Preparing for Labor and Delivery at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital
Prior to your delivery at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, please consult the list of suggestions below:
- Please have a responsible and reliable adult accompany you to the hospital and drive you home. Please do not bring children or infants with you to the hospital while you are in labor.
- You may bring the following items to make you more comfortable
- Robe and slippers
- Toiletries
- Medications you are currently taking
- Insurance card
- Camera
- Going home outfit and receiving blanket for infant
- Comfortable outfit for mom’s trip home
- State law requires a federally approved car safety seat for transporting your infant.
Assuring a Safe Birth Experience
Our goal is to assure a safe environment which promotes family-centered care while providing the personal and intimate birth experience you desire. Carilion provides a security system in the hospital which permits access to family and friends, while at the same time providing you and your infant with the privacy and safety you desire.
The Family Waiting Room
There are family waiting areas located on both the labor and delivery and the post partum floors of the hospital. Those waiting for you in the waiting room will want to periodically check on you. Direct phone access to the nursing station and your room is available outside each floor access. Your support person at the bedside can also easily call from your room and share updates with visitors who are waiting.
Sharing the Birthing Experience
To help us with your birthing experience, please begin thinking about who you would like with you during your labor experience. When you are admitted to the hospital to have your baby, the nurse will ask you for the names of persons you wish to have with you during this important time. These support people might be different for you based on the stage of your stay including:
- Labor – This can be a lengthy period. Many women have a support person who stays all the time but may also want others to be able to “visit” periodically.
- Giving birth – Additional hospital personnel and equipment will be needed and typically fewer support people are encouraged in the room at this time.
- Kangaroo care – During the first hour after birth, it is best to take advantage of the infant’s natural alertness to begin the learning process of feeding and bonding. There will also be frequent assessments of you and your baby. As it can be distracting to have numerous family and friends present during the first hour after birth, our mothers are encouraged to keep baby “skin to skin”, with her new infant on her chest, for an hour after delivery. Additional visitors are discouraged during this hour of "kangaroo care". Please make friends and family aware of this practice protocol.
- Couplet care – In keeping with our philosophy to promote healthy family beginnings, the Mother/Infant Unit will utilize a couplet-care model. This evidence based approach cares for the pair as one, providing each mother and baby a single nurse provider every shift.
When it Comes Time to Come to the Hospital
- If you are coming to the hospital in labor or with a pregnancy-related complaint, please enter through the main doors of the hospital and go to the main check in desk. Do not go to the emergency department unless you believe you are experiencing an acute emergency. Note: You should always call your doctor or the office with any pregnancy related concerns (i.e. labor, bleeding, pain or ruptured membranes). The hospital switchboard number is 981-7000. Ask for the physicians to women on call doctor and this doctor will call you back.
- If you are coming to the hospital for a scheduled induction or scheduled cesarean section delivery, enter the front drive of the hospital. Valet parking is available Monday-Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at this front entrance. Enter the South Front entrance and go to the Guest Services desk, where you will be directed to Patient Registration and then escorted to the Labor and Delivery unit (13th floor, South Pavilion).
Directions
From I-81
Take the I-581 exit. You will be heading south on I-581. Take the Elm Avenue exit. Turn right onto Elm Ave. After two blocks, turn left onto Jefferson Street. Continue on Jefferson Street to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
From 220
Take the 419 Franklin Road exit, turning right on Franklin. Proceed to McClanahan Street (which later turns into yellow Mountain Road), turn right and follow to the intersection of Jefferson Street. Turn left on Jefferson. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is on your right.
Health Alerts Impacting Pregnant Women
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
As our patient, your wellbeing is our highest priority. Detailed information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) regarding what impact the Coronavirus and pregnant women can be found on the CDC’s website. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/pregnancy-breastfeeding.html
Safety of Coronavirus Vaccine
- Vaccines currently available under EUA have not been tested in pregnant women. Therefore, there are no safety data specific to use in pregnancy.
- Developmental and Reproductive Toxicology (DART) animal data is forthcoming from Pfizer-BioNtech, though a verbal report of the data did not indicate any safety signals and clinical studies in pregnant individuals are planned.
- A combined developmental and perinatal/postnatal reproductive toxicity (DART) study of Moderna’s mRNA-1273 in rats was submitted to FDA on December 4, 2020. FDA review of this study concluded that mRNA1273 given prior to mating and during gestation periods at dose of 100 µg did not have any adverse effects on female reproduction, fetal/embryonal development, or postnatal developmental except for skeletal variations which are common and typically resolve postnatally without intervention.
- Based on the mechanism of action of these vaccines and the demonstrated safety and efficacy in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, it is expected that the safety and efficacy profile of the vaccine for pregnant individuals would be similar to that observed in non-pregnant individuals.
- Injection site and systemic events (side effects) are common e.g. pain at the site of injection, fever, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, fatigue, and other symptoms may be present after each vaccination, particularly after the second dose of vaccine.
- Acetaminophen is recommended for pregnant women who experience fever or if desired for other side effects
- These side effects are a normal part of the body’s reaction to the vaccine and developing antibodies to protect against COVID-19 illness
- The mRNA vaccines are not live virus vaccines, nor do they use an adjuvant to enhance vaccine efficacy. These vaccines do not enter the nucleus of cells and do not alter human DNA in vaccine recipients. As a result, mRNA vaccines cannot cause any genetic changes.
- All patients who are vaccinated can sign up for CDC’s V-SAFE safety monitoring program.
Listeria
The media routinely alerts its viewers/readers about food recalls involving Listeria. Although the risk of a Listeria infection is low, it can be concerning for women who are pregnant. Listeria (also known as Listeriosis) can cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea. If there was a recent food recall involving Listeria and you consumed the affected food and have the symptoms listed above, please call our office at 804.288.4084. It’s important to remember that infection from Listeria remains extremely low.
For more information on Listeria, visit the CDC website.
Food Safety Recalls
For a list of recent food recalls, visit the FDA website
Drug Recalls
For a list of drug recalls, visit the FDA website
