Big Changes to New Beginnings [Julia & Amanda]

Brookings Health System has expanded the New Beginnings Birth Center to offer more space, enhanced comfort, and improved services for moms and babies. In this video, Julia Yoder and OB nurse Amanda showcase the upgrades to labor, delivery, and postpartum care, including new delivery suites, private amenities, and support programs designed to enhance the birth experience.

  • Expanded birthing suites: The OB unit now has five labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum rooms, up from three, accommodating more patients at once.
  • Private and comfortable amenities: Each room includes a private bathroom, whirlpool, shower, cordless fetal monitors, and Bose speakers.
  • New OB features: Private elevator for discreet patient movement, a family entertainment room for siblings, and a dedicated postpartum assessment room.
  • Enhanced breastfeeding support: The New Beginnings Baby Café is now located on the OB unit, held Tuesdays and Thursdays, providing easier access for mothers and babies.
  • Continued programs: Baby-friendly policies, volunteer doula support, and personalized birth plan accommodations remain central to patient care.

Frequently Asked Questions

The OB expansion at New Beginnings Birth Center includes additional labor and delivery rooms, upgraded amenities, and dedicated spaces for postpartum assessment and family support. It aims to improve patient comfort, safety, and access to services.

There are five labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum rooms in the new OB unit, increased from three in the previous unit. Each room is fully equipped to support patients throughout their entire delivery and postpartum stay.

Each birthing suite includes:

  • Private bathroom with whirlpool and shower
  • Cordless fetal monitors
  • Bose speaker for a personalized environment
  • Space to accommodate family and visitors comfortably

The New Beginnings Baby Café is now held directly on the OB unit, allowing mothers and babies easier access. It meets two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) to provide guidance, assistance, and community support for breastfeeding families.

Baby-friendly policies, volunteer doula support, and individualized birth plan accommodations continue. These programs ensure moms receive personalized, safe, and supportive care throughout labor, delivery, and postpartum.

Video Transcript

Julia: Welcome to New Beginnings Birth Center at Brookings Hospital. I'm Julia Yoder. One of the areas in our new expansion is OB. Joining me today is one of our OB nurses, Amanda. Amanda, we're standing in one of the new deliverys suites. What can you tell me about them?
 
Amanda: This is one of our labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms, which is fully equipped to take care of the patient before, during, and after delivery. Each room has a private bathroom, with a whirlpool and a shower. Each room also has cordless fetal monitors as well as a Bose speaker.
 
Julia: So the number of birthing suites has increased with the hospital expansion.
 
Amanda: Yes, we currently have five labor, delivery and recovery rooms. In the old unit, we had three, so we're able to accommodate more delivering patients at a time.
 
Julia: What other changes are in the OB unit?
 
Amanda: We have a private elevator that we can discreetly bring our patients up for admit and down for discharge, as well as a family room that is centered on entertainment for siblings. We also have a dedicated postpartum assessment room where we can evaluate our moms and babies when they come back two days after discharge.
 
Julia: You've made changes to New Beginnings Baby Cafe, the breast feeding support group as well. Can you tell me about those?
 
Amanda: Yes. It is now held on the OB unit. That way, our moms and babies that are here in the unit can meet with other mothers and babies in the community, and get breast feeding assistance. It is now two days a week on Tuesday and Thursdays.
 
Julia: What stayed the same from the old unit?
 
Amanda: We are still baby-friendly, meaning that we have adopted policies and procedures so that we can encourage moms to breast feed their babies. We also still have a volunteer doula program where they can help parents through laboring, delivery, and the postpartum period. We still listen to our moms and their birth plans so that they can the birth experience that they want.
 
Julia: What's been the response from parents since the move-in?
 
Amanda: They really like the spacious rooms so that they can accommodate their visitors and family, not having to move to a different room in the recovery period. Our patients also think that it's a very homey atmosphere to stay in.
 
Julia: If you would like to learn more about OB services at Brookings Health System, please visit us online at brookingshealth.org/OB. Or to have your own personal tour of New Beginnings Birth Center, please call us at 605-696-9000.

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