Sentara CarePlex Hospital – Maternity Services
The Family Maternity Center at Sentara CarePlex Hospital features seven labor & delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) suites which allow each mother and baby, as well as a spouse, partner or family member, to remain in the mother's private room from the onset of labor until time to go home, with everything they need for a safe and comfortable delivery.
Sentara is the only health system on the Peninsula to offer LDRP suites.
The Family Maternity Center is located on the second floor away from the everyday flow of the hospital to provide a peaceful, comforting environment for mother and and family.
The Center features:
- U.S. News & World Report Best Hospital for Maternity Care (2022-23)
- Ample space and sleeping accommodations for spouse, partner or a family member to spend the night
- A nursery so our compassionate staff can take care of your baby while you rest
- Innovative technology in each suite to keep parents and babies safe and comfortable
- Educational classes for families before, during and after pregnancy
- Two triage beds
- A dedicated C-Section operating room
- Accommodations for doulas
Services include labor and delivery care, postpartum care, a newborn nursery, breastfeeding, gynecology and women's health classes.
Pre-registering makes it easy for your to check things off your baby prep to-do list, which helps keep you focused on you and baby, not the paperwork!
If you arrive at the hospital between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., enter through the visitor's entrance. Parking is available in the visitor's parking lot with 3 spaces designated just for you (look for the Stork Sign). Take the elevator to the second floor and proceed down the hall and you will arrive at our registration desk. If you arrive at night, after 8 p.m., or before 5 a.m. and your physician has alerted our team to your arrival, you will enter through the Emergency Department. Someone will assist you and bring you to the Family Maternity Center. Once on the unit, you will register with the front desk and then be sent to a triage area to assess your labor symptoms. If you are admitted to the Family Maternity Center, you will be given a private room that is spacious enough for a support person to stay with you. The team provides a great experience for both vaginal and Cesarean deliveries, and they will explain step by step as you progress through your labor, delivery and post-partum recovery. You and your infant will remain together for the duration of your stay. Visitors are welcome. However, the Family Maternity Center supports Sentara CarePlex Hospital Rest Period for all patients from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Birthing Balls
- Birthing Bars
- Aromatherapy Tags
- Epidural
- Hydrotherapy Tub (not for water birth)
- Intravenous (IV) Paint Management
- Kaya Stool
- Nitrous Oxide
- Peanut Balls
- Shower
- TENS Unit
- Walking Trail, Movement
Our International Boards of Lactation Consultants certified lactation consultants provide one on one care for patients in Labor and Delivery, the Mother Baby Unit and the Sentara Midwifery Specialist Group.
Additionally, for our breastfeeding mothers as they continue through their lactation journey, following discharge they may schedule an outpatient lactation appointment with our lactation consultants. The Outpatient Lactation “clinic” is located within the Family Maternity Center and provides 7-day-a-week lactation support.
Sentara CarePlex Hospital promotes and supports breastfeeding congruent with the American Academy of Pediatrics Policy on Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk and the World Health Organization (WHO)/United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) 10 steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
To request an appointment by phone or to speak to a lactation consultant at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, call 757-736-0278.
Pre-Register
To pre-register, call 757-736-0191.
Prenatal Classes
Education is a key part of your birthing journey, which is why Sentara CarePlex Hospital offers classes that will prepare you for birth, taking care of baby and everything in between. We offer several classes for you and your baby.
Stork’s Nest is a prenatal education program operated by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the March of Dimes and cooperating community agencies. The program provides incentives and encouragement for women to keep prenatal care appointments, a critical factor for helping babies get a healthy start in life.
What good health habits does the Nest promote?
- Beginning prenatal care early, and keeping all scheduled prenatal care appointments
- Eating well, and getting enough exercise and rest
- Avoiding harmful substances or environments
- Watching for signs of preterm labor
- Breastfeeding
- Bringing baby to well-baby exams and completing a full set of immunizations
How to Participate:
Stork’s Nest offer six virtual prenatal lessons on the Storks Nest App. Gift cards are also available to shop maternity/baby items, groceries and even traveling to your prenatal visits. They also offer a virtual celebration honoring participants. Register by emailing covastorksnest@gmail.com.
If you have certain conditions you may qualify for services. Examples include pregnancy and early postpartum recovery up to the first year of baby’s birth. Your family support specialist will work closely with you and your prenatal care provider. If you have to go to the hospital during your pregnancy, our team will contact you afterward, to see how you are doing. Labor support companions who may provide doula support may be available to meet during birth or postpartum as you recover. Your family support specialist can meet with you virtually, attend your prenatal visits, or meet you in your home or at a location that’s convenient for you (restrictions apply). UBB is provided at no cost and participation is voluntary.
Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Support Services from Urban Baby Beginnings include:
- Family Support Specialists
- Birth Doula Support
- Lactation Consultants
- Mental Health Support
- EmPOWERed Childbirth Classes
- Postpartum Wellness
- Virtual & Home Visits
Your Family Support Specialist from Urban Baby Beginnings Can Support You By:
- Going over your prenatal care provider plan for a healthy pregnancy.
- Coordinating your support services (birth doula and lactation support, mental wellness screening, and connections).
- Helping you connect to the services you need, like health insurance, medical care, transportation, food, housing, items for your baby, prenatal labor support, or postpartum support services.
- Referring you to other programs, like childbirth or postpartum education classes, home visiting, breastfeeding, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition programs.
- Sharing evidence-based information during your pregnancy and postpartum period.
- Making follow-up appointments.
- Answering your questions.
Contact Urban Baby Beginnings by calling/texting 833-782-2229 toll-free to reach a coordinator. Or visit www.urbanbabybeginnings.org/home-visiting-services.
Birth in Color RVA provides culturally-centered support to pregnant people, their families and birthing communities to ensure a safe delivery and make better decisions for their children. The Birth in Color, RVA Doula Project is open to pregnant people of any identity; people of color are encouraged to apply for care. The program consists of two prenatal visits, two postpartum visits, phone/text support and a birth attendance by a Birth in Color, RVA Doula. This support may be available to you. To apply, visit www.birthincolorva.org/apply-for-doula-services.
Sentara CarePlex Hospital partners with WelcomeNewborn to provide a complimentary newborn photo session. WelcomeNewborn captures all the first quiet moments of your newborn’s life, including first yawns, little baby fingers and toes – right in your hospital room. Parents, siblings and other loved ones are encouraged to join.
The photographer will stop by your room to schedule your appointment. Your session takes approximately 20 minutes and takes place in the comfort of your room. Several poses will be photographed, and you’ll be able to choose your favorites. Feel free to dress your baby or use a special blanket or keepsake. More information: www.welcomenewborn.com.
Don’t journey through motherhood alone. We understand that your birthing journey does not stop at delivery, so we strive to provide our moms with continued support through our Mom-to-Mom support group. Share your experiences with other moms who have similar and different experiences is enlightening, comforting and healing. For more information: Postpartum Support Virginia – You're not alone. We can help.
A specialist from Smart Beginnings is waiting to talk with you one-on-one about your needs and concerns. When you present to Sentara CarePlex for labor related services, we ask you complete an information sheet that we send to Smart Beginnings. Their team will reach out to you and offer support of services that will help you before and after your pregnancy. For more information: www.smartbeginningsvp.org.
It is our goal to provide you with the best patient and family-centered care possible every day! To improve what we do, we need to hear from you regarding how we are doing, and how we can improve. We have partnered with National Research Corporations (NRC), a survey expert to better understand the patient experience and quality of care issues as seen through the eyes of our patients.
In fulfilling our mission, we strive to create an environment focused on the needs of the patient and their family. You may receive a phone call from NRC (on behalf of Sentara Careplex Hospital) a couple of weeks after discharge, asking about your patient experience. Please honestly answer the survey questions.
We need to hear from you in order to improve how we serve our patients and families while in the hospital.
Unmarried Parents: Make a Positive Choice for Your Child
Unmarried parents can easily establish paternity for their child by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) form at the time of birth or after.
- Both parents will need a valid government issued ID as the form must be notarized.
- In order to be recognized as the child's legal father, the biological father must establish paternity.
- If completed at the hospital as part of birth registration, it's free!
- Give your child the same benefits as children born to married parents.
VPEP's team is here to help with any questions you may have regarding paternity establishment. You can reach us by phone at 804-285-5826 or by logging on to www.vapaternity.com.