UChicago Medicine (Chicago) [Doctor-Attended Birth]

The Family Birth Center: The UChicago Medicine Family Birth Center offers a warm and welcoming space for pregnant and birthing parents. From prenatal care through labor and delivery, our obstetricians and midwives support customized birth experiences with compassionate care.

Equipped with private delivery suites, two large natural birthing suites and state-of-the-art operating rooms, the Family Birth Center was designed to optimize your comfort, safety and options as you welcome your newest loved one.

From the moment you arrive at the hospital to the moment your family is discharged, you will experience a nurturing environment for one of your most cherished milestones.

Our team of dedicated experts offers:

• Birthing options to accommodate your needs and preferences
• Labor support services and amenities for your personal and environmental comfort
• Pain management options to help you cope during labor

Our focus remains on you and how you experience your child’s birth.

Cesearean delivery approach: “At the Family Birth Center, vaginal delivery is the goal whenever possible. Even for some mothers who have had one or two cesarean deliveries (C-sections), we offer trial of labor after cesarean/vaginal birth after cesarean (TOLAC/VBAC).

Cesarean delivery is considered only under circumstances elevate the risk of complications with vaginal birth, such as:

• Certain health conditions
• Certain fetal disorders
• Fetal distress, such as a drop in the baby’s heart rate
• Problems with the umbilical cord or placenta
• Prolonged or obstructed labor (when the baby is not delivering vaginally)
• Multiple births (twins, triplets or more)
• Sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV or genital herpes

Whether you deliver vaginally or by cesarean, our team will explore every option possible to engage you and your family in a cherished experience that feels like exactly what it is — your child’s birth, not just a procedure.

‘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 in the operating room after cesarean delivery.

Postpartum recovery and bonding: The moments after your child’s birth are a time for bonding and healing. Our private postpartum suites provide an optimal environment to support both. At the Family Birth Center, we follow recommended practices to encourage immediate bonding with your newborn and offer breastfeeding support. Our staff remains close by and attentive as you and your baby adjust to physical and emotional changes, leaving as much personal space as we can to respect your family’s need for privacy.

We encourage immediate bonding after vaginal and cesarean deliveries. At the Family Birth Center, we routinely follow evidence-based best practices, such as skin-to-skin (kangaroo care), rooming in (couplet care) and early breastfeeding.

After delivery, you and your spouse, partner or co-parent may prefer to spend time alone with your newborn. Or, you may choose to invite siblings, grandparents or other loved ones. Our visitor policies prioritize safety first, while welcoming your family members and friends.

When possible, our team may facilitate an early discharge, allowing your family to continue bonding in the comfort of your own home. We can also help connect you with a pediatrician at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital before you leave.

Family & Guest Accommodations: Our team welcomes your team. We offer convenient accommodations for spouses, partners, co-parents, intended parents, children and doulas, as well as other family members and guests supporting your childbirth experience. If their presence is important to you, it’s important to us, too.

Breastfeeding support: “The Family Birth Center is internationally recognized as a birth facility that offers optimal care for breastfeeding mothers and babies. Our designation as a Baby-Friendly Hospital acknowledges our commitment to providing care based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)-endorsed Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.”

“At the Family Birth Center, our entire care team is fully equipped with training and resources to offer extensive support for breastfeeding moms and babies, including:

• Our free 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”

Family Connects: UChicago Medicine’s Family Connects program provides in-home nursing support to help new parents navigate the critical first months after their newborn’s birth. Through this program, Chicago families receive a visit from a registered nurse about three weeks after their newborn’s birth. This visit offers benefits for newborns and parents, as well as other family members and caregivers. Learn more

Your physician or midwife can help you understand your risk factors and whether or not a trial of labor after cesarean is a recommended option for you. It may depend on certain personal health factors, such as:

• The type of uterine incision used with your previous C-section(s)
• Whether or not you plan to have more children
• Whether you have a maternal-fetal condition that could complicate vaginal delivery
• Number of prior c-sections

If you have a history of uterine rupture or if you’ve had more than 2 prior c-sections, TOLAC/VBAC is not a safe recommendation for you.

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.

Designated as “Baby-Friendly”, the Family Birth Center is internationally recognized as a birth facility that offers optimal care for breastfeeding mothers and babies. Baby-Friendly designation acknowledges commitment to providing care based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)-endorsed Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

The University of Chicago Medicine has received its 14^th consecutive A grade in hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group, making it the only academic medical center in Chicago to consistently earn the top score from the prestigious industry watchdog. The hospital is recognized as meeting or exceeding the standard of care for all five maternity-related measures assessed by Leapfrog.

Gold Safe Sleep designated by Cribs for Kids.