The birth of a child is a unique experience. In a warm and peaceful setting, the Family Birthing Centre (FBC) team provides high-quality family-centred care and support during pregnancy through delivery and up to 2 weeks postpartum.
Our team will be pleased to assist your family during this memorable event. Every year, we welcome over 450 families and their newborns at HGH Family Birthing Centre.
Features of the Family Birthing Centre
- 5 appointed rooms equipped for labour, delivery and post-partum
- 3 standard patient rooms
- Spacious rooms with private bathrooms
- Therapeutic baths and showers to help with pain management
- Overnight accommodations for father or other support person
- Secure environment with an electronic infant protection system
Our team follows guidelines and standards of practice through the More Ob Program, Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the Champlain Maternal Newborn Regional Program.
How to access our services?
- We accept women for pregnancy follow-up. Ask your family doctor for a referral to the HGH Family Birthing Centre Antenatal Clinic.
- If you do not have a family physician, you may call the Obs Clinic at 613-632-1111, extension 52003 for an appointment.
Important COVID-19 Information
Due to the COVID-19 situation, we have made changes to our regular processes. Please review the following information to help you prepare for the birth of your baby. We are here to provide expert and loving care to keep everyone safe.
What to expect when you arrive at HGH to give birth?
1 – At the hospital entrance, we will verbally screen you for symptoms and exposure to COVID-19.
- You will have to wear a mask and wash your hands.
- Your support person will not be permitted to accompany you until you are admitted to the hospital.
2 – At the entrance of the Family Birthing Centre, a nurse will perform a second and more detailed screening.
- In the triage room, we will assess your condition to determine the stage of labour. If you are in early labour, we may ask you to go home until you are further along. This is normal practice.
- If you are progressing in active labour, we will admit you to the hospital. This is when we will call your support person to join you.
- Your support person will also be screened at the hospital entrance. If the screening result is satisfactory, they will be directed to your room.
About your support person
Your support person cannot accompany you to pregnancy follow-up appointments and ultrasound exams.
Only one support person will be allowed during labour and throughout your hospital stay.
Your support person must:
- Be healthy and able to pass the screening questionnaire with satisfactory results.
- Wear a mask – their own or we will provide one.
- Wash their hands.
- Restrict as much as possible their movement within the unit and outside the hospital.
What to bring
- Please ensure that you bring everything you and your support person will need for the duration of your stay. Remember to bring your car seat with you when you come to the Family Birthing Center. Please check the detailed list of items to bring in the section below.
- Bring a cooler with enough snacks and drinks, as you will not be able to leave the room. Every room is equipped with a small refrigerator where you can keep food items refrigerated.
- The hospital will provide drinking water and meals at mealtimes for the support person.
Visitors and children
Visitors, including your own children, are not allowed.
Special procedures
Caesarean Birth – To protect your newborn’s health and your own, strict protocols have been developed for operating rooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support person will be permitted to enter the operating room only if security measures can be respected.
Induction of Labour – Patients who are having an induction will be allowed to have their support person join them when they have been admitted to hospital.
While we continue to recognize the importance of parents’ presence following the birth of a baby, we need to face the very real concern of COVID-19 infection being passed on to our fragile patients and their health care professionals. Precautions prior to handling baby will be recommended for parents to decrease possible transmission to baby.
Thank you for your patience and collaboration as we navigate through these challenging times.