Behind the Scenes: Labour and Delivery at Cornwall Hospital
2022-08-20
Pregnancy is an exciting and anxiety provoking time for you
and your family; but, be comforted to know that at Cornwall Community Hospital
(CCH), you and your baby are in expert hands.
CCH is home to a fully staffed and modern Labour and
Delivery Unit where expecting mothers can deliver their babies in a
compassionate, safe, modern and supportive setting.
Every year, our Labour and Delivery Unit helps to deliver
nearly 600 babies from across Eastern Ontario.
Located on the sixth floor of the hospital, our recently
redeveloped Labour and Delivery Unit houses spacious, private labour and
delivery rooms, each equipped with whirlpool tubs, padded benches, rocking
chairs and windows providing beautiful sunset and sunrise views over the City
of Cornwall.
State of the art technology has been incorporated throughout,
including recently acquired Panda Warmers, which are utilized in births to warm
the baby as the pediatric teams assess the infant.
The unit is also home to an Early Labor Lounge, which is a
comfortable, alternative space to allow labour to continue as naturally as if
mom were still at home. The Lounge is a more home-like, relaxing space with chairs
and low-lighting, where you can listen to soothing music, watch television, use
birthing balls or peanut balls. This is to help moms keep active and move
around during labour, which can provide comfort, advance labour and help reduce
the need for caesarean delivery.
By delivering a baby in an urban centre such as Cornwall,
moms also benefit from having access to a fully staffed team of healthcare
professionals to ensure the labour and delivery process goes as smoothly and
safely as possible, and that they can receive the best postpartum care and
education before going home.
Nearly 30 nurses work exclusively within our Labour and
Delivery Unit, specially trained and certified through the Neonatal
Resuscitation Program and Fetal Health Surveillance Program.
Moms can also expect 24/7 obstetrician coverage, physician
coverage for newborns, and respiratory therapists on-site at all times who are trained
in neonatal resuscitation in the event there are any breathing complications
with the baby during labour and delivery and up to the age of 28 days.
Although all of the nurses on our Labour and Delivery Unit
receive breastfeeding training, there are certified Lactation Consultants who
specialize with helping new moms with breastfeeding and providing education.
We are also proud to welcome midwives as part of our larger
care team at the hospital. The Gentle Beginnings Midwifery Group hold
privileges at CCH and proudly support many moms who wish to benefit from the
unique care experience offered by midwives but wish to give birth in the safety
of a hospital. The midwives, obstetricians, infant providers and nurses all
work collaboratively to provide the best team-based care possible.
The truth is, kindness and compassion are just as important
as the medical care provided, the equipment used and the policies put in place.
We pride ourselves on offering a culture of kindness, compassion and empathy in
our Labour and Delivery Unit, and across our entire hospital.
On Thursday, August 25, CCH’s Labour and Delivery Unit will be the
recipient of our Hospital Foundation’s 17th Annual Corus Caring Hearts
Radiothon. Thanks to sponsors and donors across the community, the Cornwall
Community Hospital Foundation will raise funds to purchase a new birthing bed,
three new monitors to measure the vitals of mothers and babies, and a new space
for breastfeeding families within the Woman and Children’s Health Unit.
If you’re interested in supporting this initiative, please
visit www.cornwallhospitalfoundation.ca, and
listen to BOOM! 109.1 and 104.5 Fresh Radio from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on August
25th.
For a better look behind the scenes, videos of our Labour and
Delivery Unit are being produced in support of the Radiothon. You can watch
them on the Cornwall Community Hospital Foundation’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cornwallhospitalfoundation.