Every patient deserves the best care that we can give them during their stay at Southwest Health Center's Great Beginnings Birthing Center. Privacy is necessary for some of the physical care we need to provide during your stay, and we need time to review some educational materials with you. Rest is also a necessity while you are here. At times, this means limiting the number of visitors you may have. The nurse in charge of Great Beginnings each shift will be responsible for monitoring visitors.

All visitors must be in good health. Any visitor who has a cold, flu, diarrhea, fever, open draining sores or any infectious disease should not be here! Visitors should be aware that they should not come to visit you after visiting someone else in the hospital who has any of these illnesses.

Fathers, grandparents, and brothers and sisters of the baby may visit you anytime in your room. All other visitors should be encouraged to visit from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. To help ensure that you are able to rest, visitors other than fathers, grandparents, and siblings should visit only two at a time.

Mothers and fathers may be allowed in the nursery under the supervision of the nurse in charge of Great Beginnings. All other visitors may look through the nursery window or see the baby in the mother's room.

For the baby's well-being, family members must wash their hands before holding the baby.

During Labor

At Southwest Health Center, we understand the importance of a support person(s) while you are in labor. However, often—due to the nature of care—it becomes necessary to ask additional support people to leave the room. We encourage you to make arrangements in advance as to who (preferably only one or two people) will be your primary support person(s) and ask that others do not visit until after you have delivered. By limiting visitation during labor, we allow you the freedom to make informed and uninterrupted decisions regarding your care and assist in providing you with a positive childbirth experience.