Maternity Services at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center

There are many things to consider when having a baby. Sentara is here to help provide you with all of the necessary resources, information and guidance you need.

Personalized Guidance

Our Women's Health Center features access to a Women's Health Nurse Navigator to help guide you through your pregnancy and the birth of your precious little one. Our navigator is a registered nurse who specializes in obstetrics. Moms-to-be can opt for two personal meetings with our navigator during their pregnancy – one around 16-20 weeks and the other around 32-36 weeks. Schedule your first meeting or simply call 703-523-2355 with questions. We're here for you!

Patient Guide

It's almost time. Your new baby will be arriving soon! We know you want to be as prepared as possible, and we want that for you as well. Below are some details to guide you on what to expect when the big day comes.

For general information and resources to guide you throughout your pregnancy, visit the main Patient Guide.

For Spanish, see our Entendiendo El Embarazo.

What to Bring

Whether or not this is your first baby, all expectant moms are waiting for just the right time to come to the hospital. Your obstetrician or midwife will give you guidelines for your arrival at the hospital.

You may also find it helpful to review our main During Your Hospital Stay, so you know what to expect when you and your baby are in our care.

When you arrive at the hospital, you'll only need a few simple items for labor and delivery:

• Current insurance card/information
• Photo identification (driver's license, passport, etc.)
• Birth plan, if desired
• Other labor support aids (birthing ball, music, focal point aids, etc.), if desired

For your hospital stay, you need to bring only the basics, listed below. We recommend leaving these things in your car until you are transferred to postpartum to keep your delivery room clear and help keep track of your belongings. Your significant other, family member or friend can get these items for you when you are ready for them.

• Car seat - The seat or base (depending on style) should already be installed in the family car for the baby's first trip home
• Two outfits for your baby – one for pictures and going home; one as a back-up outfit
• Loungewear or pajamas
• Undergarments
• Socks or slippers
• A comfortable support bra or a nursing bra
• Clothing to wear home
• Cell phone and charger
• Camera and charger
• List of family members and friends to call or text
• Personal hygiene items (toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, lip balm, etc.), as desired. Some of theseitems are provided for you.
• Blanket or car seat cover for baby if it is cold outside
• Clothes for your support person
• Check/money order for $12 payable to State Health Department for a copy of the birth certificate
• Breast pumps are available at the hospital if you do not have your personal pump

We will provide sanitary supplies for you and diapers and wipes for your baby to last throughout your stay. We do not provide cloth diapers. Meals are provided for the patient during her stay; however, many people like to bring extra items such as favorite snacks, music, and other items that aid relaxation. A small cooler can be brought in for storage of personal food items as there is nowhere to refrigerate those items on the unit. A gourmet snack bag is provided as a gift for you after delivery. Nourishment centers are available in Labor & Delivery and Postpartum units for visitors.

Please enter our campus at Potomac Center Boulevard and use the Main Entrance. You may choose to valet park your car (7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.) or park in any of the visitor’s lots. There are specially provided parking spots for expectant mothers close to the main entrance.

If you arrive after 9 p.m. or if you are in pain or experiencing ANY kind of medical emergency, please use the Emergency Department entrance.

All of our parking is free.

Maternity and neonatology services are located on the first floor.

Be sure to review the folder of information you receive in the room. There is a Mommy sleeping/Baby sleeping door hanger for you to use. By using this door hanger, our staff will know to come back later, as able, or to be quiet when entering the room. While physician rounds, vital checks and medication administration may need to happen at specific times, some visits by hospital staff can wait.

For general information on rooming in, nursery security, doulas, photographs and more, visit the main Patient Guide.

Some specific hospital details are below.

Breastfeeding

Many mothers at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center breastfeed their babies. Certified Lactation Consultants are available to new mothers every day. If you have questions or need to book a private consult appointment, call our Lactation office at 703-523-0684. Our lactation consultant will call you back as soon as possible.

Learn more about breastfeeding.

Visitors

We altered our policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please check COVID-19 Visitation Policy for updates to our general policies noted below.

We recognize that having a baby is a very important event in your life, and we want you to be able to share your joy with family and friends. We strongly encourage a support person to remain with the mother at all times to provide comfort and assistance. A recliner chair/sofa is available in every room for your support person. Ask your nurse for assistance if needed.

Keep in mind that your stay with us is relatively short, and you will want time to rest and recover from the birth experience. You will also need time to bond with your new baby and spend time learning to feed and care for your infant. If you have older children at home, your stay in the hospital offers you a chance to get to know your newest baby and rest before going home. You may wish to ask that only your closest family and friends visit you in the hospital, and that co-workers and other visitors wait until you are home to visit.

Guidelines for Visitors

1. For their own safety, children under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a supervising adult, other than the patient, at all times and may not stay overnight.
2. Only one celebratory gourmet meal is provided for your significant other during your hospital stay. For all other meals, visitors can purchase meals in the Garden Café or the Outtakes coffee kiosk.
3. Overnight visitors must wear pajamas (or equivalent) during sleeping hours and must be dressed during the daytime hours - including shirt, pants and shoes. Night nurses will be making rounds in the rooms during the night.
4. Overnight visitors should remain in the room from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. to protect other patients' privacy.

Celebrating Mom and Baby

A celebratory gourmet meal is provided for mom and a guest after baby arrives. In addition, you will enjoy other special celebratory amenities/snacks. We hope you enjoy!

Having a baby is an exciting and challenging time for new moms. Along with the joy and happiness a baby brings, there can also be a lot of questions and uncertainty.

On the day you are discharged, you will receive information about caring for your baby and yourself.

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center also offers two support groups for new moms:

• Breastfeeding Support Group
• Postpartum Support Group

The birth of a baby is an amazing event, yet one that also places significant demands on the body (and emotions) of mom and baby. In some cases, your newest little family member may greet the world early, undergo a difficult delivery, or be born with an illness.

Fortunately, our level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is equipped to provide these precious little ones with the advanced care they need.

Your baby is our priority in the NICU, but we also understand the importance of your physical and emotional health to your baby’s recovery. We know that the sight and sounds of a NICU can be overwhelming. Remember, we’re with you each step of the way.

Our NICU is directed by board-certified neonatologists with neonatal nurse practitioners from the Children’s National Division of Neonatology. This collaboration offers our families access to nationally-ranked neonatal care experts closer to home. Our multidisciplinary, neonatal care team also includes nurses specializing in neonatal care, as well as respiratory, physical and speech therapists to provide your baby the love and medical care he or she needs.

Learn more about our neonatal care team.

Pregnancy and motherhood bring many changes, and mothers often put aside their own health as they care for the ones they love. Remember, it’s important to take care of yourself!

In addition to breastfeeding and postpartum support, we have a specially-trained physical therapist to help our new moms learn how to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. We encourage all women to learn pelvic floor strengthening exercises (Kegel's) to help them throughout motherhood and their lifetime.

If you experience a 3rd or 4th degree laceration or episiotomy, our physical therapist will meet with you for an informational session on pelvic floor muscle exercises (at no additional cost) during your hospital stay. Additional pelvic floor outpatient therapy can be provided if necessary at the Sentara Therapy Center—Reid’s Prospect.

Pre-registering makes it easy for you to check things off your baby prep to-do list, which helps keep you focused on you and baby, not the paperwork!

Learn more about Pre-Registering

(Spanish form available here)

For general tips for each phase of your pregnancy in Spanish, please see our Entendiendo El Embarazo.

If you pre-register, please bring your completed pre-admission form (Spanish form available here) with you.