Did you know you can tour our facility from the comfort of your own home?

Shelley Jones, APRN-C, will be your Maternity Nurse Navigator and will help guide you through your pregnancy and all the questions you have along the way.

Whether this is your first child or fifth, there are always questions looming about the best way to care for your newborn. At Halifax Health our team of Educators are here to answer your questions, teach you best practices and give you the tools you need to help you once you leave the hospital and are home with your newborn. We cover topics from what to expect with your newborns appearance to breastfeeding support and soothing your child. Review the course descriptions below and register for one of our classes today.

Please arrive 15 minutes early and bring Photo I.D.

Click here to see the 2023 Childbirth Education Classes

Understanding Birth Complete and Newborn Care Series

Childbirth Education Presentation

The following are slides from our Childbirth Class with important information. Feel free to print the presentation to bring to class or notetaking, if desired, or to refer to at a later time.

Click Here To View Presentation #1

Click Here To View Presentation #2

Click Here To View Presentation #3

Click Here To View Presentation #4

The OB Emergency Department at Halifax Health is proud to be the area’s first and only OB Emergency Department and have partnered with the Ob Hospitalists Group (OBHG), the largest OB/GYN hospitalist provider.

OB/GYN Hospitalist Program Advantages

Our OB Emergency Department (OBED)—is open for you 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Your private physician knows that our team will be available around the clock when you need us, ready to respond. In the event your private OB/GYN physician may not available, our OB/GYN physicians can examine you, evaluate the progress of your labor, review test results and fetal heart rate tracings, and stay on top of any issues that may be developing and provide you and your baby with a safe delivery, while working closely and communicating with your physician. They can answer any questions you or your family may have.

1 In Every 10 Babies

One out of every ten newborns is admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. In many cases, the mothers experienced a healthy pregnancy and never planned on their babies requiring care in the NICU.

At Halifax Health – Center for Women & Infant Health we have the only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Volusia and Flagler Counties that is equipped and ready to care for premature babies that are born as early as 26 weeks gestation. That means your baby will be cared for close to home. When you hear the term “Level III” this means that the facility can provide the highest level of neonatal care as designated by the state of Florida. Although you may never plan on your baby arriving into this world premature, rest assure that the team of experts in the Level III Neonatal ICU at Halifax Health are experienced and fierce advocates for your tiny bundle of joy.

Experience Matters

Halifax Health – Center for Women and Infant Health, Level III Neonatal ICU has been providing care for premature babies in this community since 1975. In 1977, Dr. YB Au Yeung joined the staff as the first full-time neonatologist.  As a result, the neonatal mortality rate in the area dropped from 21 to 12 per 1,000 births. Now, more than 40 years later, we continue to provide expert care to our tiniest patients by having:

• neonatologists on staff 30 with years experience in caring for NICU patients
• charge nurses having over 60 years of NICU experience combined
• 50% of our NICU team has 20 years or more of experience in the NICU

It is because of our highly experienced team that babies are able to stay at this hospital and in this community and not be separated from their family. Expertise matters when it comes to the care of your baby.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioners on Staff 24/7

Halifax Health is the area’s ONLY hospital staffed with advanced practice registered nurses that care for premature and sick newborns, 24/7. This means that should an unexpected emergent situation arise, there is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner on staff who can perform multiple lifesaving procedures on newborns in distress, when time is of the essence.

At Halifax Health we are proud to be certified as a Donor Human Milk Depot, meaning that we can safely collect milk from mothers interested in donating breast milk through the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida. You may wonder why a mother would want to donate her unused milk, but at Halifax Health this milk saves lives.

Why Donate?
Premature infants are born with compromised immune systems and are considered medically fragile and breast milk provides ideal nutrition while fighting infection by repairing the intestines. It helps build babies immune systems and is easier on their digestive systems. And while it’s a superfood for Neonatal ICU preemies, moms of premature babies often experience challenges in providing their own milk to their baby. It’s common for milk production to be delayed or not established enough to sufficiently meet the baby’s nutritional needs. Often with twins or triplets, the demand can be too great.

Is it Safe?
Absolutely! The milk is kept frozen until it is delivered to the Mother’s Milk Bank of Florida for processing, then pasteurized and tested to ensure that it is nutritionally sound and safe for babies. Frozen donor milk is then transported from the milk bank to hospitals, like Halifax Health, and given to babies in need. While Halifax Health does pay a fee for this service, it’s provided to our Neonatal ICU babies at no cost.

What’s the Process?
We welcome and encourage you to reach out to Ellen Barton, our Lactation Consultant, for more info and the initial screening at no cost. Email Ellen.Barton@Halifax.org for more information and questions.

Halifax Health Prenatal Diagnostics is the area’s only OB Diagnostic Center. So what does this mean, and how does this affect you and your baby? If your doctor has told you that your pregnancy is “High Risk” this means that you or your baby have a greater chance of having a health problem and that you need to be watched very closely during your pregnancy. Your private physician will then refer you to a doctor that specializes in high-risk pregnancies called a maternal-fetal specialists or Perinatologist.

Our Perinatologist work in conjunction with your obstetrician and specialize in reading ultrasounds and providing diagnosis and treatment for disorders that could occur with you or your baby during pregnancy. This also means that at Halifax Health you are in a healthcare system where all of your care is provided under one roof. We provide continuity of care by having the area’s only OB Emergency Room. If anything were to be detected during your OB Diagnostics appointment you would be seen immediately by one of our OB Hospitalists in the OB Emergency Department which is located in Labor & Delivery. Seconds matter and at Halifax Health we have all of the specialists on site and ready to care for you and your baby.

Appointments are made by physician referrals. You will be contacted after your physician sends us the request. We also accept most insurance plans, including Medicaid. For more information on the Prenatal Diagnostic Center please call 386.425.4830.

Services Provided in Prenatal Diagnostic Center

• Genetic and Medical Consultations with Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialists (perinatologists)
• Assist OB physicians with managing complex medical needs during pregnancy; like hypertension, diabetes or autoimmune disorders
• Screening tests for chromosomal abnormalities like Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18 or 13 with pre and post counseling
  • 1st trimester screen (1st trimester)
  • Cell free fetal DNA (anytime)
• Diagnostic tests for all chromosomal abnormalities with pre and post counseling
  • CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling) (1st trimester)
  • Amniocentesis (2nd trimester)
• Genetic and Level II Ultrasounds
• Fetal Echocardiography
• Fetal Umbilical Doppler Studies
• Antepartum Testing (Non stress tests and BPP (biophysical profile))
• Outpatient medicine or Rhogam injections
• Pre pregnancy Consultations
• Gestational Diabetes Consultations and Management