Cape News

Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital (SGCMH) will host two events in May as part of Women's Health Month to showcase its obstetrical services. The events include an open house of the Women's Health and Childbirth Center and a "Bellies and Babies" lunch and learn session focusing on pregnancy-related topics.

The childbirth center open house is scheduled for May 13 at 12:30 pm. Attendees can tour the facility and meet the Women’s Wellness staff. Bernadette Hill, the director of Women’s Health Services, stated, "We’re going to open up our unit for tours and give people a chance to meet and chat with our Women’s Wellness staff. It’s an opportunity for expectant parents, and those thinking of starting a family, to get a firsthand look at our Childbirth Center, and the services they will be using during labor and delivery."

Refreshments will be available, and there will be a drawing for a free Amazon gift card. Registration can be completed online.

The "Bellies and Babies" lunch and learn event will take place on May 21 at noon in the education conference room. It is open to women expecting a baby or considering having one. The session will cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, and baby care and includes activities and another chance to win an Amazon gift card. An RSVP is necessary to attend, and registration is available by phone or online.

Hill highlighted the educational focus of the center, noting, "I’m really proud of the team of nurses that we have. They are dedicated to teaching our patients. Often teaching doesn’t come as opening a book, but rather at the bedside when the mom asks questions about labor or if she’s having trouble nursing, our nurses will guide her."

Hill also noted, "We are a critical access hospital, and while we might be small in size, we are huge in what we can offer. You are not a number or a tally on the wall. You are a human being who has just delivered a very precious gift, and we recognize that and we treat that as the very special thing it is."

SGCMH is a nonprofit, county-owned community hospital that aims to improve the health and well-being of the community through advanced technology and personalized care. More information about the hospital can be found on their website.