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A nurse assists new parents shortly after delivery at Lakeland Regional Health, where maternity, neonatal and postpartum care are provided under one roof. | Courtesy Lakeland Regional Health
But access to high-quality maternity care remains uneven across Florida, particularly for high-risk pregnancies. Nearly 1 in 5 Florida counties are classified as maternity care deserts, according to March of Dimes.
To address those gaps locally, Lakeland Regional Health centralized maternity, neonatal and pediatric services in the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, which opened in 2018. The goal was to keep specialized pregnancy and newborn care — including high-risk services — available in Polk County, reducing the need for families to travel elsewhere.
Now, Lakeland Regional Health has been named “High Performing” for Maternity Care by the U.S. News & World Report, placing it among just 13 hospitals statewide.
Making births safer with fewer complications and keeping care close to home are the priority, according to Lori Shea, associate vice president of Women’s and Children’s Services at Lakeland Regional Health.
While Lakeland Regional Health primarily serves Polk County, patients also travel from Hardee and Hillsborough counties for maternity care, reflecting its role as a regional provider.
What’s making a difference
All inpatient maternity services at Lakeland Regional Health are delivered at the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, centralizing labor, delivery and newborn care in one location.
A patient’s team of doctors and providers play a key role when managing labor decisions for lower-risk pregnancies.
“That communication between doctors, nurses and the patient is really important,” Shea said, noting that education and shared decision-making help families feel engaged in their care.
“Being a high-performing maternity care center means focusing on the safe care and delivery to our moms and babies, first and foremost, avoiding unnecessary interventions such as C-sections, and making sure that our care is aligned with national and evidence-based standards,” Shea said.
C-sections are sometimes the safest option for mother and baby. But, avoiding unnecessary C-sections can support better outcomes, including faster recovery, lower complication risk and improved outcomes for future pregnancies.
At Lakeland Regional Health, decisions around C-sections are made through shared decision-making, patient education, and close collaboration between OBs, nurses, anesthesia, and neonatal teams.
The “High-Performing” designation from the U.S. News & World Report is based on patient outcomes and evidence-based practices. The evaluation looks at factors such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding and adherence to nationally recognized, birthing-friendly standards.
Newborn support and breastfeeding
Lakeland Regional Health operates Polk County’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, allowing families to receive advanced newborn care supported by neonatologists, pediatric subspecialists and surgeons.
Beyond immediate treatment, Shea said access to those resources can influence long-term outcomes.
“We want to give babies the best start to life,” she said, noting that early, specialized care supports healthier development over time.
At Lakeland Regional Health, breastfeeding support starts before delivery and continues after families return home. That includes prenatal classes, bedside support during the hospital stay and outpatient follow-up when challenges arise.
“We have a full team of lactation consultants that are here from very early in the morning until about 10 o’clock at night,” Shea said. “That gives us the opportunity to partner with moms or birthing persons and support them in their success with breastfeeding.”
Support is tailored to each situation. For families and premature babies or newborns facing medical complications, options may include pumping support, donor human milk or alternative feeding plans.
“If they’re not able to breastfeed because we have a preterm baby or a baby with complications, we really focus on what other alternatives we have to support them,” Shea said.
Nurses also play a key role in reinforcing that care, ensuring support continues even when lactation consultants are assisting other patients.
That support doesn’t end at discharge. Families can return for outpatient lactation visits, weight checks and additional guidance as newborn feeding needs evolve.
Mental health matters, too
Maternal mental health care is coordinated across both women’s health services and Lakeland Regional Health’s behavioral health system, with screenings and initial support occurring in inpatient and outpatient settings. Patients who need additional care are referred to community partners and the Harrell Family Center for Behavioral Wellness.
“We do assessments and screenings prior to moms leaving, and then we have resources available to provide care, inpatient and outpatient as well.”
The goal, she said, is to ensure parents leave supported — physically and emotionally.
“We want moms who are strong and able to care for their babies,” Shea said.
Insight Polk examines community conditions and solutions in six target areas from UCIndicators.org: economic & employment opportunity, education, housing, food security, transportation & infrastructure, and quality of life.
LkldNow’s Insight Polk independent reporting is made possible by the United Community Indicators Project with funding by GiveWell Community Foundation & United Way of Central Florida. All editorial decisions are made by LkldNow.
Kayla Borg is a Lakeland native and graduate of Western Carolina University, where she earned her degree in English and film production. She began her media career in Atlanta at CNN, quickly rising from production assistant editor to technical director/editor, leading live broadcasts alongside field reporters. Since then, she’s worked in education, instructional design and independent filmmaking.
