Your Center Name
Policy and Procedure Manual
Policy Title: Pregnant Students
Accreditation Standard: n/a
Review Date: / Revision Date: / Page: 1 of 1

Policy: (Your Center Name) accepts women with a stable pregnancy into the residential program. Special care and considerations in the program are made available to these students in order to meet the needs of their condition.

Procedure:

  1. A physician’s written statement that the pregnancy is stable at the time of intake must be received to be admitted.
  2. (Your Center Name) is not a medical facility. Students will be discharged on medical leave if at any time the student’s pregnancy is deemed high risk by her physician and requires more services than the (Your Center Name) can provide.
  3. Routine doctor appointments are mandatory for each pregnant student. OB appointments are scheduled for the student monthly through the seventh month of the pregnancy and then increased to every two weeks and then weekly as recommended by the student’s physician.
  4. The Student Services Office (SSO) will enroll the student in childbirth classes at (name of medical facility) at six months of the pregnancy.
  5. SSO will arrange pre-registration and a tour of labor and delivery at (name of medical facility) no later than the seventh month of the pregnancy.
  6. At eight months in the pregnancy, SSO will assist the student to complete the paperwork to sign up for cash assistance through the (name of benefit program if applicable) program. Benefits start after delivery.
  7. All staff will make the following considerations and allowances for pregnant students:
  8. Allow rest periods and naps for pregnant students due to increased fatigue related to the pregnancy starting in the first trimester and throughout length of pregnancy.
  9. Allow as needed trips to the restroom due to increased frequency related to the growth of the baby.
  10. Work therapy assignments will be free from lifting more than 10 pounds andfree from long periods of physical exertion.
  11. The student may have an approved family member attend classes with her as the coach in preparation for delivery. If the student does not have family available, the student may ask another student or a staff member to take the classes with her and act as coach during delivery.
  12. The student will have a bag packed with overnight clothing and toiletries in preparation for hospital delivery. SSO will have the student’s medical pre-registration paperwork, identification cards and insurance cards prepared in an envelope in the student’s med box.
  13. Student will notify staff on duty or staff on call if at night, when signs of labor begin. (i.e. water breaks, contractions start). Staff on duty will call the student’s physician and receive instructions about when to come to the hospital. Drive the student to the hospital when the student is in the early stages of labor.
  14. For any emergency situations, (Insert emergency medical phone number if applicable, ex: 911). Do not drive the student to the hospital if the student is in active labor and there is a chance the baby could be born on the way to the hospital.
  15. After the baby is born, the mother and child may return to the center when released from the hospital.
  16. For the first two weeks of the newborns life, mother and baby will not participate in work therapy, chapel, dining hall and other activities that would bring the baby into the general population. This allows the baby time to build up additional immunity and to establish a routine. Handling of newborns will be primarily limited to mother and roommate. Wash hands prior to handling newborn.
  17. The 7th week of the newborns stay at the center will be spent in the nursery with mother from 8am-4:30pm getting acquainted with other mothers and babies and establishing routines. Baby can attend child care full time after 6 weeks old. Mother may visit baby to breast feed as needed. Mother can be assigned to work in child care as needed.
  18. SSO will schedule mother’s post partum doctor visits, the newborn’s well baby checks and arrange transportation to these appointments.
  19. SSO will assist the student to complete paperwork for the baby’s birth certificate and social security card.