ANTENATAL CARE

To ensure the well being of yourself and your baby it is important that you attend regular check ups with either an obstetrician or a midwife. These should be every four weeks until the 28th week of pregnancy, every two weeks until the 36th week, then weekly until delivery. Specific investigations and diagnostic ultrasounds should be done to enhance the examiner's findings.

American Mission Hospital is committed to providing quality, affordable medical services to you that take you from initial booking, until your delivery and then to ensure that you are in peak condition, a postnatal consultation 6 weeks after your delivery.

 

Antenatal Options:

American Mission Hospital offers the healthy woman with an uncomplicated pregnancy a variety of options for care during the antenatal period

• Routine Antenatal Consultations with:
• One of our highly skilled Obstetricians in the OB/Gyn Clinic at AMH
• Our UK trained Midwife in the Midwife Clinic, OB/Gyn Unit at AMH
• Our UK General Practitioner at our Satellite clinic in Saar
• Or a combination of above to suit your needs

For those of you with special obstetrical needs we would advise you to first seek the advice of one of our Obstetricians.

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DELIVERY PACKAGE

We at American Mission Hospital are committed to providing services that meet all the needs of your family. We believe that you have the right to be involved in the decisions affecting your care and to ensure that all your expectations are met the hospital provides Obstetricians, Pediatricians, Midwives and Operating Room staff throughout the 24-hour period.

As the time of your delivery approaches you and your partner will need to decide how you wish to labor and deliver. Here are a few questions that you may be asking while making those decisions:

· What are the options for management of labor? According to your birth plan, AMH nursing staff will offer intervention in the form of fetal monitoring, IV or enema and offer natural, drug free birthing options.

· What are the options for pain relief? Again, according to your birth plan you may choose options such as epidural, t.e.n.s, water therapy (bathing to relieve pain) or gas and air to help relieve delivery discomfort.

· Are birth attendants allowed? Yes, except for unscheduled caesarean sections. Only in case of emergency would family members be asked to leave the room.

· Can treatment be refused? Yes, you have the right to refuse any treatment offered, but you will be advised if emergency procedures are necessary and will be asked to sign a disclaimer form.

· What happens if unforeseen problems should occur? Medical staff are available 24 hours if any unforeseen emergency should occur.

· Is help available to develop bonding and care of baby skills? Yes, AMH has an extensive Health Education program on the ward. You will be assisted with breast feeding, bathing the infant, shown how to express milk and instructed on home care. There will always be someone available to answer any other questions that you may have.

Delivery at American Mission Hospital includes the following options:

Obstetrician Delivery: You will be cared for by one of our highly skilled midwives during your labor under the supervision of the Obstetrician who will conduct the delivery of your baby.

Unit Midwife Delivery: You will be cared for by one of our highly skilled midwives who is on duty, during your labor and the delivery of your baby, under the supervision of the Obstetrician.

Specialist Midwife Delivery: This service is offered to those of you who have been attending the Midwife clinic. Our specialist midwives are trained to offer alternative births. She will attend you throughout your labor and delivery, providing you with individualized care, offering you opportunities that included natural and water births.

Birthing Room Opportunity: For those of you who want to experience childbirth as naturally as possible, we have provided an environment that promotes this concept, with your labor and delivery professionally supervised by our British trained midwife. After delivery and recovery, you will be moved to the room you have selected.

Community home-visit: Utilize our home-visiting service that offers support and advice on maternal and childcare issues.

Epidural Anesthesia: Have a pain-free labor and delivery with an Epidural administered by our experienced Anesthesiologists.

For further information or appointment, please contact our Midwife Specialist on 17248116 or 17248115 the OB/GYN unit.

Antenatal doctor's appointments can be made by calling 17248142.

GUIDELINES TO CONTENTS OF ANTENATAL CLASSES

 

                  ANTENATAL EDUCATION AT AMH

AMH offers the following for the education of pregnant ladies.

• Early Pregnancy Class
• Dental Class
• Antenatal Exercise Class
• Antenatal Education Classes

Educational handouts in English and Arabic

Early Pregnancy Class

This is aimed at mothers to be who are up to 16 weeks’ pregnant and is free to all who wish to attend

English session is held every 1^st Sunday of the month, 11.00 hrs.

Arabic session is held every 3^rd Sunday of the month, 11.00 hrs.

This session includes the following:

• The importance of Antenatal visits

• Slide show (Foetal Development)

• Video (Nutrition in pregnancy)

• Advice from AMH dietician

• Explanation of AMH Services available for the pregnant lady

• Tour of Ob/Gyn Unit

Dental Class

A lecture is provided by our dental hygienist and includes a dental check. This option is available free on the 4^th Sunday of every month.

Antenatal Exercise Class

Exercises suitable for the pregnant woman are taught by our physiotherapists. Sessions are presented in English and are held on Tuesday mornings and evenings, on the 3^rd Tuesday of every month. The fee for this class is BD5 with 50% discount for AMH delivery package patients.

Antenatal Education Classes

Courses available with English, Arabic, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Konkani Educators

The antenatal course is divided into 5 sessions over a 5 week period.

The following 5 sessions are aimed at ladies who are 24 weeks pregnant or more

Fees are BD25 for the full course of 5 sessions with 50% discount for AMH package patients.

Morning and evening courses are run subject to availability and demand.

Ladies wishing to attend should attend the full course as each session is an extension of the previous session. Husbands are encouraged to attend classes. Sessions are available for Arabic speaking Muslims without the participation of men. Arabic couples where the husband is keen to participate can attend the English sessions.

The following is covered during these sessions:

1^st Session: 

• Relaxation techniques

• Purpose and structure of classes

• Basics of pregnancy and labour

• Video  (normal hospital delivery)

2^nd Session:

• Revision of relaxation techniques

• Preparation for labour

• Stages of labour

• Video  (normal home delivery)

3^rd Session:

• Revision of relaxation techniques

• Comfort measures during labour

• Video – (Lamaze delivery, analgesia, epidural)

4^th Session:

• Revision of relaxation techniques

• Birth plan

• Birth choices (episiotomy, medications, foetal monitoring, enema, etc.)

• Video  (water birth delivery, gentle birth choices)

5^th Session:

• Newborn care

• Breast feeding

• Family planning

• Video (breast feeding, postpartum and care of baby)

BOOKINGS FOR THE ABOVE OPTIONS NEED TO BE MADE IN ADVANCE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE SPEAK TO THE OB/GYN CLINIC DESK STAFF OR CALL DIRECT ON 17248142

For a tour of our maternity unit or further information call our Midwife Specialist, Tel: 17253447 Ext.: 369/366, or direct 17248115/6

OBSTETRIC/GYNECOLOGY CLINIC

Includes two examination rooms, three consultation rooms, a screening room and a separate ladies only waiting room. AMH doctors assist throughout the antenatal, delivery and postnatal period as well as assisting with routine examinations and general female concerns.

Staffing consists of our Bahrain trained Midwife who is in charge of the clinic, supported by a team of six staff nurses, with extensive experience in Obstetrics and Gynecology, three Trained Practical Nurses and a Hospital Attendants

OBSTETRIC/GYNECOLOGY UNIT

Located on the second floor of the hospital overlooking the rear car park. The unit offers two well furnished VIP rooms, seven private rooms, two general rooms of three beds each, a nursery equipped to deal with the basic needs of the newborn up to intermediate care, two well equipped delivery rooms and a birthing room that offers the opportunity of waterbirth if required.

Staffing consists of our British trained Midwife who is in Charge of the Unit, supported by a team of Midwives, Staff Nurses, and hospital attendants with all who have extensive experience in Obstetrics, Gynecology or Nursery care.

WELL BABY CLINIC

The American Mission Hospital Well Baby Clinic provides a scheduled assessment of your child's nutritional and medical needs from newborn infants through 4-year old toddlers. Issues such as growth and development, early signs of disease, immunization schedule and parental concerns (feeding, teething, nutrition, etc.) are addressed at this clinic.

The Well Baby Clinic takes place in the Pediatric Clinic, on Saturday and Tuesday, from 3:15 - 8:00 pm. For more information, please telephone 17253447 ext. 333

MUMS AND DADS COFFEE EVENING: CONGRATULATIONS !!! you've made it into Parenthood.
So did your experience meet your expectations? Was there anything that could have been done to improve the event? Do you have some suggestions that can help improve the service we provide to other prospective parents? Would you like to discuss any of these issues or anything else related to your care at AMH? Then come and join us at our Mums and Dads coffee evening.

Mums & Dads coffee evenings are held every 6 weeks on a Wednesday evening.
If you would like to attend or for further information call OB/Gyn unit on 17248116, 17248115 or 17253447 EXT. 365

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CAROLINE (FATIMA AL THAWADI) BLACK

Specialty:

Midwifery

Training schooling:
1981 General Nursing Training-East Birmingham Hospital. England
1985 Midwifery Training - Peterborough Maternity Unit, England

Certificate / Qualifications:
Registered General nurse
Registered midwife

Caroline Black started her nursing in 1981 and became a registered Midwife in 1987. She came to Bahrain in late 1988 and worked as a Midwife at the Awali hospital for two years. She later joined the Salmaniya Hospital Maternity department where she worked for 9 years as a midwife before joining the American Mission Hospital in 1999. She is now the charge nurse on the very busy OB/Gyn unit where she leads a highly qualified staff of 13 nurses and midwives. She believes that all women have a right to be involved in the decisions made related to their childbirth. Choices should not be restricted because something is not available here and is freely available elsewhere.

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AMH also offer the following services:
Midwife run clinics
Antenatal classes
Breast feeding consultations
Antenatal and postnatal Checks by our British GP in Saar clinic
With this AMH completes the essential components of maternity care by providing:
Skilled midwives to manage the care of the normal pregnant women throughout her pregnancy
and delivery, complementing the excellent service provided by their skilled Obstetricians.

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