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Preparing to welcome a child is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, especially for new parents. Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital (SSMH) seeks to make pregnancy and delivery as smooth as possible with a family-friendly, spa-like atmosphere, expert obstetrics staff and its free series of expectant parents classes addressing common questions and concerns ahead of delivery.

Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital opened its doors on August 25, 1942, and the first baby was born shortly after—Patricia Molly Erway, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mason Erway, made her arrival at 3:30 am on August 26. Since then, the hospital has brought over 22,000 new lives into the world.

The hospital averages between 250 – 300 deliveries per year and offers tours of its upgraded obstetrics suite for expecting parents. In 2013, the unit was upgraded to embrace a relaxing, spa-like ambiance with private rooms, entertainment, café style menus, soothing color palette and an even more family-friendly design featuring pull-out couches to encourage the mother’s support person to stay throughout the entire labor/delivery.

Featuring highly trained staff and cutting-edge equipment like the GE Panda Warmer, which provides scales, biometrics monitoring, warming and clinical tools all in one convenient, comfortable location, SSMH combines the personal one-on-one attention of a rural community hospital with first-class care and compassion.

To help parents prepare for their new bundle of joy, the hospital also offers a free series of classes addressing pregnancy, labor/delivery methods, pain management, breastfeeding, caring for newborns and bonding with older siblings. Parents are also invited to tour the SSMH OB Unit ahead of delivery to familiarize themselves with the nursery, labor and recovery rooms.

Unable to tour in person? Join us for a virtual tour as Janie Hilfiger, Chief Administrative Officer, gives a personal walkthrough of what you can expect when you’re expecting! With over 75 years of experience serving our community, a national A safety rating and a greater array of specialty services than ever before, Soldiers + Sailors Memorial Hospital is here to meet all your healthcare needs close to home.

For more information on SSMH’s obstetrics team or expectant parents series, call (570) 723-0375 or visit UPMCsusquehanna.org.