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US News & World Report Maternity BadgeWelcome to the Childbirth Center at Orange Coast Medical Center

The birth of a child is one of life’s most memorable events. At the Childbirth Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, you’ll discover everything you need to make your birthing experience a memory to cherish.

We are here to support your pregnancy journey and the childbirth delivery plan that you have agreed upon with your obstetrician, including the choice to have a vaginal birth after a previous C-section (VBAC).

Orange Coast Medical Center has been recognized as a high-performing hospital in maternity care by U.S. News & World Report. It is also on the Maternity Care Honor Roll from the California Health & Human Services Agency, Hospital Quality Institute, and CalHospital Compare for achieving the statewide C-section rate of 23.9% or lower for low-risk, first-birth deliveries.

About Us

The Childbirth Center at Orange Coast Medical Center is the only community hospital program in Orange County to have Certified Nurse Midwives as part of the medical staff. Orange Coast offers teams of highly trained obstetricians, pediatricians, perinatologists and other specialists. We also have a full-time lactation consultant to assist new mothers with their breastfeeding needs.

Features:

The Place to Have Your Baby

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Getting to Our Childbirth Center

View more information about our campus and where to find the Childbirth Center.

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Private Birthing Suites

The Childbirth Center offers an environment that is restful and calming. Your delivery takes place in a private labor and delivery suite. Each suite is equipped with a birthing bed that allows you to deliver in the position in which you are most comfortable.

Learn more about preparing for your delivery.

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Couplet Care

To enhance bonding, we practice couplet care. The new mother and infant remain together and care cared for as a unit by a single nurse. Studies show that infants in their mother’s presence cry less, have lower blood pressure, and a more stable temperature, pulse, and respirations. Caring for mother and infant together promotes coordination and continuity of care, improves communication between family and caregivers, and enhances maternal learning and confidence.

Every day from 2 – 4 p.m., we observe “Cuddle Time” in our Postpartum Unit. During this time, visiting is limited. This quiet time is reserved for bonding for mother, baby, and significant other.

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Obstetrical Emergency Department (OB ED)

The OB ED is open 24/7, and offers enhanced coverage to pregnant women with obstetrical concerns. The OB ED assesses, treats, and discharges obstetrical patients and ensures that a specialist in high-risk obstetrics evaluates every patient to help improve patient safety. Learn more about this unique service.

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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

On occasion, babies may require specialized medical care. If this is needed, our level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is staffed with specially trained nurses, board-certified neonatologists, respiratory care practitioners, dietitians, and lactation consultants who will provide your newborn with exceptional and compassionate care.

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Specialized, Experienced Nurses

Orange Coast Medical Center has been designated a Magnet hospital, the highest and most prestigious international distinction a healthcare organization can achieve for nursing excellence, for four consecutive designation periods.

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Postpartum Unit

All postpartum rooms are private or semi-private with modern furnishings. Our maternity nurses and lactation consultants provide education and information on breastfeeding and baby care, as well as help with feedings, diapering and other needs during your stay. There also are a variety of videos to watch during your stay on caring for yourself and your baby.

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Your Cesarean Delivery: Information Regarding Your Birth Experience

This handbook should be used as a guide to help you understand your surgery and recovery, and answer questions that you may have.

View the Guide

Childbirth Center Guidelines

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Visitors in Labor & Delivery
  • All visitors check in at the nurse’s station and obtain visitor identification.
  • Visitation is limited to three (3) people at a time, including a support person. The number of visitors allowed may be increased or decreased at the discretion of the nurse. All visitors with the exception of the baby’s siblings must be twelve (12) years of age or older and free of infection.
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Photography
  • No tripods are permitted in the Labor & Delivery room, but photography is allowed at the discretion of staff and physicians.
  • Please ask for permission before filming staff.
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Visitors in Operating Room
  • One labor support person (same person per hospital stay) may accompany you in the Operating Room if you have a cesarean delivery.
  • If general anesthesia is used, your visitor will wait in the Recovery Room.
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Mother-Baby Couplet Care
  • We provide mother-baby couplet care in the Postpartum unit following your delivery.
  • Mother and baby may remain together from birth until discharge.
  • We encourage rooming-in.
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Telephones
  • Telephones are available in each room.
  • Dial “9” to call out (714 area code only).
  • Dial “0” for long-distance.
  • Please keep cell phone usage to a minimum while in the patient’s room.
  • Cell phone use in the hallways is not permitted.
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Visitors in Postpartum
  • All visitors check in at the nurse’s station and obtain visitor identification.
  • Support person may visit at any time if the patient is in a private room or the second bed is unoccupied. Rooming-in is permitted when census allows.
  • Siblings who are accompanied by a responsible adult may visit.
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Safety
  • All maternity personnel wear badges with a pink stripe.
  • Your baby may leave your room for a procedure or exam.
  • Talk to a staff member if you have any questions.
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Amenities
  • Complimentary coffee is available every morning near the postpartum nurse station.
  • Our cafeteria is open for breakfast on weekdays at 7 a.m.
  • Specialty coffee is available in our Pavilion Café on the second level.
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Childbirth Center Hours

The Childbirth Center entrance (at the rear of the hospital) is always open.

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Car Seat
  • Please properly install your car seat prior to discharge from the hospital.
  • Our staff members are not permitted to place your baby in the car seat for you.
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What to Bring to the Hospital for Delivery
  • Prenatal records
  • Socks/ slippers for mom
  • Snacks for coach
  • Camera and charger
  • Nursing pillow
  • Layers for partner
  • Car seat
  • Baby clothes
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Important Phone Numbers

Labor and Delivery: (714) 378-7532
Postpartum: (714) 378-7510

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Birth Plans & Doulas

No matter what tools you choose to use during labor and delivery, when deciding on a birth plan or the incorporation of a doula into your birth experience, the goal is to foster a collegial, interprofessional, and collaborative relationship.

Birth plans were originally introduced as a tool to enhance communication between doctors, nurses, and patients. Over time, there was a shift and now they tend to focus more on what a woman will accept and what she will not accept in labor and the postpartum period. If you choose to utilize a birth plan, keep in mind that it should be considered a tool to help explain your perspectives and facilitate the most satisfactory birth for you, your partner, and your baby, while employing a collaborative approach with your healthcare team. For a birth plan to be as successful as possible, it is important to have it reviewed by your health care provider before your hospital admission as well as by your nurse upon admission. Even though your healthcare team works together to provide optimal care, having a birth plan cannot control all outcomes. It is important to have flexibility with the process.

Doulas can contribute positively to the birth experience of a family. Doula services can help you prepare for and support you during childbirth and the postpartum period. They are considered a vital member of your care team and recognized by The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) as such. AWHONN specifically supports doulas as partners in care and acknowledges their ability to provide physical, emotional, and partner support. While the use of a doula is not required, if you do choose to utilize one, it is up to the woman to provide. Orange Coast Medical Center encourages a collaborative approach between the patient, doula, and medical team. While the doulas’ role does include providing you with continuous physical, emotional, and informational support there are a few things that doulas are not expected to do:

  • Speak for you
  • Make decisions for you
  • Project their values/goals upon you
  • Interfere with medical treatments
  • Perform clinical tasks such as vaginal exams, adjust monitors and/or assess fetal heart tones
  • Diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, and/or interpret medical advice
  • Discourage your choices, including the choice to use pharmacologic pain relief

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