Perinatal Care

Norman Regional takes a family-centered approach to labor and delivery, designing our services to allow you to bond with your baby from birth through discharge. We also offer board-certified lactation consultants and a Level III NICU.

Considering giving birth at the Norman Regional Hospital, formerly known as HealthPlex? We would love to be a part of your growing family! Watch the video below to virtually tour our Labor and Delivery and Women's and Children's units. Click here to read about some of the benefits of delivering at the Norman Regional Hospital and sign up for a special new mom goody bag from our family to yours! We're not offering in-person tours at this time.

Treating Your Growing Family Like Our Own

Norman Regional’s team of experts is ready to care for you as you welcome your new addition into the world, with board-certified physicians, registered nurses, lactation consultants and many others. Our exceptional clinical care team works with families to ensure every experience is tailored to their specific needs and desires while ensuring safety every step of the way. We offer a variety of labor-management options that are dependent on the level of labor support desired. If you’re not sure what you want or what to ask for; check out our patient preference menu for a few suggestions. Remember; it’s important to discuss these with your OB provider.

Personalized Care with your "Team Birth" providers
Mobile monitoring to facilitate freedom of movement
Spacious in-room showers
Birthing balls – Peanut balls
Pain management options

Newborn Transition Team

Prior to delivery you will meet a member of our Newborn Transition Team. This is a specialized team of RN’s who attend every delivery 35 weeks gestation and above. They are highly skilled in newborn care, resuscitation and transition. Their focus is support of your baby from the moment they deliver and take their very first breath, on through transition. They will help you initiate skin-to-skin as quickly as possible following delivery (if desired) and provide continued monitoring of your baby, ensuring safe transition to life outside the womb.

These medications are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and will be given to your newborn shortly after birth:

Erythromycin – eye ointment to help protect from eye infections that can be acquired during or after delivery
Vitamin K – a shot in the thigh to help protect from potentially life threatening bleeding in newborns
Hepatitis B vaccine – a shot to help protect newborns from Hepatitis B, when given at birth is most effective.

After your baby moves from transition to routine care (usually 2-3 hours after delivery) your family and care will move upstairs to our lovely Women’s and Children’s area. This is where you will enjoy the rest of your stay until you and your family are ready for discharge home.

Preregister for your delivery. Type “Obstetrics Admission” in the "Procedure" box.

When do I call my doctor?

If you have a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If you are pregnant and think your water is broken or you are in labor, you do not need to call the answering service. If your labor was not already scheduled for today, please go directly to Norman Regional Hospital’s Emergency Department entrance located at the east side of the hospital. From there you will be seen in the Obstetrical Emergency Department (OBED) where a board-certified OB hospitalist will assess your condition, work closely with your primary physician, and provide appropriate treatment.

Women's and Children's Unit

After giving birth, mom and baby are moved to the Women's and Children's floor, which offers 28 Women's and Children's rooms. We take a family-centered approach so baby can stay with you from birth through discharge so you can have more time for bonding. If for some reason your baby needs special care and equipment, we also offer a newborn nursery and a Level III NICU.

Skin-to-Skin

The first hour following delivery is so special, we refer to it as ‘The Golden Hour.’ During this time, your health care team will encourage uninterrupted, skin-to-skin time, at least until the first feeding is complete. There is a lot happening in that tiny body, and skin-to-skin helps with it all!

Skin-to-skin is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and has important health benefits including:

Helping your baby regulate their temperature, breathing, heart rate and blood sugar,
Helping your uterus shrink back to normal size,
Enhancing bonding,
Soothing you and your baby.

Your health care team will continue to encourage you and your significant other to practice skin-to-skin for ongoing benefits throughout your stay and even after discharge. It is important for the safety of your baby that you are awake, alert and attentive, during skin-to-skin. (Without distractions from phones or visitors.) You may find the semi-reclined, or upright position, works best to see that your baby is well-colored, breathing and responsive. And should you get sleepy, it’s best to have an alert adult to lend you a hand.

During this time, consider:

Quiet time. Every day from 2 to 4 p.m., we have quiet time on our unit, allowing our parents and their newborns to bond, rest and breastfeed uninterrupted. We encourage our families to refrain from accepting visitors during this time.
Lactation consultants. Breastfeeding is very important to us at the hospital. Our staff are all skilled in helping you get off to a good start, but in case you need expert advice, we offer a full lactation department with board-certified lactation consultants available seven days a week. After you go home, if you still feel the need for assistance, our consultants are available to you on an outpatient basis by appointment.

We encourage you to have a designated support person to stay with you in the hospital and after you go home. Having a baby and adjusting to the demands of a newborn is tiring, and it’s always good to have someone ready to take over to allow you some rest. Make sure you discuss any needs with your nurse prior to discharge so we can assist you.

Siblings

Norman Regional’s team has something special for siblings who are welcoming a new brother or sister. Please make sure to check-in at the main desk in the Women's and Children's unit and ask about the sibling gift.

We welcome siblings during this exciting time and understand they are a vital part of your growing family. Children 12 years old and under must be accompanied by an adult other than the patient.

Safety and Entrances

The safety and security of our patients is a priority at the Norman Regional Hospital. Between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., the entrance to the Pavilion is locked and monitored by our security team. All visitors should use the Emergency Entrance during these hours.

Obstetrical Emergency Department (OBED)

All unscheduled labor and delivery patients should use the Emergency Entrance at the Hospital at all hours to be evaluated by a board-certified OB hospitalist in the Obstetrical Emergency Department (OBED). Find out more about our OBED.

Norman Regional Labor and Delivery Patient Reviews

Our team of experts are ready to support and care for you as you welcome your new addition(s) into the world. At NRHS we have you covered from the time you find out you’re expecting to delivery and beyond. We’re also here to address any unexpected events along the way. Our patients can expect respectful, individualized care from a team of providers that demonstrate love and compassion to every birthing person. But don’t take our word for it; here is feedback from some of our most recent patients.

What our Patients are Saying:

Everyone was very friendly and treated me with so much care and respect. I never felt uncomfortable to ask questions or make requests. Everyone was amazing during my stay here.
I need to make it known that from the very beginning of walking in to me leaving with our new bundle I have never had an amazing experience like me, my husband & newborn had. Thank you to L&D nurse xxxx, W&C nurses xxxx, xxxx & xxxx for going above and beyond each and every time they entered our room. Thank you to all our PCT that came & helped us as well as all our lactation support.
I absolutely loved my stay here & will be recommending to other soon to be mothers! Thank you for making us feel at home!
I really want to stress how important the nurses are from L&D to maternity. I loved both of my L&D nurses but especially appreciate how kind, sensitive, understanding & informative xxxx was. Nurses are such wonderful people & I cannot thank them enough for walking me through this entire process. This also includes the lactation nurses. Thank you so much for everything, I appreciate all the care giving.
This was my 1st time here and from the time I came in up til me leaving this morning it has been a wonderful experience. Everyone on the staff was kind and went out of their way to make me feel very comfortable. ALL of them were respectful of my needs. I have to say xxxx was my favorite. She is the definition of a true nurse. She was kind and took care of all my needs. I felt safe while in her care. She made me feel all questions were answered with confidence. I hope all the students here learn how to be the nurse she is. Kindness is very important and she was truly great at that.
Xxxx and xxxx were absolutely phenomenal. Everyone was great, but after my last birthing experience, they made me feel important & informed. They are an amazing team!
Every one of my team members was exceptional. Kind, caring, humorous, made me feel comfortable & at ease.
Everything excellent from doctors and all staff did excellent job.
Excellent care from the beginning to the end.
I would like to personally thank every single one of the nurses, staff members & techs throughout this journey of pregnancy. You all will always hold a huge place in our hearts. I promise that I will forever remember every single one of you. Thank you for going above & beyond for my little family.