Birthing Center FAQ

Yes. We have recently added an in-person Breastfeeding: A Great Start class, a Childbirth Class along with our online Emmi prenatal educational self-learning classes you can do from home.

We have seven spacious birthing rooms—all of them are private. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll move into a mother/baby suite. Eleven of these suites are private and five are semi-private. Here, you’ll be allowed to spend as much time bonding with your baby and also resting. After all, once you’re home, you’ll be on-duty full time.

In our Birthing Center, you may have up to four visitors age 12 and older with you during labor and delivery. Visitors may be asked to step out at any time if needed for your care, safety, or privacy. For safety and confidentiality, visitors may not wait in the hallway outside birthing rooms; a waiting area is available.

Doulas are welcome and may accompany you during labor, delivery, postpartum recovery, and cesarean births with provider approval (unless restricted for medical or safety reasons). Doulas do not count toward visitor limits.

After delivery, on the Mother/Baby Unit, your spouse, significant other, or designated support person may stay with you 24 hours a day, and one support person may stay overnight. You may also have up to four visitors at a time, provided they are not experiencing symptoms of illness.

If your baby is admitted to the Special Care Nursery (SCN), visitors may include parents, grandparents, siblings, a significant other, or another adult accompanied by a parent. Up to two visitors may be at the bedside at one time, and all visitors must complete hand hygiene requirements before entering.

Visiting exceptions may be approved by your care team when appropriate and in the best interest of patient safety.

We do. If you choose to have one, your physician’s office will show you a video explaining the process. We take anesthesia safety very seriously and we want you to be informed.

SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale was the first hospital outside of Chicago to be designated as a Level IIE Special Care Nursery, which means we can take care of babies as early as 30 weeks gestation. The nursery is staffed by three full-time board-certified neonatologists, a neonatal nurse practitioner and a team of compassionate nurses to help you through what can be a trying time.

You’ll receive a SIH Birthing Center binder of information when you first visit your physician. This includes a registration form. Simply fill it out and bring it to SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale registration sometime around your sixth month of pregnancy.

The SIH Birthing Center strongly encourages breastfeeding exclusively. Breastfeeding helps your baby’s transition to the outside world and reinforces the bond between the two of you. The first hour after your baby is born is commonly known as the Golden Hour. It’s the very first time Mommy, Daddy, and Baby spend together as a family.

Upon delivery, your baby will immediately be placed on your chest for skin-to-skin contact. This contact will help with the baby’s body temperature, hearth rhythm and breathing. It’s also a wonderful time for bonding and introductions.

We want you, as much as possible, to have quiet and peaceful moments to bond with your new baby. After this time alone, we welcome you to invite family and friends to meet your beautiful, new bundle of joy!

Lactation Specialists are available to help your experience. Choosing to breastfeed can be one of the most important decisions you make to protect your baby’s health and well-being. If you are unable or choose not to breastfeed, though, our staff can discuss other options for feeing with you.

A car seat is something you’ll need to have in order to take the baby home. It’s required by law. Unfortunately, we don’t provide car seats.