Labor and delivery at Penn Medicine Princeton Health
Supportive labor and delivery at the Center for Maternal & Newborn Care
We know you’re excited to welcome your baby into the world, and so are we. Our labor and delivery team helps you give birth safely and confidently. At Penn Medicine Princeton Health (PMPH), we’re with you every step of the way, listening to your needs and providing personalized care to you and your baby.
Your team may include experts from obstetrics and maternity care (OB/GYNs), anesthesiology (pain medicine experts), midwifery, and nurses specialized in maternal and newborn care. Our spacious and private labor and postpartum suites have advanced safety features, comfortable furnishings, and hotel-style amenities. You’ll enjoy beautiful views from the top-floor windows as you recover and bond with your baby.
Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists are here to care for individuals with high-risk pregnancies. If your baby is born prematurely or needs extra care, the skilled team in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) helps them grow and heal.
Princeton Medical Center earned The Joint Commission’s prestigious Advanced Certification in Perinatal Care. This certification reflects our commitment to achieving exceptional outcomes for all women and babies, whether you have a routine or complicated pregnancy.
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Delivering your baby at the Center for Maternal & Newborn Care at PMPH
Whether you’re a first-time parent or a seasoned one, we help you know what to expect during your time at PMPH. Our childbirth and parenting education classes can help you and your family prepare to welcome a new baby. We offer a wide range of classes, including virtual and in-person birthing courses, infant care education, Daddy Boot Camp™, and sibling classes to help everyone transition into their new role.
During labor, you may be able to sit in our comforting whirlpool tub, use a birthing ball, or receive pain-relieving medication from our experienced anesthesiologists. You may choose to have a certified doula, partner, family member, or friend with you as you labor.
OB/GYN laborists are on-site 24/7 to monitor your labor and respond to emergencies. They review your medical records once you’re admitted to the hospital and communicate with your primary OB/GYN. If your primary OB/GYN has hospital privileges at Princeton Medical Center, they’ll care for you while you’re at the hospital in collaboration with the OB/GYN laborist.
Our experienced team can also help deliver your baby through a cesarean birth (C-section). Whether the C-section is scheduled or unplanned, you can expect exceptional care for you and your baby. One support partner may come into the operating room with you. Most birthing parents are awake during surgery, but our anesthesiologists make sure you’re numb from the chest down so that you don’t feel any pain.
If you and your newborn are well, we immediately place your baby on your chest for skin-to-skin time, called kangaroo care, after delivery. Your baby will lie on you for at least an hour, which helps them regulate their body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and blood sugar levels. This time together also promotes bonding as your baby adjusts to life outside your womb. In addition, kangaroo care can help stimulate your milk production and prompt your newborn to initiate breastfeeding.
We move you to a spacious, private postpartum suite for rest and recovery. You and your baby room in together to support continued bonding and help you get to know your baby. However, nurses in our Well Baby Nursery can care for your infant if you need some time to rest.
You can expect to stay two to four nights in our postpartum suite. Our nurses monitor you and your baby during this time. We give you medications as prescribed by your OB/GYN and make sure you recover well. Our team teaches you how to care for yourself to support your body’s healing. We also go over newborn care, helping you learn their sleeping patterns and how to feed them.
During your stay, you participate in our SAFE sleep program. A maternity nurse reviews newborn safe sleep practices, which includes placing your baby in their crib alone, on their back, on a firm surface, with nothing else in their crib.
Accommodations are available for one support person to stay the night in the suite with you. Other amenities and services include:
- 24/7 on-site security
- Certified lactation consultant visits
- Private bathroom
- Rentable breast pumps and accessories
- TV
- Wi-Fi
- Optional professional newborn photography session
Before discharge, our team screens your newborn for specific health conditions. If you and your baby are doing well, we prepare you for discharge. Your care team provides you with all the information you need to confidently bring your baby home. A nurse or other care team member escorts you to your vehicle, checks your car seat installation, and ensures you’ve securely buckled in your baby.
You can make a one-on-one appointment with one of our certified lactation consultants for continued breastfeeding guidance. Our community wellness educators support your and your baby’s health and well-being through postpartum support groups, exercise classes, car seat safety programs, and infant massage classes.
Advanced care after birth complications
Childbirth can bring some unexpected challenges. Whether your baby was born prematurely or you experienced a difficult delivery, we help your baby heal and provide specialized care to support your postpartum recovery.
NICU
Babies with special needs receive care in our Level III NICU. Neonatologists (specialists who care for sick and premature infants) from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) care for your baby 24/7. The NICU staff can care for babies born early and those who need advanced neonatal care.
Your baby’s needs and condition determine how long they’re in the NICU. We know this time is difficult for your family. We provide amenities like overnight accommodations and areas for breastfeeding and pumping to make this time easier. When you can’t be at the hospital, we offer AngelEye live-stream video and message technology. AngelEye allows you to see your baby anytime and receive messages from their care team on any device.
Many parents benefit from NICU Social, a monthly support group for families with children in the NICU. Parents who have previously had a child in the NICU at Princeton Medical Center share their experience, introduce their child, and provide support. You may find reassurance from these parents who have been where you are now and have a healthy, thriving child thanks to the advanced care of our NICU team.
Pelvic floor recovery
Sometimes, childbirth can cause symptoms like pelvic discomfort, urine leakage, and pain during intercourse. We provide specialized care to help you recover from pelvic pain or a pelvic floor disorder.
You can make an appointment with one of our experienced pelvic floor experts, who can help you restore your pelvic health and function. We also offer a six-week class taught by a pelvic floor therapist that promotes pelvic floor strength and improved posture. You must be at least six weeks postpartum to participate.