Obstetrical Unit
Welcome to the Dr. Gargi Bhatia Birthing Center at the Ross Memorial Hospital. Having a baby is one of life’s greatest moments and we want you and your family to have the best experience possible! We are a family-centred maternity unit delivering approximately 250-350 babies per year.
We are a Level 1 centre which means that our team of obstetricians, family physicians, midwives and nurses provide comprehensive care for pregnant patients with low-risk, healthy pregnancies and their newborns.
Our goal is to support your pregnancy and delivery to be as natural and safe as possible, involving you in decisions throughout your pregnancy journey to ensure the best outcome for you and your baby. We take great pride in providing families in our community with an option to deliver their babies locally. We aim to provide pregnant patients and their families in the Kawartha Lakes area with access to evidence-based pregnancy care and a childbirth experience that is patient-centred, welcoming and safe. We hope to journey with you and your family as you prepare to welcome your new baby!
You have the opportunity to get to know the Obstetrical Unit in advance by attending an Antenatal Clinic. Expecting families are invited to attend our Antenatal Clinic between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.
At the clinic a registered nurse who is also an experienced obstetrical nurse working on the Unit will provide a tour and lots of useful information and resources for expecting families. Whether this is your first baby or your seventh, the information provided is invaluable.
Our clinic appointments are one hour in length and focus on your stay, options for pain relief, community resources, and handouts. Best of all, the appointment is for YOU, tailored to your needs, concerns, and questions.
Please call 705-328-6118 to arrange for your appointment.
Having your hospital bag ready in advance can help you feel more relaxed and prepared for your upcoming labour and delivery. We suggest you pack your hospital bag by the time you’re about 36 weeks pregnant. We can’t wait to meet you and your baby!
- Health card (OHIP)
- Insurance coverage information (if applicable)
- Cell phone and charger
- Car seat (please leave in your vehicle until time of discharge)
- Cord blood kit (if applicable)
Bring anything that might help make your environment more comfortable and calming for you during labour
- Snacks/drinks (patients are provided with meals)
- Indoor nonslip slippers, socks or flip flops
- Comfortable clothes for your post-partum stay that allows for easy access for skin to skin
- Housecoat/sleepwear
- Extra underwear and socks
- Comfortable clothes for your support person
- Toiletries (toothbrush, hairbrush, deodorant, etc.)
- Wet baby wipes
- Newborn sleepers and hats
- Soother if you wish
You and baby will be provided with:
- Patient gowns
- Disposable mesh underwear
- Peri bottle(s)
- Maternal pads
- Newborn diapers
- Baby wipes
- Baby blankets
- Sterile nipples and bottles
- Formula
- Birthing balls & peanut balls
- Pillows and linen
Your pregnancy care provider may have special instructions about when you should come to the maternity unit.
In general however, you should come in for an assessment to the birthing unit if:
- You are contracting every 5 minutes, the contractions are lasting at least 1 minute, and have been happening for at least 1 hour
- Your contractions are strong enough that you are finding it difficult to talk through contractions… or if you are having to breathe through them
- If you have experienced any gushes of fluid and think your water may have broken
- If you are bleeding
- If you notice a decrease in your baby’s movements (your baby should move at least 6 times in 2 hours)
- For other reasons your health care provider has advised you to come to the hospital
- If you feel the need to come to the hospital for any other concern
- If you are less than 20 weeks pregnant, you will be seen in the Emergency Department
- Upon arrival, you will be directed to the assessment room where your nurse or midwife will gather information as to why you have come
- Please be sure to let them know if you have any special considerations in pregnancy, such as high blood pressure or diabetes
- Six large rooms
- Private birthing rooms where you will labour, deliver,
and stay for the duration of your hospital stay - A private en suite bathroom with shower in every room
- Sleeper chair/cot for your support person
Jacuzzi Hot Tub
- For use during labour for non-pharmacologic pain relief
An anaesthetist on-call is available 24×7 to provide epidurals for labouring patients who choose this method of pain relief in labour.
Delivery by Cesarean section occurs in 15-25% of births. Following a cesarean section birth, most women can choose how they want to deliver their next babies. There are factors that can influence this decision, such as the health of the mom and baby and the reason for the previous cesarean section. The advantages and risks of each option are carefully reviewed with expectant parents who had a previous cesarean section so they can make an informed decision to plan a TOLAC or a repeat cesarean section.
Whether you choose to feed your baby by breast or bottle, your choice will be supported by our maternity unit staff. Staff will offer education, resources and hands-on support for your chosen feeding method.
For some parents choosing to breastfeed, the skill comes easily while for others, successful breastfeeding takes practice, support and patience. Some babies take time to learn to latch properly and for some mothers milk may take a few days to come in. Most problems encountered in breastfeeding can be addressed with support and our experienced nurses are ready to help.
Another way we promote successful breastfeeding is to encourage and enable skin-to-skin contact between parent and baby immediately after birth or as soon as baby’s condition allows. This skin to skin time for the first few hours after birth has been shown to have significant benefits for mother and baby and increases success in establishing breastfeeding.
Read more about the benefits of skin-to-skin from here:
Healthy newborns will remain with their parents following birth for the duration of the hospital stay. You will have the same private room for the duration of labour, delivery and post-birth period until both mother and baby are ready for discharge home.
Our small Maternity Unit is an intimate, family-focused environment with dedicated obstetrical nursing staff. There is a high likelihood of just a few nurses being involved in your care, seeing you through from when you are first admitted to the time of discharge with your baby. Your family can expect to receive attentive, personalized care and continuity of care throughout your hospital stay.
Regardless of your choice of provider, our goal is to provide you with individualized and evidence based care so you will have a positive pregnancy experience, safe delivery, and healthy baby. Depending on your chosen care provider for your pregnancy and birth, the following team members may be involved in your hospital experience:
Obstetrician – Dr. Glasine Lawson, locums
Regular and locum obstetricians provide comprehensive pregnancy care, management of labour and delivery including cesarean-sections as required, and other surgical services to patients.
Family Physicians – Dr. Marina Pretorius, Dr. Ruth Wilson, Dr. Agnes Toth, Dr. Carl Seaton
Family physicians provide comprehensive pregnancy care, including management of labour and delivery, to their pregnant patients and in-hospital newborn care to most babies born at the RMH Obstetrical Unit.
Midwives of Lindsay and the Lakes
Midwives provide expertise in promoting optimal pregnancy, physiologic birth, postpartum care, and care of the newborn, and help pregnant people and their families achieve health and wellness through many stages of life. Families who choose a Midwife as their primary care giver can choose to plan their birth experience at the hospital or at home.
Obstetrical Nurses
Skilled and experienced labour and delivery nurses are able to support patients throughout their labour and delivery as well as in the post-partum period to assist with newborn care and breastfeeding.
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: Pregnancy Info
- OMama: Fertility, pregnancy, birth and beyond: Home
- HealthLinkBC: Pregnancy & Parenting
- Prenatal Education at the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit: Prenatal Program eClass
- Best Start Resource Centre
- Canadian Pediatric Society: Caringforkids/pregnancy-and-babies
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada: Pregnancy Info
- Best start: Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Matters – An Important Guide to Breastfeeding for Women and their Families – Best Start
- International Breastfeeding Centre: International Breastfeeding Centre /Information Sheets
- Canadian Pediatric Society: Information for parentsfrom Canada’s paediatricians
- LaLeche League Canada: Supporting Families From Pregnancy To Weaning
- Public Health Unit: Breastfeeding Support
- Canadian Pediatric Society: Caringforkids
- Vaccine information for babies: Omama
- Newborn screening: Home | CHEO NSO (newbornscreening.on.ca)
- Normal newborn behaviour (handout): Ontariomidwives
- Public Health Unit:
- EarlyON Child and Family Centres: Early On Child and Family Centre
- Kawartha Lakes Public Library Kids Programs: Kids Programmes
Tel: 705-328-6118 (Obstetrical Unit extension) | Fax: 705-328-6141
Referrals:
All of our providers gladly accept referrals from community health care providers, community organizations and self-referral from patients who do not have a primary care provider for pregnancy care.
If you are pregnant and wish to self-refer for pregnancy care and delivery, simply call your chosen provider listed below.
If you are a health care provider, please send a completed referral with all available investigations and completed Ontario Perinatal Record (if available) to the Obstetrical Unit or refer directly to your chosen provider.
Click here to download referral form
Dr. G. Lawson – Tel: 705-320-8874 Fax: 705-320-9115
Family Physician Maternity Group – Tel: 705-324-2420 Fax: 705-324-1950
Midwives of Lindsay and the Lakes – Tel: 705-324-4664 Fax: 705-324-4668
Ross Memorial Hospital is located at 10 Angeline St. North. We are at the corner of the intersection of Angeline and Kent Streets, in Lindsay, Ontario. Short term parking rates are $3 per half hour (maximum $15/day). Visit https://rmh.org/patientinfo/parking for information on all parking options.
The Obstetrical Unit is located on the main level of the hospital. Patients enter through the Main Entrance of the hospital during the day (8am – 8pm) and via the Emergency Department entrance during the night after 8pm. From the main entrance, follow the ‘Yellow footsteps” on the floor to reach the Obstetrical Unit.
If you would like to share a photo of you precious new baby to the RMH Baby Board, please submit a digital or hard copy of your maternity, baby or family photo to the Obstetrical Unit and we will post it here.