Labor and delivery

Features and services of our birthing hospital

There are many reasons to choose our family-centered hospital for your childbirth experience. One of the most significant is our availability for rooming-in, when you and your baby stay together and are cared for in the same room.

Other amenities we offer include:

• 24/7 pain management options
• Breastfeeding support from International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants
• Donor breast milk, as medically needed
• Family-centered delivery room with multiple support members allowed
• Mother-baby bonding immediately following delivery and throughout the hospital stay
• Private, family-focused rooms, many with relaxing views
• Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) access (the only one in the region)
  
• Personalized delivery experience and birth plan
• Skilled nursing support for breastfeeding and bonding
• State-of-the-art delivery suites, facilities and advanced technology

High-risk pregnancy care and support

If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you may have a lot of questions, and we are happy to help answer them all. A high-risk pregnancy means you or your baby need this special attention and monitoring to ensure safe and healthy outcomes. Our maternal-fetal medicine doctors — also called perinatologists — assist your doctor and provide recommendations during pregnancy and childbirth. You and our perinatal nurse navigator work with a team of specialists to assist with a range of conditions and situations, such as advanced maternal age, multiple gestations (twins, triplets, etc.), preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Low-intervention and unmedicated births

Our labor and delivery teams will work with you to create a plan that suits your needs and preferences for childbirth, including low-intervention birth. If you would like to have an unmedicated birth, our labor and delivery nurses have specialized training to use a variety of natural pain relief methods. Our delivery rooms include space for your entire support team, and we also offer rooms with labor showers and tubs.

Midwifery support

A midwife is a medical professional who is trained to assist you during labor and childbirth. They can also provide healthcare throughout your life. Our hospital welcomes your midwife to be at your side so you feel supported and cared for. We work together as a team to make your delivery experience safe and seamless.

NICU services

Should your infant be born ill or premature, our NICU nurses and specialists are available 24/7 to provide gentle, essential medical care. We are the only Level III NICU in the region, and provide transport to and from our location from other area hospitals.

Survivor services during childbirth

If you have experienced trauma, you may have special fears and needs during labor and delivery. Our survivor services program can help. We give you the opportunity to meet with a labor and delivery nurse during your pregnancy to discuss your special needs, fears or past birth experiences. By creating a birth plan that addresses your specific needs and concerns, we help you feel in control and involved in the decisions about your care.

During a one- to three-hour meeting in our delivery unit, you will begin with a tour of our labor rooms where your baby will be born. We discuss what happens during typical labor, induction of labor, vaginal birth and cesarean birth. While we cannot erase all of your fears, we can find a way to work through them together to make your birth experience a positive one.

For more information about our survivor services or to make an appointment with a resource nurse, call (828) 213-8473.

Parenting and childbirth classes

We offer a variety of classes for expectant families who are considering delivering at our hospital. Upcoming classes include:

• Breastfeeding basics class — Get breastfeeding off to the best start possible with our breastfeeding class. Designed for expectant mothers, we will go over everything you need to know before your baby arrives. A support person is encouraged to attend the class with you for no additional fee. There is a $20 class fee for this class that is due upon the start of class. The $20 class fee will be waived for any virtual classes.
• Expectant parent orientation class — Whether you have already decided on us as your hospital choice, or if you are still in the decision-making process, our orientation class, taught by Mission Registered Nurses, can help. This class is designed to help you plan for your upcoming delivery. We will cover things like finding your way around the hospital campus, what to expect during your stay and even go over tips for preparing to bring your baby home, your first days with baby and caring for mom after delivery.

You can register for breastfeeding and orientation classes through our events calendar.

Register for labor and delivery

To start the process, you can easily register online by completing the form below.

Postpartum care

We take pride in offering highly skilled lactation support during your postpartum stay at our hospital, which received the Five-Star Breastfeeding-Friendly Designation from the North Carolina Maternity Center. After childbirth, our lactation specialists offer one-on-one assistance, including general guidance on breastfeeding or help with specific issues. After discharge, you can get more breastfeeding support over the phone through our warm line, where you can also schedule outpatient lactation care by calling (828) 213-1103.