Delivering Your Baby

Giving birth is one of the most memorable times in a woman’s life. We take care of the details so you can focus on what’s important — your baby.

When it’s time to deliver, the childbirth professionals at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health are your partners for labor and delivery. With expert, compassionate care, we provide a safe, positive birth experience for you and your family. At our family birth centers, you receive:

From private birthing suites with whirlpool tubs to breastfeeding support, you and your support partner can welcome your new baby in a soothing, comfortable setting. We make you and your family our top priority — and we’re by your side every step of the way.

We respect your choices for childbirth, pain management, feeding methods and more. Our childbirth preparation classes can help you make a birth plan and other important decisions for your big day.

To manage childbirth pain, we offer options from breathing techniques to anesthesia. If you choose anesthesia, our anesthesiologists are available around the clock to give an epidural, a regional anesthesia injected into the lower back.

Additional support includes:

• Labor tools, such as birthing balls and stools, relaxation techniques and hydrotherapy
• Doula program at St. Joseph Medical Center for extra support throughout your labor and delivery
• Breastfeeding support with inpatient lactation consultants

When a vaginal birth is not possible, our obstetricians perform a C-section (cesarean section), a common, safe surgery for delivery. Your support person is usually present.

At our family birth centers, skilled providers offer vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) for women who have previously given birth by 
C-section. Ask your obstetrician or midwife about VBAC, which can provide:

• Fewer complications, such as infection
• Shorter recovery
• More participation for the mother and her partner

Find out more about our classes, and register:

• Visit our family education page to sign up online
• Call 1-888-825-3227 (se habla español)

Preparing for childbirth can be overwhelming. To help you get started, we’ve created a free downloadable guide that provides everything you need to know as you take your first steps toward motherhood with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.