At Martin Memorial, our mothers' and babies' safety and security are very important. We have combination labor, delivery and recovery rooms (LDRs) so the mother can remain in the same room during the entire birthing process. An open invitation is extended to the father or other support person to participate in the labor and delivery process. The baby is cared for in our holding nursery when he or she is not in the mother's room. Martin Memorial has installed an electronic infant security system to guard against newborn abduction.

All of our security and visitation policies are designed to ensure the comfort and safety of our patients, while helping protect your privacy as well. To ensure the policies are upheld, we ask that all maternal-child (OB) patients and guests enter throught the main lobby of the Medical Center. A safety and security officer will be positioned outside the elevators on the first floor of the Medical Center that lead to the maternal-child department. That officer will monitor the flow of traffic to and from the department. Family and friends will be asked to wait in the main lobby if they are not one of the people visiting a patient in her room. Our security and visitation policy is as follows:

• All visitors must enter through the main lobby of the Medical Center.
• Activity in the Maternal Child Department is videotaped and visually monitored for security.
• In labor and delivery, each patient may have a two adult visitors plus primary support person Others will be asked to wait in the main lobby or coffee shop. Newborns and their parents need their rest, so visits should be short.
• Two adult visitors plus the primary support person are allowed in the mother–baby unit.
• Visiting hours are from 11 a.m.–2 p.m., and from 4–8:30 p.m. No visiting is permitted between the hours of 2–4 p.m. on the mother-baby unit to allow a rest period for new moms.
• The mother's primary support person may stay overnight in her private room. Siblings are NOT permitted to spend the night.
• Siblings only (baby’s brothers and sisters) may visit when accompanied by an adult. Other children under the age of 12 may not visit and should not be brought to the hospital.
• All visits are at the discretion of the nursing staff /nurse midwives and OB physicians and are based on the patient’s condition.
• Should the need arise, visitors may be asked to leave the patient's room and may wait in the seating area by the elevators.
• Visitors must be healthy and free from infection. Remember to wash your hands prior to handling the baby. Those who have been exposed to chicken pox, impetigo, tuberculosis, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, mumps, German measles, whooping cough or influenza within the last three weeks, or have evidence of a rash, cough, or fever should not visit a maternity unit. If you have any questions, please contact your obstetrician or pediatrician.

Cesarean Sections
One support person is permitted to attend your Cesarean section if you are having regional anesthesia and will be awake for the procedure. Patients requiring general anesthesia may not have a support person in the operating suite. Allowing a support person in the operating room is at the discretion of the attending obstetrician/anesthesiologist.

Recovery Room
Following all operative procedures, you can expect a one- to two-hour stay in the recovery room. Only one person at a time is allowed to visit in the recovery room for a 15-minute period (dependent on the patient’s condition).

Special Care Nursery (NICU)
Please limit all visitors to a total of two at any one time, one visitor and one parent. Siblings are allowed but we ask that you limit their visits. They may visit once a day and must be watched by their parents at all times. There will be no visitors between the hours of 6:30 and 8, both a.m. and p.m. These are the hours that report is given from one shift to the next. In order to protect the privacy and confidentiality of our patients and their families, no one other than the staff can be present during these times. Families may not visit when special procedures are being performed.

Thank you for you adherence to these policies.