UChicago Medicine (Chicago) [Doctor-Attended Birth]
Chicago, IL 60637
Moving in labor: Free movement is encouraged during labor, including the use of peanut balls, birthing balls, and more.
Hydrotherapy tubs: Two large natural birthing suites have warm water immersion tubs.
The Family Birth Center offers a range of labor and birth aids, including:
- Birthing balls (also called labor, pushing or yoga balls)
- Peanut balls
- Pushing and squatting bars
- Birth stools (also called squatting, birthing or labor stools)
- Mirrors
- Aromatherapy diffusers
- Rice socks
Natural childbirth: Birthing parents planning a natural childbirth will be supported with unmedicated pain management options and alternatives to epidural and spinal anesthesia. The care team has extensive experience in hands-on support for natural labor pain management, including:
- Counter pressure
Hip squeeze
Pelvic presses
Staff are also trained in Spinning Babies techniques.
Epidurals: If you want or need epidural pain management, obstetric anesthesiologists offer epidural pain relief without loss of sensation or mobility.
Patient controlled epidural: The option of a patient-controlled epidural allows you to self-administer additional pain medication as you need it.
Doula is counted towards support person limit of 2 people.
Doula or partner allowed to accompany the birthing parent for triage.
Doula or partner allowed in OR for C-section.
- All nursing staff are trained to provide breastfeeding support, so there is someone to help 24/7.
- A free breastfeeding class is offered for expectant parents who are patients at the hospital
- You’ll have access to a team of lactation consultants during your hospital stay
- Baby Bistro, a free lactation support group, meets weekly.
- Yomingo: The Family Birth Center offers free access to YoMingo, a pregnancy app and education program designed for expectant parents.
Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists: A multidisciplinary maternal-fetal medicine team provides the highest level care for those experiencing a high-risk pregnancy.
A doula can be registered by the parents for admission to the NICU.
Fridge and microwave located in the common space are available for use by patients.
Soundmachines are also available for soothing white noise and soundscapes.
Accepts Medicaid: Yes
See Insurance comments for details
Audio and video interpretation are offered for virtually any language.
Outcomes
Overall C-Section Rate (Risk Adjusted) – 24.0%
As compared to Chicago-area hospitals, this rate is:
Primary C-Section Rate (Risk Adjusted) – 15.6%
As compared to Chicago-area hospitals, this rate is:
VBAC Rate (Risk adjusted ) – 34.0%
As compared to Chicago-area hospitals, this rate is:
Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate – 52.6%
As compared to Chicago-area hospitals, this rate is:
- Number of VBAC deliveries per year - 123
- Epidural Rate -
- Overall Induction Rate -
- Early Elective Deliveries - 2
- Episiotomy Rate - 1
Episiotomy: “With little evidence supporting its benefit as a birthing practice,” episiotomies are rarely performed. If you can safely deliver without an episiotomy, your preference not to have one will be supported.
The University of Chicago Medicine Family Birth Center – Hyde Park
Our team provides personalized care in a comforting and nurturing environment from triage through childbirth and recovery.
Conveniently located inside Comer Children’s Hospital on our Hyde Park medical campus, we offer:
- Private labor and delivery suites, some equipped with birthing tubs and other amenities to help support you through labor
- Private postpartum suites, where you can focus on your recovery and bonding with your newborn
- Two state-of-the-art surgical suites offering the latest advancements for cesarean deliveries (C-sections)
- A Level IV NICU just steps away, where our neonatology team provides the highest level of care for critically ill and premature infants
Labor & Delivery Suites
Labor and Birth Aids: The Family Birth Center – Hyde Park is stocked with a range of labor and birth aids, including:
- Birthing balls (also called labor, pushing or yoga balls)
- Peanut balls
- Pushing and squatting bars
- Birth stools (also called squatting, birthing or labor stools)
- Mirrors
Warm Water Immersion Therapy (Hydrotherapy Tubs): Our natural birthing suites are equipped with built-in warm water immersion therapy (hydrotherapy) tubs. During active labor, hydrotherapy can offer pain relief and other benefits prior to delivery. The water is kept at a controlled temperature to avoid dehydration.
The advantages of warm water immersion may include:
- Soothing labor pain
- Softening the perineum, which may reduce the chance of episiotomy
- Lowering blood pressure
- Increasing blood circulation, allowing more oxygen in the womb
- Enhancing comfort and flexibility in positioning
- Mental and physical relaxation
‘Gentle’ C-Sections
A C-section does involve surgery, but we understand that your experience is far more than an operation. At the Family Birth Center, our experts perform “gentle” cesareans that support an inclusive delivery and bonding experience for you and your family.
In most cases, we allow one family member or guest to accompany you in the operating room. With a gentle C-section, sometimes called a “family-centered” or “natural” cesarean, you have choices that traditionally have only been offered with vaginal births.
During a gentle C-section experience, we encourage you to see, hold, feed and start bonding with your newborn right away.
Whenever possible:
- Immediate skin-to-skin bonding is supported and encouraged with cesarean and vaginal deliveries.
- Your blood pressure cuff and any other monitoring devices are placed on one arm, leaving your other arm free to hold your baby.
- You can breastfeed after cesarean delivery.
State-of-the-Art Surgical Suites and NICU
At the Family Birth Center – Hyde Park, our team manages even the most complex births with confidence and expertise. If a cesarean delivery (C-section) is the best option for you and your baby, our surgical suites are fully equipped to provide a safe, supportive environment to personalize your birth experience. Additionally, our location inside Comer Children’s Hospital enables streamlined transfers to our Level IV NICU for newborns who need specialized care due to illness or premature birth.
Visitor Accommodations
Each private suite is equipped with a convertible sleeping cot for overnight visitors. With a maximum of three visitors at a time allowed in your suite, our Family Waiting Room is available to accommodate additional guests.
We are a Baby-Friendly USA designated hospital
The Family Birth Center – Hyde Park is internationally recognized as a birth facility that offers extensive support for breastfeeding parents and babies. With us, your entire care team is specially trained to help you and your newborn get a healthy start to breastfeeding. Our entire care team is fully equipped with training and resources to offer extensive support for breastfeeding moms and babies, including:
- Our breastfeeding class for expectant parents
- Access to our expert team of lactation consultants during your hospital stay
- Baby Bistro, our free weekly lactation support group
Click here to see Insurance Accepted.
The free Family Birth Center tour includes the Family Birth Center and 3 North Obstetrics & Newborn suites.
Space is limited to a maximum of 16 attendees. Each attendee must register individually. Tours are limited to the birth parent and one additional support person. The tour meets in the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital lobby at 5721 S. Maryland Avenue, Chicago, IL.
You can see upcoming tour dates here.
You can also see a virtual tour of the Family Birth Center using the link below.
Nurse educators lead prenatal classes for expectant parents and families. Classes are free to patients of the hospital.
Registration is required to attend a class. See the list of course options here.
The Family Birth Center offers free access to YoMingo, a pregnancy app and education program designed for expectant parents.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The content on BirthGuide does not provide medical advice. Always consult a medical provider for diagnosis and treatment....
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The content on BirthGuide does not provide medical advice. Always consult a medical provider for diagnosis and treatment. The Complementary Care Directory is a paid membership directory. Members provide the information in their listings, which is not vetted by BirthGuide. The listing of an individual or entity in this directory does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by BirthGuide. By using this directory you agree to be bound by the BirthGuide Terms & Conditions of Use. If you do not wish to be bound by these terms and conditions, please do not access the directory.
VBAC options: At the Family Birth Center, vaginal delivery is the goal whenever possible. Trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC) may be an option if you’ve had one or two prior c-sections.
C-section: If a Cesarean delivery becomes necessary, the surgical team is available to care for you 24/7.
Gentle C-Sections: In most cases, one family member or guest can accompany you in the operating room. Whenever possible, immediate skin-to-skin bonding is encouraged. Your blood pressure cuff and any other monitoring devices will be placed on one arm, leaving your other arm free to hold your baby and you will be able to breastfeed in the operating room.