Your Birth Plan

Preparation for childbirth should begin during your first visit to the doctor. As your pregnancy progresses, you can develop your "birth plan" which is an outline of your wishes during labor and delivery. The birth plan choices include pain management, birthing methods, family involvement, and more. At CMMC, we do our best to follow your plan. We are here to care for you and your baby - and our main concern is what is best fro you and your baby. Changes from your birth plan may occur if something unexpected happens during the birth process. Your birth plan will not be altered for our convenience.


Special Pregnancies

If you or your baby need additional tests during your pregnancy, these tests may be available at Central Mississippi Medical Center.

The Women's Center cares for patients with known or suspected pregnancy problems, either in the mother or the baby. Our outpatient and inpatient services provide you and your baby with experienced clinicians who are trained in ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring. Your doctor will talk with you about any possible complications of your pregnancy and recommended care options.


Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section (VBAC)

It is now recommended that women who have had a cesarean section be encouraged to have a vaginal delivery instead of automatically scheduling a repeat cesarean provided the mother's previous medical history supports this choice. Medical studies show that mothers and babies face fewer risks with a successful VBAC than with a repeat cesarean. In addition, mothers who have a successful vaginal delivery enjoy a shorter hospital stay and recover much faster than mothers who undergo a cesarean delivery. However, a vaginal delivery is not an option for everyone. Some medical conditions make a VBAC too risky. Talk to your doctor about the options available in your particular case.


Choosing Your Baby's Doctor

Before birth, you should begin the process of finding a doctor to care for your baby. You may want to get suggestions from your doctor or friends who have children. You can call the Physician Referral Service at (866) 367-7456. Some doctors will meet with you before the baby's birth. If you feel the doctor is not the right one for you, make arrangements to visit another doctor until you are satisfied. During your stay at the CMMC Women's Center, your baby's care will be provided by a team of board certified neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners who are available 24 hours a day.


Preadmissions Form
 
Please take the time to fill out a preadmission form prior to your arrival at the hospital to keep the admission process as easy as possible for you and your family. The information requested on the form is important and will help us prepare for your arrival. Preadmissions forms can be obtained from your doctor or clinic or call the Women's Center Admissions office at (601) 376-2912 to have one sent to you.

Confidential Admission
 
You may choose to be admitted "confidentially." Your name or presence in the hospital will not be acknowledged. Your complete privacy will be respected and enforced. In order for us to do this, you will not have mail or flowers delivered, and operators will not put calls through to you or give callers your room number. You may still have any visitors you contact directly.

Registering Your Baby's Birth
 
Your baby's birth certificate is an important legal document that will be used by your child throughout his or her entire life. State law requires that a Certificate of Birth be filled with the Mississippi state registrar within five days after birth, so it is helpful if you complete the birth registration form provided in your Women's Services Packet and send it to the Central Mississippi Medical Center birth registrar before admission. After your baby is born, you will be asked to provide further information, so you might want to decide on a name and spelling before birth.

If you are not married but both you and the father would like to have the father's name and information added to your baby's birth certificate, this can be done by signing a paternity form. Both you and the father need to sign the paternity form and have the signature notarized. Arrangements for notarization can be made through The Women's Centers birth registrar. For more information, call the birth registrar at (601) 376-1387

After your baby's birth certificate has been completed, the hospital will send it to the state registrar's office, where the birth will be legally registered. While you are in the hospital, we will explain how you can obtain a copy of this certificate from the state registrar.

If changes or corrections need to be made after the state registrar has processed the certificate, there may be a fee. Later changes may require a court order.