Family-Centered Childbirth Customized to Your Comfort
When you give birth at St. Luke’s, we won’t put you in one room for labor, another for delivery and yet another for your maternity stay. You’ll be able to labor, deliver, recover and care for your baby all in the same birth care room. The private, spacious suites at St. Luke’s are designed to feel more like a supportive, homelike environment so you can focus on your health and your baby. Everything we need to take care of you and your baby is on the same floor of the same building. And we’ll bring everything we need to you so you and your family can enjoy optimal privacy and quality time.
Our birth care suite amenities include:
- Flat-screen TVs with DVD
- Hotel-style room service and a complimentary meal for you and your support person
- Large windows
- Private bathrooms with large showers
- Sofa sleepers for your support person to stay
- Whirlpool labor tubs – several rooms offer this for moms choosing unmedicated, natural labors
- Wi-Fi
Cesarean Section Births
If you have a C-section, the obstetrical unit operating room is just down the hall, adjacent to the birth care suites for your safety and convenience. A dedicated anesthesiologist is also available nearby.
Welcoming Your Little One
We encourage your support person to share in the birth of your baby and can tailor your experience to your specific requests. We do not separate mom and partner ever in the process unless there is an emergency, unlike places that have the partner step out of the room for anesthesia or until the OR is completely ready. We perform skin-to-skin contact with mom immediately after delivery, and we encourage the partner to do skin-to-skin also if they are comfortable. The first hour after delivery is strictly bonding time between the new family. We will continue to take care of the mom and baby but will leave all assessments and care for after that first hour. Breastfeeding in the first hour is encouraged and assisted as needed.
If you desire, you can also have family members and friends visit with your doctor’s approval. During the first hours after you give birth, we’ll encourage and support your active participation in your newborn's care and feeding in the suite.
As part of our family-centered care, we encourage your newborn to stay in the suite as much as you’d like unless medical conditions require otherwise. This helps you get to know your baby and their feeding cues with the backup of experienced nurses who can teach and assist you. We also realize that new parents need to rest and care for themselves, so they can take advantage of our 24-hour nursery for naps or nighttime sleep. We can bring the baby in to breastfeed on demand and then take it back to the nursery, as the family wishes.