New Birthing Center To Open In Douglas County In Early 2019

DOUGLASVILLE, GA – WellStar Douglas Hospital is expecting. WellStar Health System Thursday announced the hospital will begin construction this month on the WellStar Douglas Birthing Center, a new 16,850-square foot facility, which will include a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The center is scheduled to open in early 2019.

“The Birthing Center will allow our hospital to be better equipped to meet the growing demands of expectant mothers in Douglas County and surrounding areas,” said Craig Owens, WellStar senior vice president and president of WellStar Douglas Hospital. “The latest equipment and technology will allow our staff to provide comprehensive, personalized care and the best birth experience possible. We’re excited to write this new chapter in our hospital’s history and provide a state-of-the-art birthing center to serve our patients, staff and community.”

The WellStar Douglas Birthing Center will include 10 labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDPR) suites, allowing mothers and babies to remain in the same room during their stay. All suites will be equipped with Bluetooth capability and feature bedside recovery for mothers and babies to bond in the initial hours after birth. The rooms are appointed with a full bathroom, a convertible sleeper bed with side table conversion for family dining, multiple USB outlets to keep electronic devices charged, and free WIFI to keep families connected throughout their stay.

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The facility will also include two triage rooms, a C-Section suite and cutting-edge technology and equipment, including special basinets and infant warmers for low birthweight babies. Hydrotherapy showers will also provide comfort for patients in labor. The center, located on the hospital’s second floor, will connect to the hospital’s main entrance.

Additionally, WellStar Douglas Birthing Center will house a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and well-baby nursery. Private nursery suites will offer mothers an opportunity to stay with their newborns after discharge, enhancing family bonding time. The suites will accommodate multiple newborns, including triplets. Mothers and babies in high-risk and routine pregnancies will have access to maternal-fetal medicine specialists, neontologists, neonatal nurse practitioners and lactation consultants.

“Recognizing the stress of pregnancy, it was important to design a facility and environment to provide mothers and families peace of mind,” said Dr. Kevin Ward, obstetrics and gynecology specialist (OBGYN) at WellStar North Douglas OB/GYN. “Having a Level II nursery is one of the many advantages this new birthing center will offer our patients.”

WellStar Douglas Hospital currently delivers approximately 40 babies per month. That number is expected to double with the additional space.

This project represents one of the most significant facility enhancements since WellStar Douglas opened its first birthing center in 1976. At that time, it was believed to be one of the first hospitals in the nation to offer a then-innovative model in which newborns roomed with their mothers, rather than spending time in the nursery. Like its predecessor, the new birthing center is designed to increase the bonding experience between mothers and newborns.

For more information, visit www.wellstar.org/locations/pages/wellstar-douglas-hospital.aspx

Photos and graphics courtesy WellStar Douglas Hospital