Labor and delivery

Our Level III NICU cares for babies born before 32 weeks that have a low birth weight, need surgery or have medical conditions, such as a gastrointestinal disorder, cardiac illness or a neurological condition. Our neonatologists, neonatal nurses, respiratory specialists and other medical professionals prepare for many delivery situations and are available 24/7 to care for your baby.

Premature babies and their families may need some of our NICU services and amenities, including:

• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) — Treatment that reduces the effects of lack of oxygen or blood to the brain
• High-frequency ventilation — A respiratory device to help newborn lung development
• Open-heart surgery — Type of cardiac surgery that corrects birth disorders in the heart
• Ronald McDonald House Family Room — Accommodations and resources to help families with babies in our NICU

If your baby needs to be transported for a higher level of care, our NICU transport team is available at a moment's notice.

Early and continuous prenatal care is important to the health of you and your baby. Prenatal care can lower your risk of pregnancy complications, so it is imperative to the overall childbirth process.

Birth Center tours

It is important to be familiar with the place where you plan to give birth. Before your delivery, you can take a tour of our Birth Center, which provides a look at our labor and delivery suites and mother-baby unit. We will help you understand how the unit works and what you can expect on the day you deliver. We encourage you to ask your tour guide any questions you may have, as they are happy to be a trusted resource for your family.

Breastfeeding education

Our prenatal breastfeeding class is designed to teach you the benefits and rewards of breastfeeding. Due to limited seats, you must register for this free class by calling (702) 961-5437 or (702) 961-KIDS. A complimentary tour of our mother-baby unit (MBU) is offered at the completion of the class. Breastfeeding classes are held on the third floor of our MBU classroom.

Childbirth classes

Our childbirth preparation classes are designed to acquaint expectant parents with everything they need to know about pregnancy, labor and delivery, cesarean section, postpartum and newborn care. Our classes cost $55.00 per couple and are available as one, two and three-day courses. We also include a tour of our labor and delivery and NICU areas at the end of the class.

All classes are held at our Sunrise Hospital auditorium.

High-risk pregnancy care

The Perinatal Center at our hospital specializes in caring for expectant women with high-risk pregnancies. We combine leading-edge technology with family-centered care to offer you and your baby excellent services. Should your baby require any type of assistance either at the time of delivery or in the minutes following, we have a team of trained medical experts on standby to ensure valuable seconds are never lost.

Our team consists of highly skilled obstetricians, perinatologists (obstetrician-gynecologists who specialize in high-risk pregnancies) and nurses who are all fetal heart rate certified through the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. This accredited organization provides advanced nursing education.

Sunny Babies program

Through the Sunny Babies program, pregnant women are encouraged to seek early prenatal care, beginning in the first trimester. We offer financial assistance to help you:

• Apply for Medicaid to get insurance for you and your baby
• Find a doctor so you can receive care as early as possible
• Register your delivery at the location of your choice
• Register for free childbirth classes at one of our facilities

If you have additional questions about the Sunny Babies program, please call (702)-961-9140.

When you arrive, you will go to our triage area located near the main elevators in our lobby. During triage, you will be evaluated and monitored by our trained labor and delivery nurses. When you are ready to deliver, we take you to our specially designated labor suites. After your delivery, we may take you and your baby to our comfortable mother-baby unit or our dedicated post-anesthesia care unit to recover.

Our birth center offers first-class services to ensure you receive the best possible care as well as feel informed and prepared at every stage of your pregnancy. The services we offer include:

• Antepartum care
• Breastfeeding support
• Cesarean section (C-section) operating suites
• Dedicated post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)
• Family-centered mom and baby couplet care
• Fetal assessments (specialized tests that evaluate the health of your unborn baby)
• Mom and baby discharge classes
• Obstetrics hospitalists who are available 24/7
• Overnight sleeping accommodations for your partner
• Perinatal nurse navigator
• Private, oversized suites for you and your baby
• Skilled nursing staff
• Triage services available 24/7

We do our best to keep babies with their families. For healthy newborns, after delivery is the ideal time for you to hold your baby skin to skin on your chest. Throughout your postpartum recovery, you may request to be with your new baby the entire time.

Our certified lactation consultants are available to help educate and support your breastfeeding efforts. If you need breastfeeding assistance after giving birth, these consultants are available Monday through Friday to address your problems and concerns.