We are nearing the close of what has surely been a historically difficult year, between the many surges of COVID-19 and political tension at home and abroad. It is only natural to feel weighed down by these difficulties and to want to look ahead to next year with some degree of hope.

The doctors and staff of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital (USC-VHH) have also felt the difficulties of the year. But the hospital has also witnessed much joy. This year, we had the privilege of delivering a record-breaking number of babies – 50% more than last year – and we anticipate that this pattern will continue into 2021.

If you are newly expecting or considering expanding your family, you can be confident that USC-VHH’s Beginnings Family Birth Center is committed to providing exceptional care and support throughout the pregnancy journey with enhanced protocols to decrease the risk of COVID-19 infection.

For those early in their pregnancy, our tours of the labor and delivery ward have gone virtual. From the safety of a home computer, new families can see the hospital’s private labor, delivery and recovery suites. A link to the online tour is available by emailing Teri.Rice@med.usc.edu. In addition to the labor and delivery rooms, the tour offers a peek into our postpartum rooms where babies room-in with mom and remain under the care of the same nursing team throughout their entire stay. For babies who might need more specialized care, the tour provides a glimpse of our private suites in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Our education team is available by phone, email and videoconference for any follow-up questions about planning for a delivery at USC-VHH.

We offer in-person maternity classes with limited capacity, social distancing and mandatory face coverings. Interested new mothers can now sign up for classes on breastfeeding or baby care basics, as well as the support group for new mothers.

When the time comes for baby’s arrival, our staff is well-prepared. New mothers are tested for COVID-19 when they are admitted for delivery. Each new mom may have one birthing support person who will stay in the hospital throughout the duration of the delivery. Our hospital will provide sleeping accommodations and meals to remove any risk of the support person being exposed to the novel coronavirus in the community.

We encourage anyone who has questions about our labor and delivery services, or even general questions about managing a pregnancy in these times, to call (818) 790-7100 or visit USCVHH.org.

To begin 2021 on a playful note, we will once again be holding our annual contest to guess the birth time and weight of our first baby born in the new year. Details about participation and prizes will be available on the USC-VHH Hospital Foundation Facebook page in early December: https://www.facebook.com/uscvhhf.