At Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women, we believe it is
important for women to have choices and
to be in control of their pregnancy and birth experiences, which is why
we provide family-centered maternity care. Close attention is
paid to personal preferences.
The Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women's Family Birth Center
offers 24 modern labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum suites
specially designed to accommodate women through every phase of the
delivery process. The Family Birth Center, staffed with registered
nurses who are skilled in both high-risk and normal deliveries, also
includes three surgical suites for cesarean section deliveries.
A portable bassinet, equipped with oxygen and warming lights, is
located in each suite. Except when medically necessary, the baby never
has to leave the mother.
Family Birth Center
Encourages The Use Of Birth Plans: Birth plans help a
mother make choices about her care and communicate these choices to her
physician and the Family Birth Center staff long before the day your
baby arrives.
Gives Individualized Labor Support: Activity,
positioning, walking and special techniques, such as the birth ball,
hydrotherapy, aromatherapy and massage, can shorten labor, reduce stress
and decrease the need for pain medication.
Favors Your Decision To Choose Your Method Of Pain Control:
Whether a mother chooses natural childbirth, pain medication or an
epidural, the Family Birth Center supports her decision.
Supports Your Decisions About Breastfeeding: Should
you decide to breastfeed, our nurses are specially trained to enhance
the breastfeeding experience while promoting the healthiest beginning
for each baby.
Allows You To Decide Who Is Present For The Birth: Our
private, spacious labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP)
suites allow a mother to choose who - and how many - will be present at
her baby's birth.
Offers A Baby Lounge Nursery: Each mother can choose
to keep her baby in the room or have the baby brought to the Baby Lounge
Nursery, our well-baby nursery. The length of time is completely up to
the mother.
Prepares Families For The Entire Birth Experience:
From a Prepared Childbirth Class to Breastfeeding Class to Infant CPR,
expectant parents have a variety of classes to choose from, making the
journey to parenthood more rewarding.
Provides The Highest Level Of Care Should Complications Arise:
Physicians who specialize in high-risk pregnancies and premature
babies are on staff, and Memorial's facilities are equipped for
high-risk and cesarean births.
Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum Suites
For the duration of your delivery and hospital stay, your birthing
experience takes place in a spacious, modern, private labor, delivery,
recovery and postpartum suite. The LDRP suite is designed to provide a
nurturing, supportive, and home-like environment for you, your baby, and
your family, yet is equipped to handle your personal and medical needs.
Customized Birth Plan
At the Family Birth Center we want your birth experience to be based on
your choices. To achieve this goal, we have created an outline to
assist you in developing your very own Birth Plan. Please use this guide to define exactly how you want your
birth experience to be.
Once you have completed your Birth Plan, make a copy and bring it to
your next doctor's appointment. You will want to discuss this plan in
detail with your physician so that there are no surprises on your big
day. Once you and your doctor have agreed on all the particulars, have
your doctor sign your Birth Plan and bring it with you when you arrive
at the Family Birth Center for your delivery.
Please note that the Birth Plan you create is not a binding
agreement. You may change your decisions at any time you wish. However, a
well thought-out plan is the best guarantee that the delivery of your
baby will go according to your wishes. With the exception of an
unexpected medical emergency, we will work very hard to ensure that your
plan is followed as closely as possible. Tours of the Family Birth
Center can be scheduled by calling our Childbirth Educator at 480-7243.
Click here
for a hospital tour slide show.
Find us Fast:
Memorial for Women Campus
1900 W. Gauthier Road
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: (337) 480-7030