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Family Birthing Center

Maternity & Infant Healthcare at Kaweah Health

At Kaweah Health Family Birthing Center, we are honored to be part of your birthing experience. As a patient-focused care unit, we are dedicated to provide you with the delivery experience you deserve. The Family Birthing Center has specialized caregivers that will be with you every step of your journey.

Location

Kaweah Health
400 West Mineral King Ave.
Visalia, California 93291
(559) 624-2000

Labor and Delivery Triage area – 2 East
Labor and Delivery Unit – 2 East

Preparing for the Birth of your Baby

There’s a lot to learn when preparing for the birth of your baby. We want you to be completely confident in the facility in which you give birth, and at the prospect of going home to being your journey as a new parent. For that reason we offer several resources to help you prepare for the birth of your baby:

After You Have your Baby

We have free monthly classes to help you after you have your baby and support you in your new role as a parent. Visit the links below for dates and time.

Preparing for Your Hospital Admission

Before your delivery date arrives, we want you to be as prepared as possible for the birth of your baby. At Kaweah Health Family Birthing Center, we are here to help you every step of the way.

We suggest that you pre-register for your birthing admission by your eighth month of pregnancy. Please take the time to complete the Family Birthing Center Admission Form and mail or bring it into the Labor and Delivery Admitting Desk along with your insurance card. Pre-registering for your hospital admission may save you the discomfort of answering many questions when you are in actual labor.

Overnight Bag

Before your labor begins, have a bag packed so you are ready when it’s time to go to the hospital. Some items we suggest are:

  • Camera
  • Hair care products
  • Cellphone charger
  • Nursing bra
  • Glasses (if you wear contacts)
  • Shoes/slippers
  • Nutritious snacks for designated visitors
  • Robe
  • Lip balm (for labor)
  • Going home outfit for mom and baby
  • Lollipops (for labor)
  • Makeup
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste

Car Seat

Make sure you have selected a car seat for your baby that is federally approved per California law. The car seat should be properly installed in your car to be ready to take your baby home. Consider visiting a passenger safety seat inspection location by searching www.seatcheck.org website.

Parking Instructions

Parking is available at Kaweah Health Medical Center parking lot, the parking structure on Locust St., or the Acequia Wing Parking structure located at Floral Street and Acequia Avenue. Valet parking is available at the Mineral King entrance only, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekends 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Arriving at Night

If you have to come to the Family Birth Center and it is after 9 p.m., you must enter through the Emergency Room and check in with security. Security will then direct you to the second floor to Labor and Delivery or the Labor Triage Unit.

Visiting Policy

Visiting is allowed 24 hours a day for designated support persons with a bracelet. Visiting procedures vary depending on which unit you deliver your baby in:

  • Labor and Delivery Triage area (2 East) – When you arrive in the Triage Unit, you can designate one support person to stay at your bedside. Your designated support person cannot be switched during your stay in triage, for your safety and privacy.

  • Labor and Delivery (2 East) – You will be asked to designate two people who will attend your labor, delivery and recovery. These are the only visitors allowed in your room. A bracelet will be given to each of your designated support persons and must be worn while you are in labor and delivery.

What to Expect

As you get closer to your due date or past your due date of pregnancy, your obstetrician and you may plan for induction of labor. Your obstetrician or office staff will call our Family Birthing Center scheduler for a date and time for you to arrive at the hospital. The Family Birthing Center requests that you call two hours ahead of your scheduled admission at (559) 624-6701 and ask for the charge nurse for bed availability.

Please keep in mind the following rules about photos as you prepare for the hospital:

  • Photography – Cameras, cellphones, and video cameras are permitted but may not be used during the actual vaginal delivery or cesarean section procedure. Pictures/videos are permitted after birth when your baby has been reported as stable by your obstetrician or nursing staff.

Labor and Delivery

When it is time to bring your baby into the world, you can trust our birthing team that includes your obstetrician or certified nurse midwife (CNM), labor and delivery registered nurse specialist, nursing assistant, certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) or anesthesiologists, and/or labor doula/birthing coach.

Our Family Birth Center offers up to date technology, private labor and delivery rooms, and experienced staff to deliver compassionate care where mothers and families enjoy the very best birthing experience.

High-Risk Pregnancies

Your obstetrician may determine your pregnancy falls into a category of “high risk”. We at the Family Birth Center know this can be stressful and our specialized experienced nursing staff is here to follow your plan of care developed between you and your obstetrician.

The following are some high-risk categories:

  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Pregnancy over the age of 35
  • Chronic illness
  • Infectious diseases
  • Preterm delivery less than 37 weeks
  • Pregnancy with multiple babies

Labor Comfort Choices

We encourage patients to take measures that will help them through labor. Our facility provides assistance of a doula and other services to make the birth easier.

The following are offered for your labor comfort:

  • Labor Support Person – We encourage you to designate a person to support you through the labor process as part of your plan of care. If this designated person becomes overwhelmed with the labor process, the Nursing Staff is there to help or offer the services of a Doula.

  • Intravenous Medication – Pain medication, commonly called opiates, is considered the first option after natural methods for pain relief. Opiates are given in small doses and usually administered during the early stages of labor. Opiates help to lessen the pain. Opiates can help reduce anxiety and improve your ability to cope with painful contractions.

  • Epidural - There are many medications available to women during labor and childbirth. However, some pain relief choices may be unavailable due to your pre-existing medical conditions or the stage of labor. Our anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) can provide you with the most common anesthesia in labor that causes few side effects. This may cause some loss of feeling in the lower areas of your body, yet you remain awake and alert. Medication is provided continuously through the epidural catheter so that you maintain pain relief.

Other Services Available
Cord Blood Banking

Cord blood banking is the process of collecting and storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood stem cells for potential medical use for the treatment of genetic disease, blood disorders and a wide range of cancers. There are a variety of companies that process cord blood for banking. The company you choose will provide you with a cord blood banking kit, make sure you bring this kit with you upon admission to the hospital. We at the Family Birth Center and your obstetrician will collect all items needed for your kit following delivery.

Cesarean Sections

If you have had a previous cesarean section, your obstetrician may determine that you need to schedule another cesarean section or participate in a “trial of labor.” If you are planning a cesarean delivery, your obstetrician's office will call the Family Birthing Center and schedule your first time (primary) or repeat cesarean section. Our scheduling office staff will call you the day prior to your scheduled surgery and provide you with the following instructions:

  • Nothing by mouth after midnight, this includes liquids/water and food.
  • Shower the night before and the morning of your surgery. It is recommended that you use an antibacterial soap such as Dial, but any soap that has antibacterial on the label is acceptable.
  • Arrive to the Family Birthing Center two hours prior to your scheduled cesarean section.
Other Services

We also have a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for infants that need critical care, and a mother-baby unit were new parents can rest and visit with their child after delivery.

Your Satisfaction

We at Kaweah Health Family Birthing Center regard patient satisfaction a high priority. We hope your stay with us will be pleasant and memorable. Your nurse will provide you with a survey on your labor experience. The manager of Labor and Delivery welcomes your feedback on your experience on this unit.

After discharge, you may receive a paper survey asking about your treatment and your care at the Family Birthing Center. Your feedback is appreciated as it helps us to celebrate what we are doing well and on what we can do better.

Thank you for choosing the Kaweah Health Family Birthing Center for the birth of your baby. If you have questions, please call (559) 624-2000.