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The RAMC Birth Center is staffed by Registered Nurses with over 200 combined years of experience. Our experienced staff believes that events surrounding your pregnancy and birth require both emotionally and physically sound care. Up to date, respectful maternity care is provided at all times.
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Family Practice Physicians, Certified Nurse Midwives and one consulting Obstetrician serve our patients. Our annual birth rate is approximately 280.
We strongly encourage you to participate fully in planning your birth by calling us anytime with questions or concerns. We encourage you to plan a tour, view educational videos while waiting for appointments or lab tests or just inquire about your pregnancy or infant concerns by phone 24 hours a day.
Having a baby is a very personal experience. The Birth Center encourages this individuality by offering a variety of birthing options.
On June 18, 2001, RAMC's new Birth Center opened its doors, welcoming babies in a brand new, beautiful home-like atmosphere. The Birth Center was renovated to allow for the creation of private suites for labor, delivery and post partum care. These suites are substantial in size to allow families to share in all phases of the birthing experience. Over the past seven years this new environment has seen nearly 1,800 births with 2005 being a record-high of 293 deliveries.
Family centered care was recently enhanced by RAMC Foundation support - two queen sized beds will now provide a restful recovery for mother and her family.
Since 2003 RAMC has been one of the only area hospitals to offer water births. Because birth is special, Reedsburg Area Medical Center’s Birth Center believes in the importance of personal birth plans and is pleased to offer the water birthing option to expectant parents!
RAMC has always been progressive when it comes to labor and childbirth. We have three certified registered nurse anesthetists who strive to provide patients effective and safe options for pain relief during labor. Epidurals have been available to laboring women for over ten years.
Whether this type of pain relief is needed or if a non-medicated, low-intervention birthing experience is preferred the Birth Center staff is flexible to respond to a patient's desires and changing needs.
Birth Center nurses have been trained to give doula support. The most important role of the doula is to provide physical, emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth. There is strong evidence that birth outcomes are improved by the presence of a knowledgeable and caring support person during labor.
THE BABY’S BIRTH
Check with your physician or midwife ahead of time as to when you are to come to the hospital. Labor pain is normal and natural. Today there are several options for labor pain management in addition to prepared childbirth techniques. Learn as much about these options as possible before your labor.
Your baby will be born in a labor & delivery suite. Under normal circumstances you will be able to hold and breastfeed your baby immediately after the birth! While lots of attention is being directed towards your new baby, the nurse will be monitoring you closely after your delivery.
You can expect numerous and frequent checks of your blood pressure and the nurse will feel your uterus and look at the amount of vaginal bleeding (lochia). Once you and your baby are stable, the staff will help you get settled in your room.
We recognize that this is a very special time as you begin to get to know your new baby. Most newborns are very awake and alert for the first hour after birth making it an ideal time to start breastfeeding!
The Birth Center staff will be checking your baby’s temperature, heart rate and respirations every hour for the first several hours of life. Your baby will also be footprinted, given an eye ointment and an injection of Vitamin K (to help with clotting).
POSTPARTUM (After you have your baby)
Your nurse will assess your physical well-being frequently after the birth of your baby and then periodically until you go home. She will also assess your emotional well-being and will provide you with encouragement and support. Please share any emotional or physical concerns with your nurse. There are a lot of hormone changes taking place even now.
There will be a teaching folder and a teaching checklist that you will be given to fill out. It is the Birth Center staff’s job to ensure that you have the knowledge and confidence to care for your new baby before you go home. There are several videos that you will find helpful. You will also be responsible for filling out part of your baby’s birth certificate. It helps to know mom and dad’s social security number.
To help with your breastfeeding experience, there will be a breast-feeding log kept by you each day. This will help keep track of when you feed the baby and how many wet/soiled diapers your baby has in a day.
We know this is a time of excitement for you and your family. You no doubt will have many visitors coming to see you and your new baby. Remember to take some time out during the day for a nap. Talk to your nurse about this.
PHONE CALLS
The RAMC Birth Center staff is not allowed to give out information about you to inquiring relatives, friends, or strangers. It would help us if you explained these limitations to those people who care about you. However, we can transfer calls into your room.
BEFORE YOU GO HOME
• You will have to complete:
Your infant and postpartum teaching
Your birth certificate
Watching any videos you choose
• You will also need to have a car seat! Don’t forget!
• Try to arrange help with the cooking and housework, or just to have someone to help with the new baby or the older children.
PHONE NUMBERS AND RESOURCES
REEDSBURG AREA MEDICAL CENTER 608-524-6487
Birth Center 768-6251 (direct)
Urgent Care 608-524-6487, ext. 1100
Hours: Monday – Friday 3:00pm – 9:00 pm, Saturday 10:00am – 6:00 pm, Holidays - Hours Vary
Emergency Room 608-524-6487, ext. 1100 — Open 24 Hours A Day, 7 Days A Week
REEDSBURG PHYSICIANS GROUP
Monday - Thursday 9:00am – 7:00pm, Fridays 9:00am – 5:00pm, Saturdays 9:00am – 12:00
Phone: 608-524-6477
Appointments 608-524-8611
OTHER RESOURCES
Mayo Clinic Complete Guide of Pregnancy & Baby’s First Year, Morrow
What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Eisenberg Murkoff & Hathaw
The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth, Kitzinger
Pregnancy Day by Day, Kitzijger
ACOG Guide to Planning for Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The Birth Partner, Simkin, Penny
A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, Korte, Diana and Roberta Scaer
Gentle Birth Choices, Harper, Barbara
Eating for Two, Hess, Mary Abbott and Anne Elise Hunt
The Compete Book of Breastfeeding, Eiger, Marvin and Sally Olds
The Nursing Mother’s Companion, Huggins, Kathleen
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, LaLeche League
Nursing Mother, Working Mother, Pryor, Gale
Nursing Your Baby, Pryor, Karen
Mothering the New Mother - Your Postpartum Resource Companion, Placksin, Sally