Maternity

HBMC is happy to welcome in the first baby of the new year!

This year’s baby is Jack Lipp, born at 4:50 am to proud parents Mary Ott and Gavan Lipp of Mt. View. He weighed 7 pounds 4 ounces and measured 20 inches.

The excited parents have big hopes for their son. “He’s going to rule the world!” said dad Gavan. Mom Mary says, “I hope he’s the biggest one in the canoe!”

Dr. Celeste Adrian and the staff delivered the first baby of the year. Both parents were grateful for the care, saying: “We received excellent care. The team was really supportive and did an excellent job.”

Breastfeeding
Friendly

We encourage early parent-child bonding with a family-centered is the ideal first food and we support your choice to breastfeed your baby.
Breastfeeding is a learned skill that takes patience and practice and we want to help you get off to a great start.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all healthy newborns with no breathing difficulty should remain in direct skin-to-skin contact with their birthing parent immediately following delivery until the first feeding is accomplished. This first hour of life is known as the “golden hour” and it is a special bonding time for parents and baby to spend together as a family. We know you want to introduce your baby to your family and friends and we encourage you to welcome them after you have had this time alone.

If your baby is not able to immediately snuggle with you for medical reasons, no worries! Skin-to-skin care can start at any hour of age and it is encouraged throughout the first six months of life.

Caring for Your Family

At Hilo Benioff Medical Center’s Obstetric (OB) Unit, we welcome you and your
family into our `ohana as we strive to make your birthing experience safe
and memorable. Every year, we assist pregnant patients in bringing about
930 babies into the world. We do our best to care for every birth as our own and
to provide exemplary customer service from the time you arrive to the time you
return home.

What to Expect

Admissions Two months before your due date, we recommend you pre-register
with our Admitting Department by calling (808) 932-3401. When you are ready
to give birth, please check into the Admitting Department before coming up to
our unit.
Your Doctor Please call your doctor’s office before coming to the hospital.
Doctors generally visit patients several times during labor. Ask your doctor
about coverage during his/her absences for weeknights, weekends, and
holidays. The on-call physician will care for you and your baby in the event
your doctor is unavailable.
Your Baby’s Doctor A pediatrician or family physician will admit and care
for your baby if your physician does not visit patients in the hospital. Please
secure a pediatrician for your baby prior to giving birth.
Rooming-In We promote “rooming-in” with your baby to increase your comfort
level in caring for your newborn and encourage breastfeeding. Your spouse or
designated caregiver may spend the night to assist and learn to care for the
baby if space permits. Please plan ahead, per hospital policy, children are not
allowed to stay overnight.
Length of Stay The amount of time that you and your baby remain in the
hospital after you give birth generally depends on the type of delivery.
Typically, your hospital stay for a vaginal delivery is one to two days or two
to three days for a cesarean delivery.

Family-Centered Maternity Care Services

Hilo Benioff Medical Center is training Hawaii’s next generation of providers, including family physicians who deliver babies. The faculty and physicians in training at the Hawaii Island Family Medicine Residency program are accepting new patients who are planning a pregnancy or already pregnant and their families.

We provide care for families that integrates pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and infant care into the continuum of the family life cycle as normal, healthy life events. The care provided is individualized and recognizes the importance of family support, participation, and choice. We make every effort for your doctor to be available to deliver your baby and care for you both after birth. We work with obstetricians in high-risk situations.

In our outpatient clinic, families are cared for by a multidisciplinary team including physicians, advanced practice nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists at the East Hawaii Health Clinic at 1190 Waianuenue Avenue. Patients interested in this family centered model of maternity care should call 932-3730 to schedule an appointment.

Classes and Clinics

We encourage expecting parents to attend childbirth classes to learn about physical changes during pregnancy, nutrition, choices during labor, newborn care and breastfeeding. Registration fee is $40.00 or $10.00 if you prefer to attend, take the breastfeeding class only. For more information and to register, call (808) 932-3371.

Childbirth Classes Every Wednesday at 4:30-7:00 pm. (Dates Subject to change)
Breastfeeding Education First Monday of the month at 4:30-7:00 pm.

What to Bring on Your Big Day

Please bring your insurance card and I.D., clothes for you and your baby to wear home, breast pump and any personal necessities. Also, please have your infant’s car seat installed prior to being admitted to the hospital.

Visiting Hours / Policy / Closed Unit

The Obstetrics Unit is located on the third floor. For more information, call (808) 932-3371. Laboring patients can have 1 support person with around the clock, and 2 additional visitors during visiting hours. Visits by children are limited to the newborn’s siblings. Visiting hours are from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. To enter the main doors of our secured unit, visitors must use the intercom to speak to staff. We ask that people who are ill stay home and reschedule the visit with the family to protect the health of the newborn and pregnant person.