Labor and delivery

In late November/December, we discovered that three babies in our Henrico Doctors’ Hospital NICU had unexplainable fractures, similar to an incident involving four babies in the summer of 2023. We initiated a thorough internal investigation, informed the families and notified the proper authorities and regulatory agencies and worked collaboratively with them on their investigations.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are not admitting any additional babies into our NICU at this time. While fractures occasionally happen with pre-term babies since they lack full fetal bone development, we are actively working to determine how these fractures occurred.

We have taken immediate steps to enhance safety measures in our NICU including:

• Requiring all NICU caregivers to participate in supplemental unit-wide, in-person safety training programs.
• Adopting the practice of conducting additional   head-to-toe examinations of each NICU baby, led by neonatologists.
• Instituting mandatory training for all healthcare providers who interact with minors, educating the providers on the identification and reporting of suspected neglect or abuse.
• Installing two new security systems to ensure proper care and parents’ peace of mind.
• A camera system that records all activity in our NICU rooms 24/7 and is available for viewing in real time or at a later date
• Live-streaming technology allowing parents to view their babies

We have provided footage to the proper authorities and have healthcare professionals reviewing the videos. The process is thorough and time-consuming, but they are making steady progress. So far during our review of the videos, no misconduct or accidental actions have been found.

Additionally, we implemented an observer system where each provider in the NICU is accompanied by another clinician when they are present in a baby’s room to help ensure all protocols are followed.

The safety of our NICU babies is our highest priority and we are actively working to pursue additional precautions to prevent any future incidents.

Whether you’re starting your family or expanding it, we help you stay healthy, plan for birth and prepare for newborn care with a host of services, including:

• Personalized birth planning— We support your ideal birthing experience. We also welcome and support doula care and can connect you to a private doula in the area.
• Personalized guidance — If you’re having a scheduled birth, you’ll meet with our nurses to discuss how to prepare and what to expect on your big day.
• "Your birth, your way" — If needed, you can take advantage of our midwifery and low- intervention birth services. We provide a full menu of options, including natural pain management, wireless and water-submersible fetal monitoring, aromatherapy, delayed umbilical cord clamping, immediate skin-to-skin after vaginal or Cesarean birth, deep soaking labor tubs and light therapy.
• High-risk pregnancy care — In partnership with Commonwealth Perinatal, we offer comprehensive high-risk pregnancy care, should you require it. This includes maternal-fetal medicine doctors who will help you and your baby stay safe and healthy.

Meet our perinatal nurse navigator

When your pregnancy has been designated as high-risk, our perinatal nurse navigator is here to provide full-term counseling throughout your pregnancy.

• Dedicated high-risk care — Our nurse navigator will help you create a personalized birthing plan that caters to high-risk needs, while detailing and tracking your care all the way through delivery. We understand how stressful this process can be, so our nurse navigator is here to provide direction and ensure that your birthing experience is as positive as can be.

  For direct contact, you can email our nurse navigator or call her at (804) 200-7534 or (804) 297-1547.

Knowing where you will give birth is an important part of the process, so we offer the opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with our birth center before labor and delivery. During our guided tour, you will:

• Have chances to ask questions about your hospital stay
• Learn where to check in on your big day
• Peek into the well-baby nursery
• See the details of our postpartum area and labor and delivery unit

Can't attend a tour in person? Watch the online tour of our birth center here.

Birth center tours are free, but online registration is required.

Keeping you safe and empowering you in your own decision making are our top priorities. Our unit offers:

• Obstetricians and midwives — Our team is here 24/7 for whatever you need. We have advanced obstetric technology and resources, including dedicated operating rooms within Labor & Delivery if a Cesarean birth is necessary.
• Skilled nursing staff who support patient-centered care
• Anesthesia services onsite 24/7 to meet your needs and requests.
• Private rooms — Our hospital features renovated, spa-like rooms. We also offer soaking tubs for hydrotherapy, color therapy lighting, private bathrooms and comfortable sleeping arrangements for your partner.
• Welcoming, family-friendly setting — Snacks and a family kitchen are available for you and your partner. Your extended family will also have plenty of room in our spacious waiting areas.

We want to help you learn to trust your instincts and feel confident in becoming a new parent, so we offer a suite of insightful maternity classes. These classes provide an opportunity to learn up-to-date information and helpful tips about pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. Some of our classes are also designed just for dads, grandparents or siblings, ensuring your entire family can be prepared for your baby's arrival.

Sometimes, there is a need for hospitalization during pregnancy. We offer a 21-bed high-risk antepartum unit with specialized nurses trained in the care of pregnant women. If you are hospitalized during your pregnancy, we can support your needs, whether your stay is short or lengthy. You can feel confident you will receive the best care during this critical time.

The antepartum unit is located within the Women’s Hospital with Labor & Delivery, the NICU and the mother-baby unit.

Following your child's birth, we provide postpartum care to help you begin the recovery process, start breastfeeding (if desired) and learn to care for your baby.

Our postpartum services include:

• Breastfeeding support — Our board-certified lactation consultants are available if you need help learning to breastfeed your baby. After you return home from the hospital, you can talk to a lactation consultant or sign up for one of our breastfeeding support groups by calling (804) 289-4977.
• Family-centered care — We support couplet care, also known as "rooming in," so you can bond with your newborn in a private setting. This means your baby stays with you in your room at all times, even during examinations.
• Ongoing support and counseling— It is natural to feel overwhelmed by the challenges of motherhood, but we are here to help you. To learn about our postpartum depression services, please call (804) 977-5862.

Every pregnancy is different, so we offer a variety of support groups that meet regularly. There is no need to register or call to reserve spots, and all groups take place at the same time each month/week. Our support groups include:

• Moms Supporting Moms — This is a monthly support group for pregnant women and moms who are currently experiencing substance abuse disorders, are in medication-assisted treatment or are in recovery. The group provides a supportive and respectful environment where you can discuss fears, challenges and hopes for pregnancy and beyond. The group is open to the community and meets the first Wednesday of every month at 10:00am in Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services, located at 3908 Nine Mile Road, Henrico, VA 23223.
• Pregnancy and Infant Loss — This support group is intended for parents and adult family members who are grieving the loss of a baby, including miscarriages, stillbirths, infant deaths and terminations. This free group is open to the community, and meets on the first Thursday of each month from 6:00pm to 7:00pm in the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.
• Safe Circle RVA — In association with our sister hospital, Parham Doctors’ Hospital, Safe Circle RVA offers support groups for pregnant and postpartum women who are struggling with substance use disorders. To learn more about these meetings, please call (804) 289-4972.