New Birthing Center To Open At Bassett Medical Center

Cooperstown, N.Y. – The new Birthing Center at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown will open to patients on February 14, 2011. Located on the third floor of Bassett Medical Center’s inpatient building, the beautiful, fully renovated facility for new mothers and their families is complete following years of planning and construction.

“The midwives are looking forward to continuing to care for our patients in a truly collaborative and family-centered atmosphere,” says Laura O’Shea, RD, CNM, MSN. “The new unit is designed to be aesthetically appealing, with a soothing color palette, new furnishings and enhanced space in the labor rooms, but the heart of the birth center will always be the professional and caring staff. Providing this excellent care in a new, improved environment is just an added bonus,” she says.

Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology Dr. Siobhan Hayden adds, “Childbirth is a highly personal experience. We’re here to make every effort to meet your needs while making sure that your childbirth experience is healthy and safe. With renovations to the Birthing Center complete, the physical environment now matches the quality of medical care our team provides.”

The new patient-centered, family-friendly unit includes four labor, delivery and recovery (LDR) rooms. Laboring mothers will appreciate the presence of a hydrotherapy tub in each of the LDR rooms, where new fetal monitors with telemetry capability allow for continuous monitoring as necessary. LDR rooms also include infant care centers, eliminating the need for transporting equipment in and out of rooms. Once the birth process is complete, mother and baby are moved to a private postpartum room with a comfortable sleeping space for the support person.

In addition to the eight postpartum rooms, there is an operating room and a nursery with a special care nursery room. A midwife and anesthesia personnel are present at all times and an obstetrician and pediatrician are readily available.

Comprehensive maternal health programs made available throughout Bassett Healthcare Network include prenatal care and health screenings, educational programs, labor and delivery, and neonatal and postpartum care. Experienced obstetricians, nurse-midwives and nurses provide the very best care to make pregnancy and delivery safe, comfortable and fulfilling.

The Birthing Center has maintained very high patient satisfaction rates. Since it opened, families across the region choose to deliver here because they know that the staff is fully committed to preparing parents for the great joy and challenge of a baby. In fact, the nurse-midwives at Bassett were the first rural practice to receive the Golden Commendation from the American College of Nurse-Midwives for 25 years of service. Each of the midwives has an average of 19 years’ experience.
To learn more, visit www.bassett.org.