Pregnancy, labor, and delivery can be scary and laced with uncertainty for new parents-to-be.
“Here at Sanford Women’s, we want people to be educated about what their options are throughout pregnancy and beyond into parenthood,” said Sonya LaMont, pregnancy navigator with Sanford Health in Sioux Falls.
LaMont says parents often have questions about when to make appointments, the difference between delivery providers, what to pack, labor options, and more.
Sanford offers Virtual B4 Baby as a free service to familiarize parents with the ins and outs of the Sanford birthing experience and facilities, calming nerves and answering frequently asked questions.
She recommends all new patients to try the event and glean information on what to expect from The Birth Place at Sanford USD Medical Center.
“This gives future parents the ability to take a look inside what Sanford Women’s has to offer throughout their pregnancy, labor and delivery, and resources into parenthood,” said LaMont. “We want you to feel confident and prepared when you come in for your special day.”
The pre-recorded experience is online, making it convenient for any schedule, and shows the many options available for pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
“As virtual offerings became more well-known and a new ‘norm’—we’ve seen great engagement from our patients and those that are thinking about starting a family,” said LaMont.
Other On-Demand Learning
+ Emotional Wellness
This online course is for women to learn about how to manage stress and use natural ways to improve emotional wellbeing.
+ Understanding Birth
This online course covers pregnancy, labor, cesarean birth, comfort techniques, postpartum, and more.
She adds that viewers will get to navigate through a 360-degree tour beginning in the Mom2Be Center. Here, mothers and their support systems can prepare through group or one-on-one childbirth classes.
As the tour continues, viewers find themselves in the maternal assessment area, where patients undergo labor evaluations and discuss scheduled cesarean sections.
“The tour proceeds through our unit, giving them the option to view one of our labor suites and our low-intervention and waterbirth suites,” said LaMont. “On our postpartum unit, they will journey into a family suite as well as into our secure Newborn Nursery.”
Viewers can click on informational buttons to learn more details about different aspects of each location within The Birth Place.
“As we talk through their birth wishes and different options they have, some people do not know that they have options and amenities during their labor, delivery, and postpartum period.” -Pregnancy navigator Sonya LaMont
Suites include space for family and supporters, entertainment through TV, a communication board, and more. Some rooms have accommodations for a safe and comfortable waterbirth with a large tub.
Built into the program, viewers can find informational videos from professionals involved with different facets of the pregnancy and birth process.
Viewers can check out the waiting areas, where families will sit tight during labor and after.
“The videos include interviews with an obstetrician-gynecologist, perinatologist, pediatrician, pregnancy navigator, and financial representative,” said LaMont.
Sanford also offers an outlet for parents-to-be to continue to get their questions answered following B4 Baby.
The Takeaways
Learn about nutrition and fitness during pregnancy.
Receive information about provider options and expenses.
Take a 360-degree tour of The Birth Place.
“After they view the event, they have contact information for if they have questions or can ask for a pregnancy navigator to contact them to know more about what Sanford Women’s has to offer for their special day,” she said.
LaMont adds that the information offered with B4 Baby includes how many appointments to expect, classes to help through all stages such as breastfeeding and infant education, and even what the aftercare options look like.
“We work closely with the childbirth educators and hospital staff on the most up-to-date information for labor and delivery,” she added. “We also work closely with Sanford Children’s CHILD Services to get moms and their support people off to a great start with baby but also letting them know Sanford is here to support them through parenthood.”
