“Planning for a Healthy Baby” seminar
What: Free maternity seminar on pregnancy planning, nutrition and fitness, and fertility
When: 10 to 11:30 a.m. Nov. 15
Where: West Chester Hospital, Plaza Conference Room (Level A), 7700 University Drive
Register: Online at www.UCHealth.com/WCHevents or call 513-298-3000
West Chester Hospital is six months away from unveiling its new maternity unit, and large donations have started rolling in to support the endeavor.
The first two large donations to the Exceptional Beginnings Initiative — the hospital’s first organized fundraising effort — were announced this week.
Frederic Holzberger, founder, owner and CEO of the Aveda Fredric’s Institute, and his wife Julie have pledged $100,000 to name the Julie and Frederic Holzberger Nursery.
Another $10,000 for maternity services has been donated by Patti Alderson, CEO of the Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty, and her husband Dick Alderson, president of Alderson Properties.
“West Chester Hospital’s concern for the community goes far beyond its walls,” said Frederic Holzberger. “The hospital has reached out to provide opportunities that enhance our health and well-being, and we are honored to support such a great endeavor.”
The Journal-News reported in July the hospital's plans to add maternity services in 2015.
The 26,000-square-foot maternity unit has been under construction since May, and is scheduled to open by May 2015, said Tom Daskalakis, vice president and chief operating officer at the hospital.
Daskalakis said the hospital anticipates 700 births in its first year of offering maternity services. The long-term plan is to expand to handle 2,000 births per year as demand grows, he said.
“This is the second largest growing ZIP (code) in Ohio,” Daskalakis said. “This is a fertile area.”
Features of the new maternity unit will include:
- Eight spacious delivery suites
- Dedicated family waiting area with kitchenette and fireplace
- Nursery with seven bassinets and one isolation/procedure room
- A Level IIB neonatal intensive care unit for up to seven babies
- Two Caesarean-section operating rooms
- Four postpartum rooms
- Two triage rooms for evaluating expectant mothers as they arrive
- Physician lounge and four on-call rooms for physicians and specialists to sleep
Daskalakis said many areas of the maternity unit will feature large windows for natural light, including the neonatal intensive care unit. He added there will be several viewing areas into the nursery for visitors to see the babies.
“We want to be able to showcase the miracle of life,” Daskalakis said.
There will also be “hotel-like amenities” available inside the eight Labor, Delivery, Recovery, Postpartum rooms, including hair dryers and hair products, Daskalakis said. He said a partnership is presently being explored with Aveda.
The unit will also include an apartment-style room where families can stay to “practice before going home,” Daskalakis said.
Maternity services are currently offered in Butler County at Mercy Health — Fairfield Hospital; Fort Hamilton Hospital; Atrium Medical Center in Middletown; and McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital in Oxford.
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