Labor and delivery
Just as every baby is unique, so is every delivery. As your trusted care partner, we work to provide a personalized birthing experience that begins long before your first contraction and continues well after delivery.
Maternity hospital in uptown Denver
The birth of a child should be an exciting, fulfilling event.
At Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, we have created an environment that enables you to have a childbirth experience unique to your needs. When you're ready to deliver, our knowledgeable team is ready to make your delivery safe and comfortable.
Expert advice, available 24/7
Free medical advice is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Free medical advice is just a phone call away. Our nurses help you understand your symptoms, treatment options and procedures. They will also help you find a provider or specialist and schedule an appointment.
Related specialties
Learn more about our related specialties.
Pregnancy and childbirth services
When you choose a specialist affiliated with our hospital for your prenatal care, you gain access to advanced care for you and your baby.
Features of our maternity program
Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center is the only hospital in the Rocky Mountain region with a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and a Level IV Maternal Unit. This means we have a campus like no other — with teams of specialists all under one roof including both obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) and nurse midwives.
Some of the features of our pregnancy and birth center include:
- Breastfeeding support
- Guided maternity tours
- Highest level of neonatal intensive care
- High-risk pregnancy care
- Locked, secure units
- Maternity classes
- Midwifery services
- Private labor and delivery rooms
- Private mom/baby units
- Safety precautions for you and your baby
- Skin-to-skin contact encouraged
- Sleeping accommodations for your support partner
Extended childbirth options
Our labor and delivery nurses strive to support your decisions regarding the type of birthing experience you desire. We believe in a family-centered approach with as little intervention as possible for the safety of you and your baby.
We follow all national standards for monitoring your and your baby's well-being during labor and delivery. Our board-certified physicians are available to counsel you and provide you with a safe and special birth experience.
Should you deliver by cesarean section (C-section), you will be cared for in one of our surgical suites and recovery rooms, also located within the labor and delivery unit. Even during C-sections, we encourage your partner to be with you.
Our mom and baby rooms
Each private room in our mom/baby unit has large windows to let in natural light, a bathroom, TV and sleeping accommodations for your support person.
You and your partner will receive a special meal after delivery. Our Lullaby Lounge is also available for you to gather your family, watch TV and help yourself to a selection of snacks.
Before you leave, you will also attend our discharge class, which will provide you with information to help you care for yourself and your baby when you get home.
Family-centered labor and delivery unit
Our secure labor and delivery unit features rooms designed for your comfort and care. These rooms are private, comfortable birthing rooms, featuring large windows and sleeping chairs for partners. Each room has its own shower, television and birthing or peanut ball upon request.
Your extended family, grandparents, children and friends are welcome to visit at any time. Please review our visitor guidelines ahead of time, as we have certain restrictions in place during cold and flu season.
Postpartum care and recovery
Postpartum care is an important part of your recovery while you are in our hospital. After delivery, you will recover in our secure, remodeled mom and baby area. This space is designed to offer a comfortable environment where our team can care for you and your new baby.
While in this unit, your baby will receive several routine tests and medications to ensure they are healthy and ready to go home.
Read more about postpartum care.
Breastfeeding support
If you choose to breastfeed your baby, we are here to help. We provide the individualized resources and education you need to feel more comfortable and confident when breastfeeding your newborn. In fact, we earned the organization, International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) has awarded our team with their IBCLC Care Award for their dedication to breastfeeding support.
We offer:
- Hospital-grade breast pumps
- Hospital-grade breastfeeding pillows (nursing support pillows)
- IBCLC consultants available seven days a week
- Nurses ready to help you get an early start with breastfeeding
NICU services
As a Level IV NICU, we are dedicated to providing the highest level of care to babies needing special medical attention. Our 84-bed, neonatal nursery has neonatologists and hospitalists on campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide unparalleled newborn care.
As part of HealthONE's NICU network, babies born at our sister hospitals in Denver are transferred to our nursery if they need additional support and services.
Additionally, our mom and baby rooms are located in close proximity to our unit, so you can be close to your baby if they need a little extra care after birth.
Features of our NICU
Features of our neonatal nursery include:
- Free Wi-Fi
- Kangaroo care (skin-to-skin bonding)
- Lactation support
- NICU CPR and choking classes
- Personal amenities, including laundry, showers and concierge services
- Private rooms
- Ronald McDonald Family Room
- Spacious waiting areas
- Support team, which includes a parent educator, social worker, psychologist, case manager, care coordinator and chaplain
Safety features for you and your baby
The safety and security of our patients is a top priority. Our pregnancy and childbirth services takes several steps to keep mom and baby safe, including:
Unique ID badges
All family members and other visitors in our infant and child areas must check in at the nurse's station and wear a visitor ID badge. Hospital employees will identify themselves verbally and must wear an official hospital photo ID badge at all times.
All nurses who care for infants and children have unique scrubs specific to their area.
Security bands
After delivery, a security band will be placed on your infant’s ankle. Your nurse will remove it just before you are discharged from the facility. Your birth partner will also be given an ID band. When a staff member brings your baby to you, your baby's band will be matched to your band. The bands will not be removed until you get home, so only the two of you will be allowed to come to the nursery to get your baby.
Community resources for parents
You will find information below about some of the community resources we offer to expectant and new parents.
Mothers’ Milk Bank
Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center is a donation and outreach center for Mothers’ Milk Bank. A program of Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, Mothers’ Milk Bank (MMB) is one of 19 operating donor human milk banks in North America. This program consistently provides more milk to NICUs than any other nonprofit milk bank.
MMB safely screens, collects, processes and dispenses donated human milk as a community service. The milk is sent to more than 130 different hospitals throughout the U.S. to provide human milk to premature or ill babies who need human milk to thrive.
Mothers' Milk Bank is located at:
5394 Marshall St., Suite 400
Arvada, CO 80002
For more information, call Mothers’ Milk Bank at (303) 869-1888.
Preparing for your delivery
Your delivery date will be here before you know it. We've put together a few tips to help you prepare.
Childbirth and parent education classes
We offer a variety of childbirth and parenting classes to help you and your partner prepare for your delivery and parenthood. Classes can be taken at any time during your pregnancy.
Maternity tours
Our labor and delivery team provides one-hour maternity tours. During the tour, you will see our labor and delivery rooms, mom/baby units and other special accommodations we offer.
We will also discuss various medical procedures, comfort measures during labor and how we care for you if complications arise.
Register for your delivery
To help your delivery day go smoothly, we recommend that you complete our online registration form prior to your arrival at the hospital.
Parking on the day of delivery
When it is time to deliver, please notify your physician you are going to the hospital. Upon arrival, you may go directly to the labor and delivery unit located on the third floor of the A Tower.
Use our 24-hour parking entrance in the main drive and park on level P1 or P2 near the A Tower elevators. In the elevator lobby, use the white phone to let security know you are here. They will unlock the elevator so you can enter the hospital onto the first floor. Go across the hall and take the A elevator to the third floor.
What to bring to the hospital
During the labor and delivery process, several items can make you more comfortable while awaiting the arrival of your new baby. We suggest bringing the following with you:
- Camera
- Entertainment items, such as a tablet, book, magazine or deck of cards
- Hard candy (Women in labor tend to become dehydrated. Hard candy produces saliva.)
- Personal items, such as lip moisturizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, warm socks and a favorite pillow
In a separate bag, we recommend packing items to make your recovery more comfortable, such as:
- Clothing, such as a nightgown, robe, slippers, bras or nursing bras
- Outfit to wear home from the hospital
What to bring for your baby
When packing a bag for your baby's hospital stay, we suggest the following items:
- Baby blankets
- Infant clothes, such as a onesie, hat, socks and booties
- Properly installed car seat in the rear-facing position
- Name and number of your baby's pediatrician or clinic
Labor and delivery virtual tour
Take a peek at our labor and delivery area and the amenities of our maternity unit. You'll be under the care of our specialists and nurses who work to keep your birth plan choices as much as possible.
Looking for a Location?
Our Labor and delivery Locations
The Healthy Living Blog
Fresh knowledge and insights in and around healthcare industry.