Prepare for Labor & Delivery
Learn how to get ready for childbirth at UNC Health Johnston, and discover what to expect when you come to the Women’s Pavilion in Smithfield or Women’s Center in Clayton.
When Should I Go to the Hospital?
Go to the hospital if you:
- Have had contractions every five minutes for an hour
- Have vaginal bleeding or persistent pain in your abdomen
- Your water breaks
Call your doctor or midwife whenever you have questions about your or your baby’s health.
What Should I Bring to the Hospital?
Pack a bag with:
- Blankets to keep the baby warm on the ride home
- Clothes for you and your baby to wear home
- Nursing bra, if you’ll breastfeed
Personal items to use as focal points (comforting things to look at during contractions)
Your nurses will give you a gown, socks, and baby blankets to use during your stay.
Install a Car Seat
To ensure your baby’s safe ride home, install a car seat in the vehicle you’ll take to the hospital. Visit the Clayton police station or Smithfield fire station to get help from a technician certified to install car seats.
What Happens When I Arrive?
When you arrive, a nurse will take you to our triage room to check your stage of labor. You’ll be placed on a fetal monitor that tracks your contractions and baby’s heart rate. Then, you’ll either be admitted to the hospital or sent home to wait for labor to progress further.
How Many Visitors Can I Have?*
Up to three people at a time may visit you in the labor and delivery room, and your partner may stay overnight. In the triage room, there’s space for one person to join you.
*This is subject to change. Please review our visitation policy.
When Do I Go Home?
You’ll likely stay in the hospital for one to three days. Before you leave, a nurse will give you instructions for postpartum self-care at home and help you make follow-up appointments with your doctor or midwife.
We’ll also ask the name of the pediatrician you will take your baby to after discharge. If you do not have one, ask us for help finding a doctor for your newborn.
Birth Certificate Registry
Our birth registrar will file your child’s birth certificate worksheet with the local registrar promptly and accurately within the required five-day period from the date of birth (as required by North Carolina Vital Records).
How We Record Births
We ask either of the parents to provide the infant’s name and date of birth. We also collect the parents’ demographic information so that we can make sure the birth record is accurate. If the parents aren’t married and the father wants his name printed on the birth certificate, then he must complete and sign a paternity affidavit. Once the birth certificate worksheet is complete, the mother signs the original copy. It is then sent to the Office of State Vital Records.
Getting a Copy of a Birth Certificate
You can get a copy of a birth certificate from the Office of State Vital Records. Please complete the request section on your copy of the birth certificate worksheet and follow the directions. You can also get a copy of a birth certificate from the Johnston County Register of Deeds. The office is located inside the Johnston County Courthouse at 207 E. Johnston St., Smithfield.
Birth Certificate Registry Questions
If you have specific questions about how births are registered, call 919-938-7704 to reach the birth registrar or 919-585-8621 to reach the Labor and Delivery Patient Services Manager at 919-938-7514. You may also call the North Carolina Vital Records at 919-733-3000, send a letter to 1903 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1903 or visit their website.
