Citing progress against the coronavirus, Southwest Memorial Hospital has announced that its Family Birthing Center returned to its permanent location in the inpatient wing this month.

According to Bridgett Jabour, SHS executive assistant, the hospital moved to its old unit last year to keep parents and newborns separate from COVID patients.

“If nothing else, it made people feel more comfortable that what was happening was separated from the mom, baby and family,” Jabour said.

The new unit, built in 2018, is larger, with a homelike atmosphere.

The suites have birthing beds, equipment for newborn care, a rocking chair and a labor tub.

Being a small hospital also allowed the staff to adapt to changing virus conditions quickly.

“While it’s challenging to be a small, independent hospital, we were able to move faster and better than a lot of large facilities would be able to,” Jabour said.

Southwest Memorial Hospital recorded 150 births in 2020, up from 137 births in 2019. SHS estimates that it will have 154 births this year.

The Family Birthing Center is open 24 hours a day. Services include labor and delivery, postpartum care and newborn nursery care.

anicotera@the-journal.com