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Family
Birth Care
There is perhaps
no more special time for a woman and her family than the birth of
a child.
Mercy Iowa
City recognizes how special this time is and offers attentive and
highly skilled maternity care, shaped to the needs of each mother
and family.
Before You Are Expecting
Mercy's very first class offering is for couples who are just considering
starting a family. It's called Preparing for Pregnancy and is offered
twice a year. This one-session class covers pre-pregnancy health
and medical issues, medications, and financial considerations. For
information about the next class, check Mercy's calendar of events
or contact Mercy On Call
by e-mail or by phone
at 358-2767 or 800-358-2767.
Finding A Doctor
Good prenatal care is vital. There are a number of physicians in
Iowa City and southeast Iowa-both family practice doctors and obstetricians-that
provide prenatal care in their offices and deliver babies at Mercy.
If you would like a nurse to help you make an appointment with a
Mercy doctor, call Mercy
On Call at 358-2767 or 800-358-2767, or visit our physician
directory.
During pregnancy, Mercy physicians will be able to provide extensive
information about Mercy's classes and maternity care.
Learning Opportunities
To help moms prepare for pregnancy and children, Mercy offers classes
for every stage:
- Easing through
Pregnancy (for the first and second trimesters)
- Childbirth
Preparation
- Childbirth
Education
- Breastfeeding
and More Support Group
- Breastfeeding
Class
- Pregnancy
& Diabetes Education
- New Brother/New
Sister
- Infant Massage
- Heartsaver
Baby
- Put Safety
First
- Car Seat
Safety
- Parenting
Click
here for information about these classes, or contact Mercy
On Call by e-mail
or by phone at 358-2767 or 800-358-2767.
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Financial Matters
Financial planners are available to answer any questions you may
have about insurance coverage, co-insurance, and payment arrangements.
For qualified
patients, Mercy offers a financial assistance program.
To reach Mercy's
financial planning office, call 339-3616 or toll-free 800-637-2942,
ext. 3616.
In the Hospital
Mercy offers a comfortable and home-like setting for baby's birth,
the safety and comfort of modern medicine and technology, and a
highly skilled, caring nursing staff.
Mercy's nursing
care is very special. Mother and baby are cared for together-as
a new "couple"-by the same team of nurses from admission
through discharge.
Mercy's labor
and delivery area provides Labor/Delivery/Recovery rooms (LDR) as
well as one traditional cesarean delivery room.
When mom and
baby are ready, about two hours after delivery, they move to a room
in the postpartum area. It offers a homelike environment where family
is welcome.
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Security
Your safety and your baby's safety are very important. For this
reason, Mercy has in place a number of security measures, including
video cameras, special staff identification badges, and strict nursery
policies. The maternity nurses will explain these measures after
baby's birth.
Visitors
Visitors are limited in labor and delivery.
In the postpartum
area, children are welcome to visit, but must be supervised by an
adult at all times and be considerate of other patients.
Breastfeeding or Bottle
Feeding?
Whatever you choose for your baby, support and education will be
available. The majority of Mercy moms breastfeed initially, with
support available from lactation consultants and a knowledgeable
staff. If you have questions, please call Mercy's lactation consultants
at 339-3975, or toll-free
800-637-2942, ext. 3975.
A Valuable Reference
All parents receive a gift of a child care book, either Caring
for Your Baby and Young Child - Birth to Age 5 or Caring
for Your Child Ages 5 to 12. These books are written by the
American Academy of Pediatrics and are made possible by the maternity
services fund of the Mercy Hospital Foundation.
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Home Visits
Mercy provides a free home visit from qualified nursing staff after
you return home with your baby. Arrangements for your home visit
will be made after you deliver.
Want A Tour?
Mercy's birth care classes offer tours of the maternity unit.
If you would
like to schedule an individual tour, please call Mercy's maternity
unit directly at
339-3576.
For more
information
National
Women's Health Information Center
March
of Dimes
Bereavement
Support
Healthcare Information brought to you by the Nation's
Medical Societies
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