pregnant women and their partners are perhaps feeling the pandemic pressure more than most. Hospital tours and birthing classes have been canceled across the country as the need for social distancing increases.
That leaves some couples, especially those expecting their first child, with lots of questions and the possibility of having a baby in a facility they’ve never actually stepped foot in. So Bon Secours is now offering a virtual tour to help put parents’ minds at ease.
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Resources
Maternity Classes Available
Here at Bon Secours, we’ve tailored our Women’s and Children’s services to meet your specific needs with exceptional care and compassion. We make well-woman care, pediatric care, and preventative care a priority to keep you healthy. Whether you need primary care, an educational class, or are looking for a specialist, we have you and your family’s health covered at every stage.
Bon Secours Prenatal Education is proud to provide live, interactive, virtual classes taught by highly trained and passionate educators ! As part of our commitment to the communities we serve, we are proud to provide live, interactive, virtual Prenatal Education classes as well as In-Person classes at a low cost or free! With any questions, please e-mail prenataleducation@bshsi.org.
Sign up for classes here
We’re also answering some of the most commonly asked questions:
WHEN TO ARRIVE
Your healthcare provider will give you advice about when to come to the hospital. If you are having a scheduled C-section, your physician will give you additional instructions about reporting to the hospital and preparing for your procedure at one of your last office visits.
WHERE TO GO
Enter St. Francis Medical Center through the main entrance, and walk past the waterfall to take the stairs or elevator to the 2nd floor where the Labor and Delivery unit is located. Once there, you’ll check in at our registration desk. You will be asked to provide your ID and insurance card.
LABOR AND DELIVERY
During labor and delivery, each mom-to-be will get her own private suite. These updated rooms are fully equipped with the technology you need to have a safe, comfortable and smooth delivery. While the rooms are technologically advanced, they also have a home-like feel to provide you a sense of comfort and warmth during your birthing experience.
Your nurse will ask you what your plans are for pain management. Whatever pain management method you choose, your nurses will support your decision and let you know what to expect as labor progresses. St. Francis has anesthesiologists available 24/7.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DELIVERY?
After your birth, you and your baby will be moved to a room in the Mother/Infant Unit. As part of our Family Friendly philosophy, babies are kept in the room with you throughout the entire hospital stay. The rooms have a sofa perfect for Dad or another family member to room-in with mom, as well as private bathrooms with a walk-in shower. Free wireless internet access is ALSO available.
The Mother Infant nurses provide expert clinical care for both you and your infant during your stay and will let you know how to care for yourself once you return home.
Pain management after delivery is a priority. Your physician will prescribe pain medication that is safe for you (and your baby, if you are breastfeeding). These medications are usually prescribed “as needed” instead of on a schedule, so please let your nurse know when you need medication. We use a pain scale from 1 (no pain) to 10 (extreme pain) and suggest you ask for pain medicine when you are at a 3 or 4 on the pain scale.
NEONATAL SPECIALTY CARE UNIT (NSCU)
Very few babies will ever need Neonatal Specialty Care Unit, but you can find comfort knowing Bon Secours is fully equipped to provide the best care for your baby. We offer a 24/7 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for premature babies as well as full-term infants who may have breathing difficulties, poor feeding skills, or trouble regulating body temperature.
Find more FAQs surrounding our policies for labor and delivery at our Richmond hospitals here.
Contacts
Breastfeeding Warm Line: 804-594-2229
YoMingo®
Bon Secours offers 24/7 parent education powered by YoMingo®, an education program designed to give you convenient access to valuable information. It includes the tools and support you need at every stage of your journey.
YoMingo gives you access to:
- Evidence-based information on prenatal care, labor & birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and newborn care including lots of videos
- Information specific to your arrival and stay at Bon Secours
- List of available classes and support groups
- Kick counter, contraction timer, personal journal, feeding log, immunization log, and other tools
This education powered by YoMingo is available on any device with an internet connection and also as a mobile app called YoMingo.
Register for the program by clicking here:
Once you have registered, you will receive an email invitation from noreply@yomingo.com where you will be provided unique login credentials. If you do not receive the email in your inbox, be sure to check your junk/spam folder. You can also download the mobile app version by searching your app store for “YoMingo”
Already registered? Log in here: https://app.yomingo.com/
Disclaimer: The information in YoMingo® is NOT intended to take the place of a healthcare provider or any information that your healthcare provider has discussed with you about your own personal health. It is imperative and advised that you find care and work with your healthcare provider to keep yourself healthy and safe. Always call your healthcare provider with any questions you may have. By creating an account in YoMingo, you have verified that you have read and agree to this disclaimer.