View current visitation guidelines.

The Center for Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the Little Patuxent Specialty Care Center is equipped to manage any high-risk situation that may arise during your pregnancy and to provide you with comprehensive care. The center is staffed by Johns Hopkins specialists board-certified in Maternal Fetal Medicine.

Requests for still photography should be made with your physician  or nurse midwife in advance of your delivery. Still photography is allowed, as directed by your physician or nurse midwife, in the following locations: labor room, birthing/delivery room and operating room.

Still photography is at the discretion of your physician or nurse midwife. You and your family must comply if they request discontinuing the use of photography devices. Video recording is NOT permitted in the labor, birthing/delivery and operating rooms until you have received approval by our delivery staff AND are in the postpartum phase. Photos and videos may be taken in the privacy of your postpartum room. Visitors must have consent from the newborn’s parents or guardians for newborn or bereavement photography.

Should you need or request an epidural, your obstetrician will decide the optimal time in your labor process. Your labor coach will be asked to step out of the room while the epidural is being administered.

The Birthing Center has two state-of-the-art, fully equipped operating rooms and a pediatrician is present at all C-sections.

A doula is a trained, non-medical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to individuals and families before, during and after childbirth. Doulas have many benefits; studies have shown that pregnant Individuals supported by doulas are more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births and shorter labors and are less likely to have cesarean or instrumental deliveries. Doulas can be beneficial for all types of births, including unmedicated, medicated and C-sections. Their support is adaptable to the needs and preferences of each birthing individual. Read more about the benefits of using a doula and how to find one at DONA International.

When you come to a hospital in the Johns Hopkins Health System to give birth, your doula is also welcome. Doulas are not employees of the hospital; they are employed solely by the individual giving birth. If individuals are interested in having a doula present at birth, it is their responsibility to find and pay for the doula. Doulas are not provided by Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center.  Please note that individuals will be financially responsible for the cost of the doula's services. It is important to discuss fees upfront and understand the financial obligations, as no reimbursement is provided by the hospital. View Johns Hopkins Medicine Doula Guidelines >>

In the unlikely event that your child requires specialized care after birth, he or she will be taken immediately to the NICU and attended by our Johns Hopkins pediatric intensive care team.

All of our maternal and child nurses are trained to you assist you with breastfeeding. Our lactation consultant is also available and can be reached at 410-740-7830, even after you have taken your baby home.

Please bring a going-home outfit for your baby, including a weather-appropriate blanket and hat. Also, have someone bring your infant car seat to your room before you leave. Bring only the baby CARRIER to room. Leave the base secured in your car.

Contact: K.I.S.S. (Kids in Safety Seats) at 410-767-6016 or www.mdkiss.org.  For car inspection call 410-313-6090.

Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center does not issue birth certificates. All birth certificates are issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics and you must apply to receive a copy and pay a fee. Go to the Vital Chek website or call Maryland Vital Records at 410-764-3038 or 1-800-832-3277.

The Social Security card is mailed to the new parents within three to four weeks after the birth of their baby. The process is initiated from the hospital and there are no separate documents that need to be submitted outside of the hospital.