Sentara CarePlex Hospital - Family Maternity Center

Pre-registering is a great first step to begin your journey with Sentara. This allows you to share important information with providers, including your birth preferences. Once you’ve pre-registered, you can sign in to Sentara MyChart any time of day to:

• Message your provider
• View test results
• View visit summaries
• And more

To pre-register, call 757-736-0191 or pre-register online.

Our Family Maternity Center features:

• 7 LDRP suites: Each suite includes a private bath, refrigerator, extra sleep arrangements and independent temperature controls
• HUGS security system and wireless fetal monitoring systems keep parents and babies safe and comfortable
• A nursery: Our compassionate staff can take care of your baby while you rest
• Two triage beds
• A dedicated C-Section operating room
• Accommodations for doulas
• 4 overflow postpartum rooms

Where to go

If you arrive at the hospital between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., enter through the visitor's entrance. Parking is available in the visitor's parking lot with 3 spaces designated just for you (look for the Stork Sign). Take the elevator to the second floor, proceed down the hall and you will arrive at our registration desk.
If you arrive at night, after 8 p.m. or before 5 a.m. and your physician has alerted our team to your arrival, enter through the Emergency Department. Someone will assist you and bring you to the Family Maternity Center. You will then register with the front desk and be sent to a triage area where we will assess your labor symptoms.

What’s next?

Once you’re admitted to the Family Maternity Center, you’ll be given a private room that is spacious enough for a support person to stay with you. Whether you’re having a vaginal or cesarean delivery, our team will explain step by step what you can expect as you progress through labor, delivery and postpartum recovery. You and your infant will remain together for the duration of your stay.

We offer multiple pain management options for childbirth. We want to empower you to choose the approach that best suits your comfort and unique birth plan.

• Birthing balls and bars
• Aromatherapy tags (materials infused with calming essential oils)
• Epidural
• Hydrotherapy tub (not for water birth)
• Intravenous (IV) analgesic medications
• Kaya (birthing) stool
• Nitrous oxide
• Peanut balls
• Shower
• TENS Unit
• Walking trail, movement

Don’t journey through motherhood alone. We understand your birthing journey doesn’t stop at delivery. Sharing your experiences with other women can be enlightening, comforting and healing.

Visit Postpartum Support Virginia to learn more.

Birth in Color doula project

Birth in Color provides culturally-centered support to pregnant women, their families and birthing communities. The Birth in Color doula project is open to pregnant people of any identity; people of color are encouraged to apply.

The program consists of:

• 2 prenatal visits
• 2 postpartum visits
• Phone and text support
• Birth attendance by a Birth in Color doula

To learn more, visit birthincolor.org.

First Spark

First Spark is a Sentara CarePlex partner connecting expectant mothers to community resources and information. If you are a Family Maternity Center patient, you can complete an information sheet that will be sent to First Spark. One of their resource specialists will then reach out to chat with you one-on-one about your specific needs.

To learn more, visit the First Spark website.

Stork’s Nest prenatal education program

Stork’s Nest is a prenatal education program operated by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, the March of Dimes and cooperating community agencies. The program provides women with incentives and support to attend prenatal appointments to ensure babies get a healthy start in life.

What good health habits does Stork’s Nest promote?

• Begin prenatal care early, and keep all scheduled prenatal care appointments
• Eat well, get enough exercise and rest
• Avoid harmful substances and environments
• Watch for signs of preterm labor
• Breastfeed
• Bring baby to well-baby exams and complete a full set of immunizations

What are the incentives?

• 6 virtual prenatal lessons via the Storks Nest App
• Gift cards to purchase pregnancy and baby items, groceries and even traveling to your prenatal visits
• A virtual celebration honoring participants

Interested? Email covastorksnest@gmail.com to register to learn more.

Urban Baby Beginnings

Urban Baby Beginnings (UBB) is a free program designed to support pregnant individuals and new parents, particularly those in urban communities where access to healthcare and support may be limited. UBB Family Support Specialists can help you by:

• Going over your prenatal care provider plan for a healthy pregnancy
• Coordinating your support services (birth doula, lactation support, mental wellness screening and more)
• Helping you connect to the services you need: health insurance, medical care, transportation, food, housing, items for your baby, prenatal labor support and postpartum support services
• Referring you to other programs, like childbirth or postpartum education classes, home visiting, breastfeeding and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutrition programs
• Sharing evidence-based information during your pregnancy and postpartum period
• Making follow-up appointments
• Answering your questions

To learn more, call or text 833-782-2229 toll-free or visit the urbanbabybeginnings.org.

We partner with WelcomeNewborn to provide free newborn photo sessions. WelcomeNewborn captures the first quiet moments of your newborn’s life, including first yawns and little baby fingers and toes—right in your hospital room. Parents, siblings and other loved ones are encouraged to join.

The photographer will stop by your room to schedule your appointment. Sessions last about 20 minutes. Several poses will be photographed, and you can choose your favorites. Feel free to dress your baby or use a special blanket.

To learn more, visit welcomenewborn.com.

Unmarried parents can easily establish paternity for their child by signing an Acknowledgment of Paternity (AOP) form at the time of birth or after. This gives your child the same benefits as children born to married parents.

A few things to know:

• Both parents will need valid government-issued IDs so the form can be notarized
• The biological father must be able to establish paternity
• If completed at the hospital as part of birth registration, it's free!

VPEP's team is here to help with any questions you may have regarding paternity establishment.

To learn more, call 804-285-5826 or visit vapaternity.com.