ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
The patient lay comfortably on the hospital bed in a room of lavender walls, mahogany furniture, and some of the latest inpatient-care equipment. Her unborn baby's heartbeat resounded throughout the room as an audible thump emanating from the fetal heart monitor.
Nurses, doctors, and a midwife routinely visited the patient to speak with the soon-to-be mother and run necessary tests before her scheduled cesarean section.
The Malcolm Grow Medical Center's Maternal Child Unit and Women's Health Clinic offers services to expectant military members and their dependents to include childbirth classes, labor, delivery, recovery, and post-partum care.
"They (the doctors and staff) were really great. They went over any questions I had, and were very accommodating," said Monica McCoy, Public Affairs Specialist for the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington D.C., and MCU patient.
Her baby girl, Jae Riley R. McCoy, was born to her and her husband, Mass Communications Specialist Shane McCoy, director of multimedia at the Naval Media Center in the Anacostia Annex, Washington D.C., on the morning of Sept. 4.
The McCoy's first daughter, who was also delivered at MGMC, awaited the arrival of her new baby sister as she sat anxiously in Mrs. McCoy's room.
"With preparation and parental supervision, the newborn's siblings are permitted to be in the patient's room to visit the newborn after they are born. The MCU is committed to providing family-centered maternity care," said Maj. Jeanne M. Parker, the 779th Medical Group's MCU element leader. "We encourage and support the many benefits of babies remaining with their mother throughout the hospital stay, and the family can be involved and stay together as much as they choose."
All of the birthing rooms are private and designed to enhance the bond between mother and baby, and include an array of high level technologies, to include fetal equipment and a central monitoring system in a comforting environment. The MCU is equipped to perform a variety of functions ranging from prenatal assessments and non-stress analysis to her diagnostic tests that closely monitor the baby's health during your stay, said Major Parker.
The WHC staff is willing to provide patients with guidance to facilitate prenatal care and are very family oriented. Baby Jae is welcome to come along with Mrs. McCoy to the return OB appointments, said Major Parker.
The MCU at MGMC has provided and continues to provide safe quality obstetrical care. "We maintain excellence in all services in line with national standards and we are committed to caring for OB patients and families in a personal and compassionate way," Lt. Col. Tate, 779th Surgical Operations Squadron Commander.
Women interested in seeking OB care at MGMC, first make an appointment through their Primary Care Manager or they can call the WHC at 240-857-2979, said Maj. Parker.