Childbirth Center at Parkland Health Center
Overview
Childbirth is a profound experience for an expectant parent. It’s different for every woman and every pregnancy. No matter how much you plan or envision your experience, childbirth often chooses its own agenda, which can come with some surprises that may not necessarily align with your birth plan.
At Parkland Health Center, we prepare our expectant moms to expect the unexpected when it comes to childbirth. We promise to provide you with the support and tools you need to navigate your childbirth experience confidently and safely. In fact, we encourage our expectant moms to fill out one our birth plans, discuss it with your OB-GYN at one of your monthly prenatal checkups, and then bring it with you when you come to the hospital to deliver. This is a great tool to help communicate your labor and delivery preferences to our medical team.
Patient Resources
Birthing Plan
While no two pregnancies or birth are ever alike, this plan can serve as a guide and help you think about how you want your birth to go.
Classes & Events
We are currently offering two convenient online classes covering the topics of childbirth and breastfeeding. You can register online or call 573-760-8500.
Parent Toolkit
The St. Louis Children’s Hospital parent toolkit offers expert parenting advice from physician-parents, safety education through the Safety Stop program, and resources to support families from pregnancy through to young adulthood.
Virtual Tour
At Parkland Health Center, we believe in preparing our parents for the birth of their baby. This means offering a tour of our childbirth center, so you are comfortable and confident when the big day arrives.
About the Childbirth Center
Expectant mothers need support and understanding to help them throughout the course of their pregnancy. Our OB-GYN and family practice providers at Parkland Health Center are committed to helping their patients achieve a healthy pregnancy and childbirth experience, for both low- and high-risk pregnancies.
Our providers offer personalized, compassionate care for expectant moms, understanding their needs and concerns, and collaborating with them to support their desired birth experience. In 2025, Parkland Health Center earned a High Performing designation by U.S. News & World Report in recognition of maternity care as measured by factors such as unexpected newborn complication rates, birthing-friendly practices, and transparency on racial with ethnic disparities, among other measures.
"Each new mother no doubt feels many things during her pregnancy—excitement, anticipation, and maybe a little anxiety. At Parkland Health Center our dedicated physicians and staff will walk beside each mother every step of the way, from initial appointments to ongoing care after that beautiful baby arrives." - Annette Schnabel, president of Parkland Health Center
You want only the best for your baby, and at Parkland Health Center, we offer the combination of medical expertise and compassionate care, right here at home. And in that rare case when something unexpected happens, we are prepared to care for you and your baby.
Ways to Prevent SIDS in Infants
Understanding safe sleep best practices will greatly reduce your baby’s risk of suffering a sleep-related infant death, like sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) which is the leading cause of death among babies 1 month to 1 year of age.
Your Experience
Exceptional staff: We offer a range of medical staff specifically to care for you and your baby, from prenatal care to delivery of your newborn and postpartum care. Your care team will include obstetricians (OB physicians), experienced OB nurses, nurse technicians, specialized registered nurses and paramedics from St. Louis Children’s Hospital, epidural anesthesiologists available 24/7, pediatricians, and family practice physicians.
Comfortable, home-like accommodations: Newly updated rooms have been designed to provide a comfortable family-forward environment with free WiFi, flat screen TVs, and a specialized food menu.
Specialty care partnerships: Through BJC HealthCare, we have partnerships with other hospitals including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, and St. Louis Children's Hospital, to whom we can transfer care when necessary. The neonatologists (newborn specialists) at these hospitals are only a phone call away in the event of an emergency. Together, these resources provide you and your family with outstanding medical care and peace of mind when you choose to have your baby here.