Maternity and Childbirth Services

Birth Care Suites
Having your baby at St. Luke's means being able to labor, deliver, recover and care for you and your baby all in the same room. Our spacious, private Birth Care Suites offer many comforts and amenities.

Learn more and see the suites

Special Extras
We know that sometimes it's the little extras that make a big difference - the things that make your experience more comfortable and special.

Check out some of the special extras

Special Care Nursery - Neonatal Intensive Care
For babies that need extra medical attention or arrive early, there's peace of mind knowing St. Luke's can provide advanced care. Our Level II neonatal nursery, The Saigh Foundation Special Care Nursery, is equipped to care for preemies delivered as early as 30 weeks and multiples and newborns needing specialized medical care.

Learn more about our Special Care Nursery

Birth Plan options
We support a full range of labor and birth options to help personalize your experience.

See birth options & create your birth plan

Your Care Team
A specially trained registered nurse, along with an obstetrician, will manage your care throughout your labor and your baby's birth. You also have access to a full team of specialists, if needed.

Learn more about Your Care Team

Packing your hospital bag
Download our Hospital Packing List (PDF) , a helpful checklist for your hospital admission and baby's birth.

Arriving at the hospital - where to go
Upon arrival at the hospital, expectant parents go directly to the Birth Care Suites information area on the fifth floor. Complimentary valet parking is available from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, in front of the hospital's main lobby. Parents who arrive between the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. are advised to use the Emergency Department entrance, located on the second level of the hospital. Temporary parking is available in this area.

Donating cord blood
Immediately after the birth of your baby, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. If you choose to collect your cord blood for donating or banking for personal use, another clamp is placed 8 to 10 inches away from the first, then the isolated section is cut and the cord blood is collected.

Most hospitals routinely collect cord blood at birth, with the consent of the parents, since it is relatively convenient and birth is the only time it is possible to do. St. Luke's participates in collecting cord blood donations for the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank.

CertaScan - Newborn footprints and screenings
St. Luke's is the first and only hospital in the St. Louis area to offer a new process that replaces ink footprints with digital footprints for enhanced security and convenience. After birth, your baby's footprints are digitally scanned with a small optical scanner (a quick, painless and inkless process). The digital footprints are uploaded to the baby's medical record and stored in a secure database where they can be used for precise identification in emergency situations. Parents receive a complimentary birth certificate with their baby's footprints and can also download the digital image online to create additional keepsakes.

Babies born at St. Luke's Hospital are screened for a variety of conditions, as required by the state of Missouri, including phenylketonuria (PKU), galactosemia, thyroid disease, sickle cell disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia. In addition, all babies have their hearing tested using the latest technology. The hearing screening is non-invasive and painless.

Breastfeeding Support and Resources
For moms who choose to breastfeed, we offer a wealth of support and resources. Our onsite Lactation Center is staffed by board-certified lactation consultants who make personal visits to help with breastfeeding while you are in the hospital. They are also available for telephone and outpatient consultations after you've gone home.

Learn more about breastfeeding support and resources

Visitors
St. Luke's family-centered maternity care approach focuses care around the mother, father and baby, as well as involving siblings and grandparents during this happy time. We offer open visiting hours so you can decide when you want family members and friends to visit. Children are welcome to visit, but must be accompanied at all times by an adult. To protect the health of your new baby, we ask that all visitors be free from colds and other illness.

For the well-being of all patients, St. Luke's is a smoke-free environment and visitors may not smoke in the hospital.

Safety and Security
The safety of you and your baby is of utmost importance to us. All newborns are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Babies are given special security IDs during their stay. Access to the Well Baby and Special Care Nurseries is limited. We employ a variety of additional security measures to safeguard our most precious patients, including the latest technology to capture newborn footprints digitally for enhanced security.

Bella Baby Photos
Baby's first photos are a keepsake for life. For that reason, St. Luke's Hospital brings experienced photographers from Bella Baby Photography to the hospital to capture your baby's precious first photograph with a natural, artistic style. Your professional mini photo shoot can take place right in the comfort of your hospital room.

Learn more and see some of the precious baby photos

Commemorate your baby's birth on our Footprints Wall
St. Luke's Footprints Wall is a wonderful way to celebrate your new child or grandchild. You can commemorate his or her birth with a plaque on the Footprints Wall as a lasting tribute to all to see.

Learn more about the Footprints Wall