Children's Corner
And Father Makes Three
Leaving smoke-filled waiting rooms behind, more and more fathers today are taking an active role in the delivery room itself.
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The availability of first rate medical care is one of the big advantages of urban living in Texas. Maternity care is no exception. But hospitals aren’t just hospitals anymore; and expectant fathers don’t have to be routinely shunted off to the proverbial smoke-filled waiting rooms, unless they want to be. It just takes a little investigation and planning or, as in my case—luck.
Here’s what is offered at some of the other hospitals around the state:
AUSTIN
Brackenridge Hospital
1500 East Avenue
It all depends on your doctor here. With his consent, prepared fathers may be in the delivery room as well as labor and recovery rooms, and you may have partial or complete rooming in. Fathers are restricted to regular visiting hours, and no one under 14 may view the babies.
Lamaze courses are offered by the hospital at night.
Seton Hospital
600 West 26th
Seton offers a series of four evening pre-natal classes. Fathers who have taken the classes are permitted in the labor room and delivery room at the discretion of the doctor. Space is limited in the recovery rooms, so fathers may be present depending on the crowd.
Fathers have unlimited visiting privileges and are encouraged to come at feeding times. No children under 14 may view the babies.
St. David’s Community Hospital
919 East 32nd
Short prepared childbirth and Lamaze type classes are offered by the hospital. Tours are included in the classes.
All fathers may be present in the labor room, and those with classes and doctor’s consent may be in the delivery room.
Fathers have extended visiting privileges while babies are with mothers from 1:30 to 6 p.m. They may also assist with the 9 p.m. feeding.
No children under 14 are permitted to view the babies in the nursery.
DALLAS
Baylor University Medical Center
3500 Gaston Avenue
Pre-natal and baby care classes are offered. Husbands may be present in the labor room, but not delivery room.
Fathers may visit from 7:30 to 8:30 in the morning for breakfast and may assist in the feeding of the baby from 5:30 to 7. Siblings may view the baby within the first eight hours in the Admissions nursery.
Babies weighing more than nine pounds are given certificates to be presented to the Baylor line coach eighteen years hence.
Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas
8200 Walnut Hill Lane
Parent education classes are offered at the hospital which include tours of the maternity facilities. Fathers are permitted in the labor rooms only.
Fathers may visit mothers for breakfast and at the regular visiting hours. Young siblings may view the babies in the nursery.
FORT WORTH
John Peter Smith Hospital
1500 South Main
Red Cross parent education courses are offered by the hospital. Fathers are not permitted in labor rooms or delivery rooms, but may join mothers in the recovery room.
Fathers observe regular visiting hours and have no contact with the babies except through nursery window. No children are permitted to view the babies.
All Saints Episcopal Hospital
1400 Enderly Place East
Tours of the hospital are given but no parent education is offered. Fathers are allowed in the labor and recovery rooms, but not in delivery. Fathers may visit anytime babies are not with their mothers. No children under 12 may view the babies in the nursery.
Harris Hospital
Fort Worth Medical Center
13 00 West Cannon Street
Tours of the maternity facilities are offered weekly. No classes are offered at the hospital, but hospital or physician refers patients to Red Cross or trained professionals in the community who offer pre-natal and/or prepared childbirth courses.
Fathers are permitted in labor and recovery rooms. To be present at delivery they must have taken prepared childbirth classes, they must have doctor’s permission, and they must be interviewed prior to the delivery date by the supervisor of Maternity Services.
Fathers may visit from 6:30 to 7 p.m. At dismissal time, father may assist in dressing the baby. No children may view the babies in the nursery.
HOUSTON
Sharpstown General Hospital, Inc.
6700 Tarnef at Bellaire Boulevard
Lamaze classes in prepared childbirth are offered at the hospital. With doctor’s permission fathers may be present through labor, delivery and recovery. If the couple has chosen the “rooming-in” plan, fathers have unlimited visiting and may feed and hold the babies. No one under 12 may see the babies.
Memorial Hospital System
1100 Louisiana
Southwest Hospital: Tours and Lamaze classes are offered by the hospital. Fathers may be present through labor, delivery and recovery with doctor’s consent and classes.
Fathers who are present during delivery may hold the baby in the delivery room, but may not be in the mother’s room afterwards when babies are present.
No children under 14 may view the babies.
Southeast Hospital: No formal classes are offered, but couples may tour the maternity facilities.
Fathers are permitted in labor room and recovery room only if the mother is having natural childbirth. Lamaze certificate is required. There is a telephone hookup to the delivery room so that the father can talk to mother and hear baby.
Fathers may not hold the baby or visit during feeding times. Children may see babies at a special viewing room.
Northwest Hospital: Tours are given, but no formal parent education classes. Fathers are present in labor room only.
They may visit anytime babies are not with mothers. A special window and waiting room allows children to see the new babies.
Hermann Hospital
1203 Ross Sterling
Tours are offered, but no formal parent education classes. Fathers may be present in labor room and, with doctor’s permission, in the delivery room.
Fathers may visit any time and are permitted to hold the babies and assist with the feeding.
St. Joseph Hospital
1919 LaBranch
Tours and dietary classes are offered by the hospital. Lamaze classes are also given. Fathers are permitted in the labor and recovery room.
Fathers can feed and hold the babies and rooming-in is allowed.
No children under 15 may view the babies.
SAN ANTONIO
Southwest Texas Methodist Hospital
7700 Floyd Curl
Tours and baby care classes are offered prior to delivery date. Fathers are permitted in the labor room only, and may visit when babies are not in the rooms with mothers.
Closed circuit television in the visitors’ rooms enables siblings to see and be seen by their mother.
Santa Rosa Medical Center
Tours and Lamaze classes are given. With the classes fathers may be present in labor, delivery and recovery. Fathers have unlimited visiting and the babies may “room-in.”
Children under 14 are not permitted to see the babies.
Generally speaking, county-supported hospitals in the larger urban areas do not offer such personalized services. We have tried to cover the larger, mostly private, hospitals where they are offered.
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