Birthplaces

There are no birth centers on St. Thomas/St. John (yet). Birth place options are the local hospital, SRMC, or planning a home birth.

Schneider Regional Medical Center (SRMC)

If you are thinking about giving birth on St. Thomas, SRMC is your one-stop shop. It’s also your only option. Unfortunately, our community does not (yet) have a birthing center or a second option besides SRMC. If you are interested in becoming familiar with the Labor & Delivery Unit at SRMC, please schedule a visit with the L&D staff to tour the unit. If you are interested in considering home birth as an option, please check out our resources on Planning a Home Birth.

Questions about SRMC?

Visiting the L&D floor: Patients always visit the L&D floor. SRMC L&D staff advise calling prior to coming because if it’s busy, they won’t be able to accommodate. Call before going: 340-776-8311 ext. 3122 or 3121.

Hospital registration process: OBGYNs do not register patients. The patient needs to register for the hospital bed on the 2nd floor at Patient Access (the entrance next to the ER entrance in the back of the hospital) from Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.

Women are routinely induced at: between 40 to 41 weeks unless medically necessary (ex. IUGR 37 weeks and gestational diabetes ~38 weeks)

During induction/augmentation, these options are available/utilized: depending on how the patient presents, options are cervical foley, cytotec, pitocin, artificial rupture of the membrane (which is the last resort for induction)

Women should bring a birth plan YES! (See our birth plan resource here) SRMC L&D Staff highly recommend bringing a birth plan to your delivery as it facilitates what the birthing mother actually wants from her laboring experience. Remember things don’t always go as planned and to stay open-minded to new suggestions and changes in the plan. This is something we review in our classes, so be sure to register!

Women should bring the following to the L&D unit: SRMC L&D nurses recommend bringing a pillow, blanket, long chargers, music, lighting, fragrances, and anything else that you feel may facilitate your comfort during labor. Postpartum nurses recommend bringing diapers, wipes, clothes for the baby, clothes for mom, toiletries, the baby’s going home outfit, a car seat (install the car seat base in the car prior to delivery), baby blankets, preemie clothes if you’re expecting to have your baby early, hats and socks for the baby, breastfeeding clothes.

When an induction fails for non-medical reasons, patients … according to SRMC L&D nurses, patients can labor for up to 3 days after an induction. If a medical reason arrises, the patient will be assessed accordingly.

Available in the labor room: peanut ball, pillow wedges, and birthing balls. There are no water births at SRMC.

VBACs & TOLAC: are an option, but the patient does need to provide medical records for the previous cesarean and the patient can only have 1 prior cesarean or they are not a candidate for VBAC.