It’s one of the most anticipated moments in a mother’s life — meeting her baby for the first time. She will count every finger and toe, take in every feature, and finally get to cradle her tiny bundle of joy. She wants it to be perfect. After all, these precious memories will be cherished and recounted for years to come.
The team of obstetricians and women’s health specialists at UF Health North wants it to be perfect, too. This summer, the hospital’s brand new Labor and Delivery Unit opens, adding new life in North Jacksonville.
“We’re here to make memories,” said Jenny VanRavestein, division director of UF Health Women’s Services. “The rooms are spacious and very homelike. Our patients are not sick. They’re coming in to add to their family, and we want to give them a very memorable experience.”
The unit has 12 private suites that serve as the location for labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care. This gives mothers and families one place where they can experience this life-changing event without interruption.
UF Health North is the only medical facility in the area that works with certified nurse midwives who assist with alternative birthing styles. Three of the rooms have hydrotherapy tubs for laboring moms to relax in or use for water births. In addition to midwives, a team of physicians, nurses and anesthesiologists will be available around the clock.
“We are proud to be a major part of UF Health North’s campus expansion,” said Brent Seibel, MD, medical director of UF Health Women’s Specialists – North. “We have formed a new group practice featuring OB-GYNs and certified nurse midwives committed to providing the highest quality of women’s health services.”
The unit’s top priority is always the health and safety of the mothers and their babies. There are two dedicated obstetric operating rooms for planned or emergency cesarean sections. A neonatal transport team is also on staff to take any infant in need of critical care to UF Health Jacksonville’s Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Along with a safe delivery, the staff strives to make the birthing experience as memorable and stress-free as possible. Aromatherapy and a peanut ball, a tool similar to an exercise ball that promotes better positioning, are available in every room. Each suite has a bassinet so the newborn can stay close to mom, and the rooms are spacious enough to accommodate family and friends.
“This new state-of-the-art facility will allow us to provide a superior birthing experience for our patients and their families in this rapidly growing area of Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia,” Seibel said.
The team at the UF Health North Labor and Delivery Unit know your child’s birth is a moment you and your loved ones will always treasure, which is why our facility is the perfect place to start, or add to, your family.
For more information, visit North.UFHealthJax.org/babies.
Featured Faculty
1193
Brent E. Seibel, MD, FACOG
Associate Professor