Planning for Birth
When planning for your birth, knowing what to expect and making decisions about things like pain medication, what your labor and delivery preferences are and your plan for feeding and care in the hospital can be overwhelming. Gaining as much knowledge as you can during your pregnancy can help you make more informed decisions regarding your plan for birth. At East Alabama Health, we offer hospital tours, educational classes and support for new moms-to-be as they navigate pregnancy and motherhood.
Childbirth Classes
Childbirth can seem like an overwhelming and scary experience, especially for first-time parents. Attending a childbirth class is a great way to prepare for your labor and delivery while helping you get more familiar and comfortable with the process. At East Alabama Health, our goal is to provide you with the tools needed to make informed decisions, help you learn to relax and cope during each stage of labor, minimize your fears and encourage you as you prepare for your big day.
Prepared Childbirth Class
This course introduces the physical changes you can expect during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and after the birth of your child. You will learn about hospital procedures, anesthesia, and medications, as well as information about rooming-in with your baby. Comfort measures and basic coping strategies for laboring, pushing, and birth are also introduced. A tour of Labor and Delivery and the Mother/Baby unit is included, and we also encourage mom to bring her partner/support person to class.
Register for Prepared Childbirth Class
Unmedicated Childbirth Class
Lamaze coping strategies are taught by instructors with knowledge and skills in assisting with unmedicated birth. This class is recommended for all mothers planning an unmedicated delivery. However, if this is your first baby, you’ll need to take our Prepared Childbirth Class before the Unmedicated Birth Class. Mothers to be are encouraged to bring her labor support person to class. You will be learning great hands on techniques to assist with support and relaxation.
Birth Navigator Services
Meet your personal guide for your journey to motherhood. When you’re pregnant, there are a lot of special moments to look forward to. But there is also a lot to do between now and the big day. That’s why we are proud to introduce our free birth navigator service, which is designed to help you plan for the next few months.
When you meet with your Birth Navigator, she will assess your personal pregnancy needs, help acquaint you with all our prenatal services, provide information about breastfeeding and other healthy behaviors, discuss labor options and birth preferences, assist in selecting classes/groups based on your needs, and provide a guided facilities tour.
Schedule a Birth Navigator Appointment
High-Risk Pregnancy
While not all pregnancies go as smoothly as planned, our team is dedicated to keeping you and your baby as healthy as possible as you navigate the journey of your high-risk pregnancy. Whether it be your maternal age, medical conditions that existed before pregnancy or medical conditions that develop during pregnancy, our specialists are here to help ensure the best outcome for both mother and baby.
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides 24/7, free, confidential support, resources and referrals to any pregnant and postpartum mothers facing mental health challenges and their loved ones. The service is available via phone and text in English or Spanish.