Family Birth Center > At The Hospital > Parking, Admitting

Parking, admitting

From Louisiana Avenue

If you have scheduled induction or feel well enough to walk, park in the Orange Ramp (Louisiana Avenue entrance). Tickets can be validated for a reduced parking fee. The first visit to the lot will cost $2 (validated at Admitting G-150). On the discharge day, you will receive a coupon for a discounted rate of $4. Free parking and shuttle service, from the Red Lot at Lousiana Avenue and Oxford Street, is available from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m for days between admission and discharge.

Enter the Meadowbrook Building at ground level, go to the hospital’s elevator bank down the hall and take the elevators to the third floor. The family Birth Center is in 3 West, to the right of the elevators.

If you arrive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., enter through the Emergency Center.

From Excelsior Boulevard

When you enter the hospital from Excelsior Boulevard, proceed to the Family Birth Center on the third floor. If you completed and returned your preadmission form to Methodist Hospital by your eighth month of pregnancy, you only need to show your insurance card and photo ID, verify some information and sign your name.

If you arrive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., enter through the Emergency Center.

OB triage unit

You first will be taken to the OB triage unit. Here you will be asked about what you have been experiencing and when you think labor began. You will be evaluated for cervical change and your contractions. The baby's heartbeat will be monitored for at least 20 minutes. Your nurse will review your prenatal care and history with you for any updates.

Once your nurse has assessed your labor, you may be transferred to your birthing room. If membranes have ruptured or the cervix has progressed to active or near-active labor, you will be moved to a birthing room. If you're not in active labor, you may be encouraged to stay in the OB triage unit and walk until you have progressed further. You could be in the OB triage unit for 20 minutes to 30 minutes or for several hours. It is possible you may be sent back home.

If you are scheduled to have labor induced, note that inductions sometimes need to be rescheduled due to priority medical cases.