Family Birth Centers

It's time! You're in labor.

Always talk to your doctor about what you should do when you think you're in labor.

If your doctor tells you to go to the hospital, come in through the South Entrance (Royal Oak) or the West Entrance (Troy) or the Emergency Entrance (Grosse Pointe).

• When you arrive, you'll be examined to see how active your labor is. Following the exam, you may be:
• Admitted to a Labor, Delivery and Recovery (LDR) room to deliver your baby
• Asked to walk around the unit to see how your labor progresses
• Sent home or kept under observation for a while to see how your contractions progress over time

If you're kept in the hospital, you'll be able to go through labor, delivery and recovery in a private, comfortable setting.

Each LDR provides you with a home-like environment. Each room is furnished with a color TV, a full-sized bath and a comfortable rocker-recliner. The room also has a window seat to accommodate the dad, your birthing partner, friends or family members.

The medical equipment and lighting needed for delivery is stored right in your LDR, and your bed converts into a delivery bed when you're ready to give birth. If you're delivering more than one baby, or delivering though cesarean section, you will have your baby in the cesarean suites located in the obstetrics unit.

• You and your baby are monitored during your delivery. We follow the baby's heart beat and your contractions. The information is displayed in your room and at the nurses' station.
• If you have a concern about having an IV, talk with your physician or midwife. We don't routinely start IVs, but if you anticipate having an epidural or any anesthesia, you will need an IV.
• You can take pictures with a camera or video camera, but check with your physician or midwife before making any plans. The staff has the right to refuse to have a photo taken. If you do bring a camera, please do not take pictures while the staff is working. Video cameras are not allowed in the c-section rooms.

All three hospitals have surgical suites that are set up specifically for c-section births. All of the operating rooms are also designed to accommodate multiple births.

If you have a question about your delivery, talk with your doctor.