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As a parent, you only want what’s best for your baby: the best doctors, the best hospital and the best nurses. At St. Mary’s Medical Center, we want what’s best for you and your growing family, too.
As you research your birthing options, you will find that what sets the Birthing Center at St. Mary’s apart is our family-centered approach to obstetrics care. That approach starts with our nursing staff, a staff which has earned the Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s leading credentialing organization.
During your stay, our outstanding nurses, obstetricians and midwives take the time to get to know you and your family. They will work with you to develop a teaching program with your unique goals in mind. And, they nurture your changing family every step of the way, making your transition from hospital to home as smooth as possible.
St. Mary’s offers a complete range of birthing options. These include:
- 18 spacious birthing suites where mothers can labor, deliver, recover and have their postpartum period in the same room.
- All rooms have private Jacuzzis for both labor and the postpartum period.
- Two surgical suites to accommodate surgical deliveries.
- A Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) staffed with nurses who care for infants with special needs. Neonatal nurse practitioners from Children’s Mercy Hospital are in the Birthing Center, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Boarding rooms for families of NICU babies. This program allows parents to stay with babies until it is time to go home. (Meals are provided to moms.)
- Board-certified perinatologists and neonatologists who are available 24 hours a day to care for complicated pregnancies
and births.
- Lactation and breastfeeding education specialists.
- Nationally-certified nurses who are passionate about caring for growing families.
- Maternal diagnostic services offering in-depth testing when indicated, including ultrasound, amniocentesis and
genetic counseling.
Click here to find an obstetrician or midwife.
Childbirth Education Opportunities
The Birthing Center at St. Mary’s offers a variety of classes to give parents-to-be a head start on preparing for their new experiences with baby. These programs are staffed by our maternity nurses who will interact directly with you to understand and meet your educational needs before, during and after delivery. We understand this exciting time is full of questions and concerns; we want to be your resource for education and guidance. We will keep in contact with you through personal phone calls and various educational offerings. Topics include childbirth preparation, infant care, breastfeeding, sibling preparation and CPR for infants and children. To inquire about any of these offerings, call the Birthing Center at
816-228-3335, or register online.
Healthy Beginnings Program
The St. Mary’s Medical Center Foundation, with the support of local community agencies, has made it possible to offer a unique program, free to patients who are on Medicaid, teens or people who have other social situations that could benefit from additional support. Members of this group receive three to five individual visits with a registered nurse for one-on-one education. Participants also receive a free car seat, childbirth classes, a breast pump, a breastfeeding class and much more. To receive the maximum benefits, it is important to enroll early. To see if you qualify, call 816-655-5126.
Self-Pay Maternity Program
The Self-Pay Maternity Program is a community service for mothers without obstetrics insurance coverage. It offers predictable charges and significant cost savings.
If you are interested in the self-pay option, talk with your physician or call 816-655-5415.
Helpful Numbers
Birthing Center 816-655-5574
Pre-Delivery Services 816-655-5126
Lactation Consulting 816-655-5574, option 3
Education Courses 816-228-3335
