Sarasota Memorial Mother Baby Unit

09/17/2025

👶✨ Choosing a pediatrician before your baby is born might seem early — but it's one of the smartest steps you can take to prepare for your child’s health.

💬 “It’s difficult to overstate the importance of finding a pediatrician that you really trust and can really feel comfortable with,” says FPG Pediatrician Ronald D. Laracuente, MD. He recommends scheduling in-person meetings at the pediatrician’s office, to get a sense of both the people and the place. “This is your time to ask all of your questions,” he says. “You want a pediatrician who will help you meet your parenting goals.”

09/08/2025

📚✨ We’re excited to share that our NICU at SMH-Sarasota, in partnership with First 1000 Days Suncoast, has launched a Mobile NICU Library!

This special initiative gives families access to books and literacy resources — supporting comfort, bonding and early language development while their babies receive NICU care.

Launched in honor of the National “Babies with Books Read-A-Thon” happening this week, the library encourages parents and caregivers to read aloud to their little ones — and every family is offered books to take home, so the love of reading can grow beyond hospital walls!💕

08/27/2025

✨👶 Your Birth, Your Way, with Peace of Mind Every Step of the Way!

Most pregnancies and deliveries are routine — but for the moments that aren’t, stands ready. With 24/7 OB hospitalists, nationally recognized labor and delivery nurses and a Level III NICU team just steps away, expectant moms and their babies are always in expert hands at SMH.

Our team works side-by-side with your doctor, nurse midwife, doula or personal support person to honor your birth plan to the best of our ability. Because it’s your moment, your baby, your SMH!

Learn more at www.smh.com/motherbaby

08/20/2025

Pediatric asthma is the leading cause of emergency room visits and hospitalizations among children?

🎙️🎧 In this episode of , Azima Khan, MD, a pediatrician with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group, explains how asthma is diagnosed and treated in children—and why educating families about this condition is so important.

08/11/2025

🍎 🚌 Summer is out and school is in!
But before sending your little ones off for another exciting year of academic adventures (or their very first!), take a moment to refresh yourself and your student on some essential tips to ensure everyone stays healthy and safe this year.

Check out a back-to-school safety guide from Sarasota Memorial's First Physicians Group: https://firstphysiciansgroup.com/school-safety-101/

08/07/2025

🤱 Since the dawn of time, moms have helped moms—offering wisdom, support and sometimes even their own milk.

Today, that same spirit of supporting others lives on at Sarasota Memorial, where we honor the history of breastfeeding while championing the modern moms of today. 💕

As the only hospitals in Sarasota County with obstetrics services, SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice are proud to offer:
✨ Private birthing suites
✨ 24/7 OB Emergency Care
✨ Certified lactation consultants and breastfeeding support
✨ Weekly mom groups to build community
✨ The only NICU in Sarasota County

07/30/2025

💙✨ Sarasota Memorial is celebrating being named one of America's Best Employers for Women, ranking 22nd out of 700 companies recognized nationally in Forbes' 2025 list!

As we celebrate our 100th anniversary this year, we pay tribute to the women who played a key role in SMH’s founding in 1925, and who have continued to shape the organization’s excellent care and extensive scope of service through the decades.

Women currently make up 76% of SMH’s 10,000-plus employees, and 73% of its leaders, according to Laurie Bennett, vice president of Human Resources.

Learn how SMH is committed to empowering employees with the support and resources to excel each day: https://www.smh.com/Home/News-Events/Release/smh-ranked-among-americas-best-employers-for-women

07/29/2025

🙌 🎉 We are thrilled to announce that SMH-Sarasota has earned top marks in U.S. News' 2025-2026 "Best Hospitals" list. This year's rankings place SMH among the nation's 50 "Best Hospitals" in America for Obstetrics/Gynecology!

👏 SMH also ranked among the nation's top 10% for 21 other "high-performing" specialties, procedures and conditions.

💙 Congrats to all of ! Your unwavering diligence and dedication to our patients and community have consistently placed SMH among the top hospitals in the nation, year after year.

07/23/2025

Nearly 2,000 seemingly healthy people under the age of 25 in the US die from sudden cardiac arrest each year?

💙 That's why SMH & All Children’s Specialty Physicians team up each year to present Cardiac Athletic Screening for Adolescents – an opportunity for parents to have their children evaluated for risk of sudden cardiac arrest, free of charge.

This year’s screenings are set for Saturday, August 2 & Saturday, August 16. 📞To schedule an appointment, call ‭941-917-1190‬.

07/17/2025

💙👶

💙👶 The first trimester is a crucial time in a woman’s pregnancy, when obstetricians monitor fetal development, manage potential risks and help ensure a safe, healthy delivery. A shortage of obstetricians, however, is making accessing prenatal care early a challenge for women in our community and across the nation.

🙌 To help close the gaps in care, SMH created a Pregnancy Care Team that is helping women access the vital care they need throughout their pregnancy.

07/02/2025

🩺 With the school year fast approaching, be sure to schedule your child's annual physical!

💬 “An annual physical is one of the best things you can do for your child’s health and wellbeing,” says Jen Storch, executive director of ambulatory services for Sarasota Memorial.

It's an opportunity to check for changes, ensure good vision and hearing, clear your child for activities and have any questions answered.

06/25/2025

👶💙 A heartfelt thank you to the amazing mothers in our community!

In 2024, the SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice Milk Depots collected an incredible 15,290 ounces of breast milk—enough to help nourish thousands of premature and medically fragile babies across Florida. Donated milk is sent to the Mothers' Milk Bank of Florida for safe processing and distribution to NICUs statewide, including SMH!

While a mother’s own milk is always best for her baby, donor milk from carefully screened mothers offers the next best option for NICU babies when it's needed most.