Maternity Services
Obstetrics
It’s a fact: More babies are born at Good Shepherd than at any other hospital in Northeast Texas.
From the moment the expectant mother steps into the Center for Women’s Health, the patient will be impressed with its air of comfort and security. The purpose of the center is to provide family-centered comprehensive care to the childbearing patients as well as gynecological patients.
The center features eight beautiful labor/delivery/recovery rooms (LDR’s), where the atmosphere is light and serene. Hardwood floors, pleasing color schemes, balconies and large windows promote a relaxed and home-like atmosphere. Each of these rooms is fitted with modern and sophisticated delivery room equipment. The LDR setting allows the expectant woman to progress through each stage – labor, delivery and recovery – without the inconvenience of having to transfer from room to room.
Good Shepherd’s wish is that every baby is born healthy, but when special care is needed, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit is available and equipped to provide the necessary care. Good Shepherd Medical Center is home to the region’s first Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where approximately 250 infants are cared for each year.
Our newly expanded facility has service capabilities that include:
- 31 beds (NICU and NIMC combined)
- High frequency ventilation
- Inhaled nitric oxide
- Surfactant therapy
- Echocardiograms
- Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
- Neonatal transport
The NICU at Good Shepherd cares for babies born as early as 24 weeks gestation. In addition, the NICU cares for full-term babies with special needs. Good Shepherd offers neonatal and high-risk maternal transfer program for expectant mothers whose babies might benefit from care in the NICU when delivered.
Good Shepherd has an Antepartum unit for women with high risk pregnancies. This area is available to extend the pregnancy when needed for preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, hypertension in pregnancy and other high risk conditions. We offer a comfortable environment with skilled nurses to meet these special needs.
The Lactation Center is staffed by internationally certified breastfeeding consultants and registered nurses to work exclusively with breastfeeding mothers. The center also provides lactation books, educational videotapes, electric breast pumps and other necessary breastfeeding materials.
Good Shepherd Medical Center participates in the Texas Ten Step Facility Program. The Texas Hospital Association and the Texas Department of State Health Services together have developed the Texas Ten Step Facility Program in an effort to improve the health of Texas mothers and infants by promoting breastfeeding. The objectives of the Texas Ten Step Facility Program are to encourage facilities to reach the goal of having 75 percent of their mothers breastfeeding at discharge; to help facilities support breastfeeding mothers before, during, and after delivery; and to encourage facilities to identify breastfeeding resources for mothers after they are discharged.
Good Shepherd Medical Center is also a Mother-Friendly Texas business. The Texas Department of State Health Services designates Texas businesses as Mother-Friendly if they voluntarily have a written policy to support employed mothers by doing the following:
- Have flexible work schedules to provide time for expression of milk.
- Provide an accessible location allowing privacy.
- Provide access to a nearby clean and safe water source and a sink for washing hands and rinsing out any breast-pump equipment.
- Provide access to hygienic storage alternatives for the mother to store her breastmilk.
Even after mom and baby are home, Good Shepherd is available to help. If you have questions or concerns about your baby, call Good Shepherd’s 24-hour Toll-Free Baby Line at (800) 315-5399.
Trust your health to the Good Shepherd team, which includes experienced maternity nurses who are all certified in neonatal resuscitation along with physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology.