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To schedule an appointment, call 816-404-BABY
Your child's birth is one of the most important and exciting days of your life. The professionals at University Health can handle the most complex deliveries—and the easy ones, too. We offer the most advanced expertise in high-risk pregnancy, maternal fetal medicine, and perinatal diagnostics, making us uniquely qualified to care for you and your baby. At University Health Truman Medical Center (UH TMC), our patients have immediate access to the Level IV NICU at Children's Mercy Hospital (CMH) via an indoor bridge between the two hospitals. This affiliation creates the gold standard in critical care when seconds count. UH TMC is the only maternity hospital in the Kansas City metro area that has this physical connection to CMH.
University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace offers a Level II NICU, managed by CMH physicians and nurse practitioners.
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
While you're pregnant, you and your baby both are more vulnerable to the germs that cause foodborne illnesses. Your baby also is sensitive to mercury and other toxins that might be in some foods.
Select a food below to learn why it's dangerous and see how to make a safer choice.
UNPASTEURIZED MILK
Why to avoid: Unpasteurized milk can contain a number of dangerous bacteria.
A safer choice: Drink only pasteurized milk.
UNPASTEURIZED SOFT CHEESES
Why to avoid: Soft cheeses, such as Brie or queso fresco, that are made from unpasteurized milk may contain E. coli or listeria.
A safer choice: Choose hard cheeses like cheddar or Swiss. Or check the label of a soft cheese to see if it's made from pasteurized milk.
SUSHI
Why to avoid: Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish can contain parasites or bacteria.
A safer choice: Eat fish that's been cooked to at least 145 degrees.
UNPASTEURIZED JUICE
Why to avoid: Unpasteurized or fresh-squeezed juice can contain E. coli.
A safer choice: Drink only pasteurized juice or cider.
RAW COOKIE DOUGH OR CAKE BATTER
Why to avoid: Raw cookie dough and cake batter can contain salmonella.
A safer choice: Bake the cookies and cake before you indulge. And resist the temptation to lick the spoon.
HIGH-MERCURY FISH Why to avoid: Mercury is a toxin. Fish to avoid include king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish and bigeye tuna.
A safer choice: Cod, salmon and sardines are all safer choices.
RAW OR UNDERCOOKED SPROUTS
Why to avoid: Alfalfa, clover, bean and other sprouts can contain E. coli or salmonella.
A safer choice: Eat only fully cooked sprouts.
STORE-MADE SALADS
Why to avoid: Store-made salads might contain listeria.
A safer choice: Make your salads at home following the food safety basics: clean, separate, cook and chill.
There's a lot to learn about during pregnancy.
Our Pregnancy health topic center has more information about staying safe and healthy when you're expecting.
Sources: Foodsafety.gov; U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Reviewed 3/27/2023
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov. “People at Risk: Pregnant Women.” https://www.foodsafety.gov/people-at-risk/pregnant-women.
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration. “Advice about Eating Fish.” https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish.
Tour our birthing centers
In person tours are being held by appointment only.
For University Health Truman Medical Center, please call 816-404-BABY.
For University Health Lakewood Medical Center, please call 816-404-8281.
Tour all that’s new inside The Birthplace at University Health Women’s Care.
University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace
The comfort and safety of you and your infant are our utmost concern at University Health Women's Care The Birthplace. We invite you to learn more about our expertise and services.
Comfortable birthing suites. Our birthing suites include a private bathroom, specially designed birthing beds and couches that change into a bed for a guest.
Additional features include:
- Wireless fetal monitor telemetry to allow mom to walk during labor.
- Birthing balls to relieve discomfort during pregnancy and labor.
- Special front-open gowns, designed to provide full coverage and comfort to mom.
- Epidural pain management that's available 24/7.
High-risk pregnancy care and Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). University Health Women's Care The Birthplace is a leader in high-risk pregnancy care. Our Level III NICU is available for premature infants or babies with special needs.
Our staff also provides care to mothers who deliver at Children's Mercy Hospital for emergency and critical care issues. A bridge connects the two facilities for easy access between the hospitals.
University Health Women's Care The Birthplace team. At University Health Women's Care The Birthplace highly skilled OB/GYN physicians with extensive training in pregnancy provide care for you and your baby.
Our physicians specialize in high-risk pregnancy care, and all deliveries at University Health Women's Care The Birthplace are attended by a NICU nurse.
Find a maternity care provider.
Visiting hours are daily from 6 am to 8:30 pm. To keep you and your baby healthy, we encourage visitors who are not well to delay their visit. And, to help you continue to feel your best, we recommend visits be limited to 30 minutes to allow for as much rest as possible. Currently, due to COVID-19 this policy varies. Please see COVID-19 specific visiting hours.
Your peace of mind and comfort are as important to us as they are to you. We invite you to learn more about how we care for you and your baby at the University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace.
Labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) suites. At University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace you'll remain in the same private birthing suite for your entire stay.
New moms may opt to use the traditional delivery bed throughout their stay or move to a queen-sized Murphy bed in the same room for a more homelike environment.
Each of our suites has a flat-screen TV and Wi-Fi.
Additional features include:
- Wireless fetal monitor telemetry to allow mom to walk during labor.
- Birthing balls to relieve discomfort during pregnancy and labor.
- Special front-open gowns, designed to provide full coverage and comfort to mom.
- Epidural pain management that's available 24/7.
- A spa with a jetted tub.
Level II NICU. The NICU at University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace can care for premature babies, as well as babies who have come full term and have health issues. For more serious complications or known high-risk implications, your doctor will direct you or make arrangements.
The University Health Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace team. Our expert OB/GYNs, board-certified family medicine physicians and board-certified nurse midwives are committed to making your experience personal and safe.
To make your experience even easier, we pair you with an OB patient navigator to ensure you book the proper appointments and have all the information you need going into delivery day.
Find a maternity care provider.
Visiting hours. Visitors are welcome daily from 10 am to 8:30 pm. We encourage your family to be involved in your delivery experience. We believe significant others are important, and they are welcome to visit at any time. We also offer generous visiting hours for siblings, extended family and friends after your baby is born. Currently, due to Covid-19 this policy varies. Please see Covid-19 specific visiting hours.
Download Safe Medications During Pregnancy PDF
Our Baby Friendly accreditation
Both UH Women's Care The Birthplace and UH Women's Care Lakewood Family Birthplace are accredited as Baby Friendly by the World Health Organization. To be accredited as Baby Friendly, a hospital must promote and educate new moms on the benefits of breastfeeding.
Baby-Friendly practices are designed to strengthen mother-baby bonding and to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in the first few days of a new baby’s life. Baby-Friendly designation means that a maternity facility has successfully implemented the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which include providing appropriate education to enable families to make informed decisions about infant feeding, encouraging mothers to hold their babies skin-to-skin immediately following birth, and offering expert lactation support throughout and beyond the hospital stay.
We have a variety of complimentary breastfeeding services available before and after you give birth.
Learn more about our lactation consultant services.
Childbirth and new parent classes
Want more pregnancy information? View our childbirth, breastfeeding and new parent classes.
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Having a baby can be tough, but University Health doctors are making the journey just a little easier for moms-to-be! Check out the EleVATE group that's offering a community of support & education for pregnant women. Call 816-804-2170 to learn more about joining the group.
