Maternity Care Center

Our Unique Approach

The staff of the Maternity Care Center encourage and support family members to spend as much time as possible with their babies in an environment of loving respect. Our Maternity Care Center is a place where new parents and their family members will have the opportunity to receive current information and personalized instruction on how to care for themselves and their newborn babies.

Obstetrics Services at Shore Medical Center are Now at the OMNIA Tier 1 Level

We are please to let you know that OMNIA Health Plan Members can now receive obstetrics services at the OMNIA Tier 1 level at Shore Medical Center.  This is wonderful news for those OMNIA Health Plan Members who are pregnant or planning on starting a family. We encourage you to share this information with friends, family members, employees and neighbors.

Maternal Child Health Services

Special attention is paid to helping pregnant mothers and new families develop and maintain those early bonds. From pre-natal to pediatric Care, Every resource at Shore is focused on your child’s well-being, comfort and rapid healing. For outpatient services, including lactation and child birth education, click here.

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program
During pregnancy, a woman’s medical needs are usually handled by an obstetrician. However, sometimes a woman needs additional expertise and is referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist – an obstetrician who is trained in fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies.

Under the direction of Dr. Robert Debbs, a renowned specialist with Penn Medicine and Shore Medical Center, our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program provides these expectant mothers with the specialized care they need. Dr. Debbs, whose offices are in the Shore Medical Office Building at 155 Medical Center Way in Somers Point, has more than 10 years of maternal-fetal medicine experience and is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

Expert Neonatology & Pediatric Care In-House 24/7/365
Onsite Neonatal Partners – one of the nation’s leading practices in compassionate, evidence-based neonatal care – provides neonatologists in Shore’s Special Care Nursery 24/7/365, as well as staffing for Shore’s groundbreaking Pediatric Care Center.

Onsite partners with hospitals across the country to provide top quality care to premature or sick infants, and to meet the needs of every family member—body, mind, and soul.  With a unique model that ensure neonatologists are in the hospital 24/7/365, Onsite is consistently improving quality of care and reducing risk for pre-term or otherwise fragile full-term infants.

Whether you are planning your stay, or your baby was recently cared for at Shore, Onsite invites you to connect to discover more about the needed services that may have provided for your infant.

Visit Onsite Online or call Onsite now: (856) 782-2212, ext. 2.

Maternity Care Center and Special Care Nursery
Shore's Maternity Care Center takes pride in the unique ability to combine family-centered care with clinical expertise and advanced technology. Our highly skilled nurses use bedside computer documentation, allowing more time to care for you and your family. We teach, nurture and grow our families with care, compassion and the most current evidence-based nursing practices.

The staff of the Maternity Care Center encourages and support family members to spend as much time as possible with their babies in an environment of loving respect. Our Maternity Care Center is a place where new parents and their family members will have the opportunity to receive current information and personalized instruction on how to care for themselves and their newborn babies.

Our Special Care Nursery and transitional care nursery, supported by Onsite neonatologists, is equipped to handle newborn deliveries as early as 32 weeks and provides highly specialized care. Our Special Care Nursery team uses high-tech monitoring devices for sick or special-care newborns, allowing these babies to remain with the family rather than requiring transfer to another hospital.

Special attention is paid to helping pregnant mothers and new families develop and maintain those early bonds. From pre-natal to pediatric care, every resource at Shore is focused on your child’s well-being, comfort and rapid healing. 

Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program

MATERNAL-FETAL MEDICINE PROGRAM

During pregnancy, a woman’s medical needs are usually handled by an obstetrician. However, sometimes a woman needs additional expertise and is referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist – an obstetrician who is trained in fetal medicine and high-risk pregnancies.

Under the direction of Dr. Robert Debbs, a renowned specialist with Penn Medicine and Shore Medical Center, our Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program provides these expectant mothers with the specialized care they need. Dr. Debbs, whose offices are in the Shore Medical Office Building at 155 Medical Center Way in Somers Point, has more than 10 years of maternal-fetal medicine experience and is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.

A pregnancy is considered high risk when there are potential complications that could harm the mother, fetus or both. Complications can exist prior to or during pregnancy and include:

• Heart disease
• Cervical insufficiency, a weakened cervix making a woman more likely to miscarry mid-term or have premature delivery
• High blood pressure or preeclampsia (toxemia), a form of high blood pressure brought on by pregnancy
• Placental problems
• Multiple gestation pregnancy (twins, triplets or more)
• Diabetes or other endocrine disorders
• Infectious diseases
• Kidney or gastrointestinal disease
• Premature rupture of membranes
• Recurrent pre-term labor and delivery
• Recurrent pregnancy loss
• Congenital abnormalities (birth defects)
• Later age pregnancy

For more information about Shore Medical Center’s Maternal-Fetal Medicine Program and an appointment with Dr. Debbs, call 609-653-3636.

Level 2 NICU

Expert Neonatology & Pediatric Care Onsite 24/7/365

Onsite Neonatal Partners – a nationally renowned group of nearly 40 expert neonatologists – provides 24/7/365 onsite neonatology care.

Onsite Neonatal Partners’ mission is to bring top quality care to premature or sick infants born in community hospitals—not only those fortunate enough to be born in large academic hospitals. With a unique model that places neonatologists in hospitals 24/7/365, Onsite has been able to improve quality of care and reduce risk for the more than 100,000 premature or otherwise fragile full term infants whose care they have supervised.

Shore’s Level 2 NICU, supported by Onsite neonatologists, is equipped to handle newborn deliveries as early as 32 weeks and provides highly specialized care. Our Level 2 NICU team uses high-tech monitoring devices for special-care newborns, allowing these babies to remain at Shore with the family rather than requiring transfer to another hospital. If necessary, Shore's team will expedite a transfer to a hospital that provides a higher level of care. 

A 360° View of Shore’s Labor, Delivery & Postpartum Suites

Shore Medical Center’s Labor, Delivery & Post-Partum suites are private, home-like and spacious, with each room offering over 320 square feet of space. Rooms are equipped with individual lighting and climate controls; additional seating for visitors; a pull-out bed to comfortably accommodate your support partner overnight; a large entertainment unit with ample storage for clothing and accessories; a newborn care area; a bathroom with shower; and medical equipment in the room, but tucked away.  We invite you to click and drag the image below to see a 360° view of where you will welcome your new baby!

 

Educational Videos and Articles

Our patient education library is powered by our partners at the Wellness Network. This online video and resource library is available to you to browse for accurate, reliable health and wellness information.

• Pregnancy
• Labor & Delivery
• Postpartum
• Newborns
• Breastfeeding
• Family

Shore Medical Center - A Safe Haven

The safety and well being of every child and mother is the greatest concern of the Maternity team at Shore Medical Center. We are proud to be a Safe Haven hospital which provides distressed parents who are unable to care for an infant a safe, legal and anonymous option to give up custody of a baby who is less than 30 days old without fear of prosecution. The purpose of the Safe Haven act is to protect unwanted babies from being hurt or killed from unsafe abandonment. To find out more about the State of New Jersey's Save Haven Infant Protect act click here.

Delivering Babies, Birthing a Family

The Shore Maternity Center team is committed to giving you and your family the education, resources and confidence to care for your new baby. With the help of a dedicated nurse to care for both you and your baby, our family-centered approach to care will help you bond with your new family member in the comfort, security and privacy of your room.

Bathing, weighing and newborn assessments by nurses are done in your room to provide you the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about caring for your baby.

Family Centered Care

• Supports the physical, emotional and social well-being of the new family members
• Allows you to be present for all the special moments with your new baby
• Babies cry less
• Mothers sleep better knowing their baby is right by their side
• Breastfeeding is more likely to be successful
• Increased security
• Promotes a closer relationship with your nurse, because she is spending more time taking care of you and your baby

 

Bella Baby Photography

Bella Baby Photography
Shore Medical Center is proud to partner with Bella Baby Photography, offering parents the opportunity to capture their baby’s first photographs in a professional, artistic style that can easily be shared with family and friends. 

About Bella Baby In Hospital Photography Sessions
Bella Baby brings experienced, professional photographers to the hospital to capture your first moments with your baby in the comfort of your hospital room. Though you don’t need to bring anything to have beautiful and natural photos, many choose to bring a special blanket, hat or memento from home to make their session special.

Photos are posted to a password protected, online slideshow for families to view and share shortly after the photo shoot. You, and anyone you share your password with, can order popular packages the same day or wait until you get home.

While the initial photo shoot is complimentary, purchasing images is done easily through the Bella Baby website.

View Video >

You can now pre-register to get priority for your in-hospital photo session. 

Download our What to Expect from Your Photoshoot guide and visit Bella Baby Photography for more information.

Tours, Classes, & Other Resources

Tours
If you're expecting a baby or thinking of starting a family, we encourage you to take a free tour of the Shore Maternity Care Center.

When touring our facility, we currently have two options to suit your needs.

• General Tour - If you're expecting a baby or thinking of starting a family, we invite you to take a tour of Shore’s Maternity Care Center. Come see for yourself the beautiful surroundings and meet our staff. Tours are usually held on Thursday afternoons anytime between 3-5pm.

Call 609-653-3684 to schedule a tour today.

Shore Beginnings: Prenatal and Wellness
Shore Medical Center's Family Life Services is staffed by registered nurses trained to educate and support families as you prepare for your birth experience.

Patient Education/Support
At Shore, we pride ourselves in catering to the various needs of our mothers and babies. For this reason, we are excited to introduce Shore Beginnings: Prenatal and Wellness. With these services and more, we are excited to bring to you the most current and evidence-based information in childbirth and breastfeeding education.

• Lamaze Childbirth Classes - Shore Beginnings offers Lamaze classes by trained Lamaze instructors of Lamaze International. Lamaze promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting and will help you make informed decisions before, during, and after your childbirth experience.
• Breastfeeding your Baby - Learn about the importance of breastfeeding for both you and your baby and practice some techniques to prepare you to get breastfeeding off to a great start. You will meet Shore’s Lactation Consultants and leave feeling comfortable and confident in learning to breastfeed.
• Private Breastfeeding Consultations – Are you having trouble with breastfeeding or just have a question you need answered? Please feel free to contact our lactation department directly for a consultation held in our private lactation office. Phone consultations also available.