Childbirth Services
Most expectant mothers in the Oxford-Lafayette County area will give birth at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.
The hospital is committed to the health, safety and comfort of mother and child and to providing personalized care for your family based on your birthing plan.
If it’s your first time at the hospital, here’s an overview of what you can expect from the experience.
When you arrive at Baptist Memorial Hospital for delivery, you will check in first at the emergency room’s admissions desk. From there, you will be admitted to one of the hospital’s 6 birthing suites designated for labor, delivery and recovery. The hospital staff will also notify your OB doctor.
Each of Baptist’s birthing suites is designed with care in mind and features a large space with comfortable furnishing and technically advanced medical equipment to ensure you and your baby’s safety before, during, and after delivery.
If your physician determines that a cesarean section is needed, the C-section suites are immediately accessible on the same floor. In every case, you and your baby will have access to the full services of the hospital’s comprehensive medical facilities and board-certified OB hospitalists, who are always on-site.
After birth, you will have about two hours of bonding and recovery time where a special resource nurse is available to help you with skin-to-skin bonding and to assist with breastfeeding. The staff will delay any medical tasks until you have had the chance to get to know your baby. From there, you will transition to a mother/baby room to relax and recover. All of the mother/baby rooms feature flat screen TVs, comfortable furnishing, including a sofa that transitions to a full-sized bed, a functional bathroom with slate tile flooring and a walk-in shower with hand-held faucet.
To learn more about Baptist Memorial Hospital—North Mississippi’s maternity services, visit their website. You can also register for the hospital’s free Prepared Childbirth Classes, which are designed to educate moms- and dads-to-be on what to expect during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and caring for your newborn. Topics covered during the classes include: labor and delivery; postpartum and newborn care; infant CPR, epidurals; and breastfeeding. During the classes, you will also receive a tour of the Women’s & Children’s Services unit. There are also lactation services, including a breastfeeding support group, breastfeeding resource center and breastfeeding classes, available at the hospital.
FAQs
With the help of the Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi team, we put together answers to some of the most common questions they receive from expectant mothers.
+What should I bring in my hospital bag?
- Slippers/house shoes/flip flops
- Hair ties
- Lip balm
- Robe/pajamas/zip-up sweatshirt (something cozy)
- Snacks (for after baby)
- Phone charger(s)
- Toiletries
- Baby’s “going-home” outfit/blanket
- Mom’s “going-home” outfit
+What does the hospital provide?
- Sheets/blankets/pillows (extra for partner)
- Towels/face cloths
- Diapers/wipes
- Formula (if needed)
- Manual breast pump (if needed)
- Electric breast pump and attachments
- Breast milk storage containers
- Shower gel
- Hand soap/toilet paper/paper towels
- Perineal pads
- Disposable underwear
- Breast pads
- Baby blankets/newborn t-shirts for use while in hospital
- Socks (non-slip)
+What are my pain management options?
Some of the pain management options available are:
- Epidural anesthesia
- Spinal anesthesia (for C-section births)
- Intravenous medication
- Local anesthesia
- Dimmed lighting/relaxation
- Positioning techniques
The hospital is also open to discuss any suggestions that the patient may have as to a method of pain relief that has been successful for them in the past.
+How many family members can be with me during delivery?
- The hospital invites two support persons (partner, family, friend, doula, etc.) to accompany the patient during their birth.
+Am I allowed to walk around, eat, and shower during and after the labor experience?
- Every attempt to allow for freedom of movement is made based on the status of the mother and baby. The hospital staff will work closely with the physicians to determine what type of monitoring is required to provide the highest level of care.
- Many times a clear liquid diet is acceptable until a certain point of labor. However, all requests are open for discussion between the patient and their provider.
- After you have given birth, the hospital will allow food deliveries through any local services such as Fetcht, BiteSquad, DoorDash, etc.
- The hospital also offers a post-delivery “celebration” dinner/lunch for you and your support person, which usually offers a choice between steak or grilled shrimp.
+Who will deliver my baby if my primary doctor is unavailable?
- There is always a competent physician available to care for mom and baby. The hospital utilizes an OB hospitalist program on the weekends to provide coverage for any obstetrical needs that may arise. Otherwise, during the week, one of the local physicians is on call for their clinic.
+What is the hospital’s policy on photography?
- Every attempt to allow for memorialization of the birth is made while taking into consideration privacy and care concerns. Hospital staff are happy to discuss individually what that means given individual circumstances.
+What should I expect when attending my evaluation of labor?
- If you are coming for evaluation of labor, then your first stop may be the triage area where the nurse will get mom settled in and do a quick assessment. Once that is done we will bring their support person back to remain with them. The nursing staff is trained to perform a comprehensive obstetrical exam in conjunction with the provider to determine what the best course of treatment may be at the time.
+Do I need to bring a car seat?
- Yes, there must be a car seat present to take the baby home. It is more convenient to have the base of the car seat already secured in the car. If there are questions regarding the car seat, Baptist Hospital is happy to assist.
