Specialties & Services

Birth Planning

Birth planning helps you feel informed and prepared by identifying your preferences, goals, and care options for labor and delivery. At BJC HealthCare, our team supports birth planning so you can feel confident and comfortable with your birth experience.

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Why choose us?

At BJC HealthCare, you can feel confident knowing experienced care teams, advanced resources, and compassionate support are with you and your baby every step of the way. When you plan your birth at BJC you can expect:

  • Care focused on you and your family: We listen to your birth plan, comfort preferences, and goals, working with you to create a safe and supportive experience.
  • Dedicated nursing care: Nurses have specialized training in maternity care so you can rely on a team that is able to provide the exact physical, emotional, and educational support when and where you need it.
  • Comprehensive services: From routine deliveries to high‑risk pregnancies, we offer a full range of care, including access to specialized newborn intensive care units (NICUs).
  • Education and preparation: Classes, tours, and resources help you feel informed and ready for your baby’s arrival.

Birth planning services for labor and delivery

Labor and delivery looks different for everyone. Understanding what services can support your birthing goals—and including them in a birthing plan—is a helpful way to feel prepared and empowered during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum.

Pain management

 BJC offers several types of pain management, including regional anesthesia (epidural or spinal block), general anesthesia (during emergency C-sections or in urgent medical situations), and intravenous (IV) pain medication. Our obstetric anesthesiologists are specially trained in maternity care and will meet with you before labor to discuss your pain relief requests.

Skin-to-skin contact

 Skin-to-skin contact for babies within the first 10 minutes of birth builds a biochemical bond that can help babies breastfeed quicker, regulate their temperature better, and fight infection. For mom, it can help reduce the risk of postpartum depression and improve responses to their baby’s cues.

Delayed cord clamping

 For nine months, the umbilical cord funneled all the things your baby needed to grow. With delayed cord clamping, that connection goes a little longer. In this step, cord clamping is prolonged until 60 seconds after the baby is born. The extra seconds of connection can provide extra nutrients and stem cells to help with neurodevelopment and prevent anemia.

Golden Hour

 Golden Hour—the first 60 to 120 minutes after birth—typically involves skin-to-skin contact, early breastfeeding, delayed cord clamping, and delays non-urgent medical procedures so mom and baby can bond. Golden Hour often leads to better bonding, lower newborn stress levels, improved uterine recovery, less postpartum blood loss, and more stable body temperatures. While typically done after a vaginal birth, modifications can also be possible for C-section deliveries. Ask your care team for more insights about the Golden Hour to see if it's right for you.

Lactation support
Breastfeeding can take time. That's why it's critical to start the process early, so mother and baby can both learn the process together. BJC offers inpatient and at-home (virtual visit) support through our international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) specialists.

Birthing tools and resources

Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy can be a helpful tool for people in labor to improve relaxation, help movement, reduce blood pressure, and manage pain. All labor rooms have a seated shower for mothers to sit or stand in and select labor and delivery suites have soaking tubs. Fetal heart monitoring may be done intermittently while in the water or a mobile fetal heart monitoring device may be used. While hydrotherapy can be used to support labor, we do not deliver the baby in the water. When delivery is near, you will be assisted back to your bed for delivery.  If you’re interested in hydrotherapy, please speak with your provider before labor.

Birthing balls 

A birth ball, also known as a labor ball, is a standard physiotherapy ball that you often find in gyms. It is made from anti-burst material and usually has a non-slip finish so that it can securely grip the floor. The therapy ball used for pregnancy and labor should be between 65cm and 75cm in height when inflated. The birth ball can be used as an alternative to walking or resting in bed and can help relieve discomfort. A birth ball can be requested as part of your birth plan.

Mobile fetal heart monitoring

During labor, your provider and nurse will be checking your baby's heart rate to track how well the baby is doing using an electronic fetal heart monitor. Some locations also offer mobile fetal heart monitoring which allows you to walk around during labor. Mobile fetal heart monitors are also waterproof so they can be used during hydrotherapy. You may also have the option to have intermittent rather than continuous fetal heart monitoring if you and your baby's vitals are normal.

Childbirth and parenting classes

BJC offers a variety of in-person and virtual classes, covering areas like:

  • Childbirth
  • Caring for a newborn
  • Breastfeeding
  • Postpartum support

In-person and virtual tours of some childbirth centers are also available.

Locations near you.