Labor and Delivery

Giving birth at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is an extraordinary experience. You benefit from expertise, amenities and support that help you safely deliver your baby on your terms. Our services are available in birth centers throughout the Puget Sound, making it easier to have your baby close to home. 

Caring professionals are here for you and your baby when you need them. And our comprehensive approach helps your whole family feel cared for before, during and after your baby’s arrival. These are some of the many reasons we maintain national recognition for labor and delivery excellence.

Obstetricians (OBs), certified nurse midwives and family medicine providers deliver research-based care guided by compassion. We have decades of experience managing the small details that lead to healthy deliveries. Friendly, experienced labor and delivery nurses are also by your side at every turn. Meet our team. 

Highlights of our program include: 

• National recognition: We are a Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care for Blue Cross Blue Shield. It recognizes that we consistently deliver high-quality care for vaginal and C-section deliveries. We also maintain high overall patient satisfaction rates and lower rates of early elective deliveries.
     
• Personalized experience: You have several modern birth centers to choose from. We offer special amenities, including dedicated tubs designed specifically for water births and state-of-the-art fetal monitoring. Our providers carefully consider your preferences to give you the best possible birth experience.
     
• Education: We offer a broad range of childbirth family education and resources, including online and in-person classes. Experienced childbirth educators help your family prepare for giving birth. Topics include when to come to the birth center, coping with labor pain, birthing positions and newborn care.
     
• Follow-up care and support: We help you recover as quickly as possible so you can focus on your newborn. Our team is equally attentive to your baby’s needs, providing monitoring that consistently helps newborns thrive. Find out more about postpartum and newborn care.

Labor and delivery nurse’s birth experience: Kelsey’s story
As a labor and delivery nurse, Kelsey knows a thing or two about birth. With her third pregnancy, she went past her due date and knew she would need help getting the baby out. Upon arriving at the birth center, her provider was there, and she immediately felt everything would be OK. Watch Kelsey tell her story.

Many of our birth centers allow you to take care of admission paperwork before your delivery. You can also speak with a labor and delivery nurse to get answers to important questions. We recommend completing pre-admission paperwork during the eighth month of pregnancy or approximately 30 days before your due date. 

It can be fun to pack in advance of your trip to the hospital to give birth. The next time you open the bag, your little one will be on the way! 

Here are some essentials to bring:

Find out more about our pregnancy and childbirth services or make an appointment.