To make your delivery as pleasant and safe as possible, St. Joseph combines the comforts of home with modern technology. With just one patient per room, our Labor, Delivery and Recovery (LDR) rooms provide the privacy needed during this special time in your life.
Our operating rooms in the birthing unit are used for Cesarean births. Experienced physicians, certified nurse-midwives and nurses provide high-quality care, and central fetal monitoring assures that your baby’s heart rate is observed at all times. In fact, our nurses are trained in current Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) monitoring techniques and will be there to ensure that you and your baby are safe and as comfortable as possible.
After delivery, a specialized newborn assessment and admission nurse will focus exclusively on your baby to provide a smooth transition to his or her new surroundings. Meanwhile, the labor nurse will continue to care for you during your recovery stay in Labor & Delivery.
At St. Joseph, onsite 24-hour staffing by a board-certified obstetrician ensures continuous access to emergency care. You will also have 24-hour access to board-certified anesthesiologists and pain management services.
Certified Nurse-Midwives
More and more, women are choosing to have certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) as partners in their childbirth experience. CNMs take a holistic approach, addressing a woman’s emotional and spiritual needs, as well as her physical needs. At St. Joseph Medical Center, our CNMs provide moms-to-be with warmth and reassurance through every stage of their pregnancy. Expecting moms depend on the certified nurse-midwives to care for their needs through all stages of pregnancy. Round-the-clock, in-hospital midwife coverage guarantees a midwife is available to provide care during your labor and birth.
At St. Joseph Medical Center, the midwives of Women’s Health Associates have admitting privileges, granted by St. Joseph’s medical staff, and they are certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Among the services they provide are:
- Comprehensive prenatal care
- Delivering at St. Joseph Medical Center, offering full obstetrical services including perinatal and neonatal specialists
- Personalized, family-centered approach to pregnancy and childbirth
- Comprehensive care, including education, nutrition and exercise counseling
- Birth planning based on your wishes, including use or nonuse of pain medication
Our midwives consult with St. Joseph Medical Center OB/GYN physicians if there is a problem that may put mother or baby at risk.
