Birthing

Experience childbirth in our state-of-the-art labor and delivery unit

After months of anticipating your baby’s arrival, you want to know that you’ll have everything you need during childbirth.

Our family-centered maternity services include:

Birth preference plan

Before you arrive, we will ask you to complete a short birth preference plan that gives you a chance to outline your wishes during labor and delivery, including who you would like to have in the room with you. Many people bring a support person or doula to labor; some people also bring other family members or friends. You may bring whomever you wish to support you during your labor and delivery. Children and siblings are invited as long as they are supervised by another adult at all times. However, if people in your room are making your labor more difficult, they may be asked to sit in the waiting area. We are fully committed to creating an environment that supports you during this important time.

We encourage you to complete your birth plan, discuss it with your healthcare provider, and then share it with your nurse when you come for your birth. We know that many moms change their minds about their plan as labor progresses. So, although you state your wishes on your birth plan, you can change them at any point before or during labor. Also, pack a hospital bag two weeks in advance of your expected due date.

Natural birthing services

You can request natural services to make the birthing process more comfortable, including birthing balls, breathing techniques, massage, hydrotherapy and music.

Assisted birthing services

We also provide epidurals and other medication options.

Providing care from highly skilled nurses

A nurse will be dedicated to taking care of you and your baby in your private room.

Mother-baby bonding

Unlike traditional postpartum care, where mother and baby are often separated and receive individual care, family-centered maternity care keeps families together with a mother-baby nurse to care for both of you in the comfort and convenience of your room. Our nurses recommend skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby right after birth to encourage the bonding experience.

Spacious rooms

Texas Children's Pavilion for Women offers spacious labor and delivery rooms designed specifically for the needs of women. Each room provides a home-like setting for mother’s relaxation, including large windows, a jetted tub, birth ball, a glider rocker and iPod speaker. All rooms are spacious enough to accommodate women who prefer to labor out of bed, and available wireless fetal monitoring makes it possible to easily move around the room. Women labor, deliver their baby and recover for 2-4 hours here before moving to the Mother Baby Unit for the remainder of their stay. Promoting mother-baby bonding is part of our family-centered approach to maternity care.