SGMC's Birthplace Delivers a Personalized Birthing Experience

Staff Report

Friday, August 12th, 2022

South Georgia Medical Center is expanding its Women and Infants services to offer moms-to-be a unique birthing experience based on their individual needs. 
 
SGMC recently promoted Lara Davis, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, to Women's Care Coordinator following 15 years as a labor and delivery nurse at SGMC. In her new role, Davis advocates for patients and connects them with resources and tools to navigate the health system in preparation for delivering their baby. She collaborates with obstetricians, midwives, clinical staff, and the entire care team to coordinate personalized care for patients.  
 
Davis will meet with parents to offer tours, prepare a birth plan, provide resources, and guide them through any questions about SGMC's Women and Infants services. Davis shares that her job is to educate patients on what to expect and things that are available to them during their hospital stay. She says, "Pregnancy is hard enough to go through, and I’m here to make the hospital seem a little less daunting."  
 
Following delivery, Davis follows up with patients that are back home to check in and offer resources for postpartum care or questions that may arise. 
 
Davis explains, "This position will help close the gap between families and our organization and ensure that they have a personal connection that is there just for them. I want each patient that comes through our organization to have the best experience possible and to know we are truly thankful they’ve allowed us to be a part of their care." 
 
SGMC has a full-service maternity center with experienced staff trained to take care of mothers and babies before, during, and after delivery. In addition to the Care Coordinator, SGMC offers 24-hour obstetrician, anesthesiology, and neonatology coverage, a lactation consultant, a nursing team, and a certified car seat safety technician. The health system also offers monthly parenting classes for epidural, breastfeeding, and childbirth. SGMC welcomes more than 2,000 babies annually. 
 
SGMC is committed to women’s health throughout the region and continues to deploy the latest technology and develop cutting-edge programs for women and infants. SGMC’s Birthplace has the region’s only Level IIB Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the area’s only OB hospitalist program and OB emergency department. SGMC is one of only three hospitals in Georgia to offer AngelEye Health, a secure video surveillance to connect families with their newborns. SGMC also offers cord blood banking and placenta donation programs for interested mothers.  
 
Davis is available for appointments by calling 229-259-4252. For more information on any of these programs, visit sgmc.org.