Our Services

Since 1995, over 50,000 babies have been born in the Family Birth Center at Medical Center of Central Georgia. When it comes to your special delivery, it is important to us to provide you a team that includes the expertise of obstetricians, nurses, lactation consultants, educators, and other health care professionals. We want to ensure that Mom and baby receive family-centered maternity care they deserve. The Family Birth Center is one of five regional Perinatal Centers in the state of Georgia and should your baby need special care, The Children's Hospital at The Medical Center of Central Georgia has a dedicated Level II & III Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

The Family Birth Center consists of 4 private OB assessment rooms, 12 private Perinatal Rooms for High Risk obstetrics, 10 private Birthing Suites, 26 private Postpartum, 3 operating rooms, and 4 recovery rooms. All rooms are specially designed and equipped with state of the art technology to accommodate through all stages of delivery. Here at the Family Birth Center you will enjoy the following services:

• Spacious Labor & Delivery Suites
• Family-friendly & family-centered environment
• Flexible Birth Plans
• 24 hours a day, 7 days a week onsite Anesthesia
• Highly trained & experienced staff specializing in low & high risk deliveries
• Accomodations for Waterbirths
• Breastfeeding Services
• Infant Security System
• Level II and III Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery

During your stay with us, we want to ensure that you have a comfortable visit in a warm and welcoming environment. The Family Birth Center's room amenities include:

• Private bathroom
• Comfortable sofa that converts to a sleeping space
• Wireless Internet access
• Flatscreen TV with cable
• Phone
• Personalized information is provided for you which includes the names and numbers of your care-team.

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Beginnings Classes
Preparing for your New Arrival through our Beginnings program

The Beginnings program is a comprehensive maternity program which provides educational classes and support services. Beginnings offers a wide variety of educational programs to prepare you and your family for your baby's arrival. Registration is required for all classes. Classes include:

• Prepared Childbirth classes
• Prepared Childbirth Refresher
• Baby Care Basics
• Infant CPR
• Car Seat Safety
• Sibling Classes
• Breastfeeding Classes

For a description & to register for classes click here

For more information on Beginnings classes or to schedule a tour of the Family Birth Center,
call 478-633-BABY.

Babysitting Classes for Teens and Preteens
For more information click here.

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Breast Feeding Services

To register for breastfeeding classes click here.

The Family Birth Center at The Medical Center of Central Georgia has two RNs who are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants on staff to assist breastfeeding mothers. A breastfeeding specialist is available to help our breastfeeding mothers get off to a good start while in the hospital and after discharge.

Prenatal Support
Prenatal breastfeeding classes are offered at no cost for pregnant women and their partners who are interested in breastfeeding their babies. This two hour class covers the benefits of breastfeeding, positions for breastfeeding, getting a good latch, pumping and special challenges.

Inpatient Support
Breastfeeding mothers will receive a visit from our lactation specialist. She will provide you with basic breastfeeding information, answering questions and assistance in getting baby to the breast if needed. Mothers may call Lactation Services directly for help during their hospital stay. All the nurses in the Family Birth Center have received breastfeeding education and can also assist breastfeeding mothers.

Support After Hospitalization
Our Breastfeeding Services offer a Warmline to take your calls or concerns about breastfeeding such as the use of medications while breastfeeding, pumping for return to work, milk supply issues and infant feeding problems. Call the Warmline seven days a week, 9am -6pm at 478-633-2771 or 800-228-2055.

Life Boutique of Central Georgia Home Care Services sells breast pumps and other breastfeeding supplies call for more information at 478 633-6250.

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Central Georgia Fertility

Central Georgia Fertility (CGF) provides Middle Georgia with a full-service fertility center that delivers the best cutting edge medical science in a comfortable and convenient setting, with a staff that truly cares about our patients. Whether you require minimally invasive fertility treatment, stimulated artificial insemination, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or specialized services, such as tubal reversal or endometriosis surgery, CGF is here to serve you. For more information call 478-757-7888 or visit www.centralgeorgiafertility.com.

Meet Our Staff

William J. Butler, MD
Kristina Hawkins, MD
Abdelmoneim I. Younis, DVM, MS, PhD, HCLD (ABB)

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Family Birth Center Tours

We invite and encourage you to schedule your personal tour of the Family Birth Center. Tours are scheduled Monday - Friday from 9am-5pm. Call 478-633-1307.

Please enjoy a free gift compliments of the Family Birth Center for participating in our tour.

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Labor and Delivery

The anticipation of your new baby is an exciting time for you and your family. The Family Birth Center at The Medical Center of Central Georgia wants to provide you the birthing experience that is to be celebrated and remembered. Labor and Delivery nurses and staff are here to guide and assist you during the birthing process. To ensure that you have everything you need during your stay at the Family Birth Center, here is a checklist of the items you will need in preparing for your hospital visit:

Items for Mom

• Nightgown and bathrobe
• Slippers
• Bra and nursing bra
• Breast pads
• Socks
• Underwear
• Hair bands
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, lip balm, lotion, & deodorant
• Comfortable and loose fitting clothing to wear home
• List of contacts to announce birth to friends and family

Items for Baby

• Going home outfit for baby
• Receiving blanket
• Warm clothing to wear home/heavy bunting or blanket (if cold weather)
• Baby socks
• Baby hat
• Baby car seat

A car seat is required by law and should be properly installed in your car before you go to the hospital. Call the Kohl's Kids Safety Zone hotline of The Children's Hospital for more information at 478-633-SAFE or visit the website kohlskidsmacon.org. You can schedule an appointment to have one of our car seat technicians inspect your car seat.

Other Helpful Items for Your Visit

• Hospital admissions papers, click here to pre-register for your hospital visit
• Birthing Plan
• Pediatrician's name and contact information

Other Important Items

• Money for parking
• Camera
• Books or magazine

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Mother-Baby Unit

The Family Birth Center is designed for family-centered care. Offering private rooms, the Family Birth Center Mother-Baby Unit provides postpartum care for new mothers and their babies. We provide the following services

• Nursing care for vaginal or cesarean delivery patients
• Couplet Care or "Rooming In" with baby in Mother's Room
• Lactation services to assist mothers that choose to breastfeed.
• Private obstetricians, physician residents, and nurse practitioners
• A Family Nourishment Center is offered on each unit for patient and family convenience
• Flu and Tdap vaccinations available for Moms
• Hepatitis B vaccine available for infants
• Professional Photography Services with online photo nursery. Great for extended families to view photos of your new arrival. Visit our web nursery.

The Postpartum Staff provides nursing care for Vaginal and Cesarean Section deliveries. Individualized care and education is a focus during the remainder of your stay after you have had your baby. Mothers may keep the baby in the room, but the newborn nursery is available for short term infant care. Moms with complications such as Diabetes, Postpartum Hemorrhage, Hypertension and or pre-existing Medical or Surgical conditions may also be cared for on the Postpartum Units.

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Visiting Guidelines

We welcome and encourage family and friends to visit you during this joyous occasion. We also want to ensure that mom and baby receive proper rest and recovery.

Visitation hours and policies are as follows:

Visitation Hours: 8am-9pm

Infant Security Policy
G7316 Infant Security Patient Education 4-06 (PDF)

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Water Births

Today there are a number of choices for a mother to consider when giving birth. One of those choices is a water birth. The Family Birth Center can accomodate water births per mom's birth plan.

Why Choose Water Birth?
For some, water may help women during childbirth by providing a soothing environment for the mom during labor. Here are some reasons why some women consider water birth as an option:

• Some women find water helps them relax during labor.
• By being relaxed, this may help decrease stress hormones and allow a more functional progression of labor and for some, less pain.
• Some women find that the weightlessness caused by water buoyancy helps with repositioning, comfort and muscle support.
• The buoyant effect of water may lessen muscle tension and promote relaxation.
• When a woman in labor relaxes, breathing becomes easier which may provide optimal oxygenation for both mother and baby.
• Laboring in water may help pelvic floor tissue to relax and may decrease the need for an episiotomy.

At the Family Birth Center of The Medical Center of Central Georgia, birth is a special milestone. We want to offer options to best suite our patients. Contact your doctor for more information about water births and if it is the right decision for you and your family.

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