Mission Hospital McDowell offers community extraordinary Labor and Delivery services
One of the happiest reasons to be in the hospital is when a family is going to have a baby, and it’s critical that the hospital’s Labor and Delivery services be state-of-the art and sensitive to the unique needs of women in labor and newborns. At Mission Hospital McDowell (MHM), we understand that the journey to becoming a family is laced with unknowns that we must be ready for as well as joys, and we’re honored that this is the place so many newly formed families spend their first hours and days.
We’re proud that MHM has been named one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals by Newsweek magazine for 2025, and just as pleased that this is our fifth year receiving the coveted recognition. They arrive at their rankings through detailed evaluation of healthcare facilities that includes surveying hospital leaders about their maternity care services and studying patient satisfaction scores and hospital quality metrics. The ranking is also based on whether a facility has a low rate of C-sections.
What makes our Labor and Delivery services exemplary? One important factor is that we strive to follow the birthing protocols that are known to ease stress on the mother during her birthing journey and promote optimal mother-baby bonding. This has also earned us certification as a Baby-Friendly Hospital from Baby-Friendly, USA. To earn a place on this list, we must ensure that we follow specific steps supportive of mothers and babies.
For example, MHM follows the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which was developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). These practices have proven to be associated with increased breastfeeding success rates. They include ensuring that mothers and their newborns are able to “room in,” or be together 24 hours per day once the baby is born, that hospital staff members are trained in supporting breastfeeding, and that mothers are informed about and assisted with challenges that can arise when nursing. When this type of education and support is offered to new mothers, they can make informed decisions about their plans to feed their infants, and it helps them meet the goals they set for themselves and their families.
Lactation support from MHM team members doesn’t end when a family is discharged from the hospital, either. We offer both inpatient and outpatient lactation support services, thanks to the fact that we have a board-certified Lactation Consultant on staff. They visit every new mother while they’re still in the hospital to help them get a good start nursing their baby, and if needed, the new mom can schedule a visit with the Lactation Consultant if they need help after they return home. MHM also offers breastfeeding and childbirth classes, free of charge.
Another important aspect that Baby-Friendly Hospitals share — and that nurture MHM’s success with maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding — is delayed umbilical cord clamping, which prevents infant anemia. Traditionally, the umbilical cord would be clamped and cut very soon after birth. Another key practice is the hospital’s standard of skin-to-skin contact for the first hour after birth, which helps maintain the baby’s core temperature and soothes them during the womb-to-world transition.
To further support family comfort and mother-baby togetherness, MHM is equipped with five comfortable, home-like birthing suites that feature “Smart Room technology,” which allows families to access educational content about newborn care, entertainment, and more. Certified nurse midwife support is also available here in addition to advanced care from OB/GYNs. Mothers stay in their suite for their entire labor, delivery, and recovery experiences.
Because MHM offers these robust Labor and Delivery services, our community members can get this essential maternity care, close to home. They then have the best chances of having a positive birth experience and the healthiest start for their babies.
Lee Higginbotham is Chief Executive Officer of Mission Hospital McDowell in Marion. He is an accomplished healthcare leader with nearly three decades of diverse experience in healthcare. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia, Higginbotham earned his Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) from The Medical College of Virginia and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He resides in Marion. Lee is most proud to be a husband to his best friend and father of three remarkable children.