Family Birthing Center Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions about our Family Birthing Center below!
What is the difference between delivering a baby in a traditional hospital setting and delivering in a Birthing Center?
There are many women who would prefer to deliver their baby at home. We try to bring that home feeling into our unit, but if there’s an emergency, we are ready. We think of our unit as a delivery-at-home experience with medical resources right there.
Can I go through labor and delivery in the same room?
Yes. We consider the whole family’s experience in our Birthing Center rooms. We have a pullout bed for the mom’s partner or other support person to stay, a rocking chair—all amenities women have told us they want.
How many support people, such as doulas, friends, partners or family members are allowed to be with me in the labor and birthing room?
Two at a time—three if one of them is a doula. We need to have enough room for additional staff to come in if we need to provide emergency care.
How does the Birthing Center help women manage pain during labor? What if I don’t want any drugs during my labor?
It always depends on the woman’s preferences. Some women don’t want to feel any pain and ask for an epidural right away. There are Jacuzzis in each room, as well as birthing stools, squatting bars, aromatherapy—all additional options for having a drug-free but less painful birth experience. Our staff model is to follow the mom’s wishes—but it’s up to the baby sometimes too!
How many women in labor does each nurse typically care for?
We have one nurse caring for every two women in early labor, one-on-one nursing care for each woman during active labor and two nurses for each woman at birth—one for the mother and one for the baby.
What kind of breastfeeding education and support is available to new moms?
A lactation consultant sees every patient in the Mother and Baby Unit and all our nurses are required to have breastfeeding training. There is always someone available to help new moms learn how to breastfeed. We also have a dedicated Breastfeeding Clinic for outpatient assistance.
Do you have any mandatory tests or procedures for newborns?
We are required by law to do routine hearing tests and a congenital heart screenings on all babies before they leave. We also place babies with their mothers “skin-to-skin” for an hour immediately after they are born.
Does the hospital accept cord blood donations or arrange for them to be given to a public cord blood bank?
Yes—as long the arrangements are set up before labor. There is no charge to donate to a cord blood bank, but there is a fee to store the cord for your own child, which is called “banking” the cord.
Contact Us
Call 773-989-6200 for a midwifery appointment or 773-878-7787 for an appointment with an OB/GYN.
