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My Iredell
At The Birth Place at Iredell Health System, we offer a personalized childbirth experience in a setting that feels like home.
We've designed everything about our maternity services, from our beautiful birthing rooms to our modern technology and our specially trained “mother-baby” nurses, with your safety and comfort in mind.
Pregnancy and weight gain: Myth or fact?
Gaining the right amount of weight when you're expecting can help you have a healthy baby. That's just one reason it's so important to know the difference between fact and fiction when it comes to pregnancy and weight gain. Take this quiz and see if you're in the know.
Myth or fact: I should double my calories now that I'm "eating for two."
Myth. An expanding tummy isn't an excuse to overeat. Most women don't need any extra calories during the first trimester. The amount you need later depends on many factors. So it's best to ask your provider about your calories needs.
Myth or fact: The more weight I gain, the healthier and stronger my baby will be.
Myth. If you gain too much, you're more likely to have a bigger-than-average baby and—as a result—a complicated birth. Your baby is more likely to have birth defects or become obese. Gaining too little weight can also hurt your baby's health.
Myth or fact: Not every pregnant woman should gain the same amount of weight.
Fact. Talk to your doctor about what's best for you and your baby. Doctors typically use a woman's body mass index before she was pregnant as a gauge for how many pregnancy pounds she should add.
Myth or fact: It's OK to diet while I'm expecting.
Myth. While you certainly want to be careful about what you eat—and make healthy food choices every day—pregnancy is never the time to diet. If you don't get the calories you need, your baby might not get the right amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals.
Myth or fact: Breastfeeding can help burn off pounds from pregnancy.
Fact. Not only does breastfeeding benefit babies, it helps new moms burn calories. That means nursing can help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight faster than feeding your baby with formula.
You need to consume the right nutrients—like protein, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and calcium—to help you and your baby stay healthy.
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians; National Academy of Medicine; March of Dimes; National Institutes of Health
A maternity hospital that’s the next best thing to home
When you first arrive at The Birth Place, we think you’ll be delighted by the size and homelike atmosphere of your room. Our private maternity suites include:
- Home decor.
- Comfortable furniture for visitors.
- Sleeping accommodations for your support person.
- Large, private bathroom.
Our obstetrical nurses will do everything possible to make you feel as though you are at home. We love to pamper our moms, too, with special touches like gift bags and a celebration meal or fruit basket.
However, when it’s time for your baby to be born, rest assured that we have all of the equipment of a modern delivery room at hand. Hidden away behind the attractive cabinets in your room are lights and other equipment the obstetrics team may need during your baby’s birth.
Mother-baby nursing
The nursing staff at The Birth Place supports the mother-baby nursing concept, because we believe it best serves the family. Mother-baby nursing means that one nurse takes care of you and your baby together, so you can count on always having someone available to help you care for your newborn.
All of our nurses have been specially trained to care for mother and baby throughout their stay.
Having your baby at The Birth Place
In The Birth Place, we bring the staff and equipment to you. Our nine labor-delivery-recovery-postpartum (LDRP) rooms are designed and equipped for you to remain in the same room throughout your stay.*
We will discuss your birthing plan with you to ensure that we understand your desires. We may work with you to suggest alternatives that ensure the best possible outcome for you and your baby—as you both are our No. 1 priority.
Here’s a little more of what you can expect during your stay with us:
A variety of options for managing labor pain. These include epidural anesthesia, patterned breathing, birthing balls, movement and position changes, and nitrous oxide (laughing gas).
Many birthing options. We are prepared to perform both planned and emergency C-sections, if needed. If you’ve had a C‐section before, we may be able to offer you a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), if that is your desire. This option depends on the type of previous C-section you had.
Lactation services. We offer breastfeeding support from a certified nursing consultant, should you choose to breastfeed your baby.
Sign up for maternity classes
We offer a variety of classes for expectant mothers and new moms, such as childbirth preparation, breastfeeding, newborn care and infant CPR/safety. Our childbirth preparation classes are set up according to your due date and are not listed online.
Please call our program office at 704.878.4555 for your class dates and to register.
We also have some FREE, wonderful, online education for you! Enjoy learning about labor, birth, relaxation/comfort techniques and breastfeeding, all from the comfort of your location (whether that's on your phone, laptop or tablet). To get links for the Zoom classes, contact The Birth Place Program Office by calling the number above, emailing pampered@iredellhealth.org, or sending a message through our Your Pampered Pregnancy Facebook page.
You can also contact Pam for links to view pre-recorded Zoom meetings if you are unable to attend a live class.
Visiting policy
Safety is our top priority. Here is our current visitor policy:
- You can have two visitors at a time, in addition to one support person (the support person does not count as a visitor).
- Additional visitors are permitted if they are the siblings of the infant.
- There is no age restriction for siblings, but all other visitors must be age 18 or older.
Get the latest information about our visitation policy.
Take a birthing center tour or learn more
You can take a virtual tour of The Birth Place via videos at our Your Pampered Pregnancy page on Facebook or in our video library.
You can also get more information by calling The Birth Place Program Office at 704.878.4555.
* Our goal is for you to remain in the same room throughout your hospital stay. However, if our census exceeds our LDRP room availability, at some point after your baby’s birth we may ask you to move to The Birth Place Continued, a wing of comfortable rooms adjacent to The Birth Place. These are slightly smaller rooms that feature the same decor, but are not equipped for labor and birth. You will keep the same nurse.