Walker Baptist Medical Center Implements Birth Navigator Program
Feb 4, 2020Program offers a tailored, one-to-one experience to prepare for delivery
JASPER, AL (Jan. 15, 2020) - Walker Baptist Medical Center is excited to announce the Birth Navigator Program, the hospital’s newest offering for expectant mothers. The Birth Navigator Program - spearheaded by Lactation Consultant/Women’s Educator, Cathy Bruce, BSN - is designed to act as a personal guide for the journey to motherhood. While there are many special moments to look forward to when expecting, preparing for the arrival of the new addition can be overwhelming, especially for first-time parents. To help provide a balance between the two, Walker Baptist Medical Center introduces the Birth Navigator Program designed to help expectant parents plan for the months leading up to delivery day.
According to Walker Baptist Medical Center’s Director of Women’s Services, Rachael Winston, MSN, “In a world where everything has become so automated, it is refreshing to be able to offer this level of tailored customer service for our expectant mothers. Being pregnant is one of life’s greatest miracles and should be an enjoyable experience, but often competing priorities and societal pressures add undue stress on mother and baby. The Birth Navigator Program goes beyond the traditional prenatal services to offer a more one-to-one approach.”
A number of different Birth Navigator sessions – some of which are available at no cost - include:
- Gift of Motherhood: This session is designed to help expectant parents prepare for childbirth by sharing information on all possible scenarios that can occur during labor and delivery. Interventions are discussed as well as epidural anesthesia and C-section deliveries. A tour of the OB and mother/baby unit is included.
- Natural Birth: Intended for mothers who desire an unmedicated birth, this session will discuss everything there is to know about natural childbirth. Comfort techniques like water labor and Lamaze coping strategies are discussed. A tour of the OB and mother/baby unit is included.
- Breastfeeding 101: This private, one-on-one session introduces expectant mothers to every aspect of the breastfeeding process. Your navigator will teach you how to initiate breastfeeding and explore some of the common concerns associated with breastfeeding. Partners and support persons are encouraged to also learn how to support breastfeeding mothers.
- OB/Hospital Tour: We welcome expectant parents to take a tour of the OB and mother/baby unit at Walker Baptist Medical Center before the big day arrives. We will provide information about the hospital and what you can expect when you give birth at our facility.
According to Walker Baptist Medical Center patient, Kimberly Taylor, who utilized the Birth Navigator services prior to her delivery, “The services offered through this program allowed me to really focus on areas where I had more questions and needed more guidance to feel better prepared for my delivery and in the days and weeks that followed. The one-to-one approach provided a level of attention and confidentiality that was invaluable. Having delivered my child, I know there would be benefits to the program beyond the traditional services that would be advantageous with my next delivery, and I would certainly plan to utilize this customized approach again in the future.”
