Maternity Department - Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center - Phoenix

At Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, we provide complete maternity care to meet your individual needs, with comfortable and private labor, delivery and recovery suites. For babies who need extra support, our specialized Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is available. We also offer:

• Birth center tours 

• Childbirth classes

• Genetic testing

• Lactation consultants and breastfeeding support 

• Midwifery services

• Obstetrics and gynecology

• Maternal-fetal medicine (MFM)

• Newborn screening

• Prenatal diagnosis 

• Safety education

• Postpartum support

The most important item to bring is an approved infant car seat. We offer free car seat checks and installation during your stay. You may also want to pack a going-home outfit for your baby and a receiving blanket. We provide all other necessary items for you and your baby during your hospital stay, including diapers and blankets. 

You are welcome to bring anything that will make your stay more comfortable, including: 

• Comfortable clothes to wear home (maternity clothes)

• Driver's license or ID card, insurance card, pediatrician and OB/GYN contact information

• Flip flops

• Lip balm

• Nightgowns

• Nursing bras and nursing pads

• Personal electronics and chargers

• Personal toiletries

• Snacks

• Swimsuit and change of clothes for partner

Yes, we welcome your chosen support people to be present during labor and delivery. After birth, visitors can also see you and your baby in your hospital room. We encourage discussing your visitor preferences with your care team to ensure a comfortable and safe environment for everyone.

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center’s nursery intensive care unit (NyICU) has a Level III designation, meaning we are fully equipped to care for high-risk, premature and sick babies. Our NICU has advanced lifesaving equipment, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). ECMO is a heart-lung bypass machine that works for an infant's heart and/or lungs while the baby's organs develop.

To help you feel ready to go home, we also offer a parent room where you and your baby can stay together for 24 to 48 hours before discharge. During this time, nurses guide and support you as you learn how to care for your baby, give medications and build confidence as their primary caregiver.

Yes, our hospital staff is well-trained to help you get started with breastfeeding if you choose this option. Our board-certified lactation consultants are also available to provide expert support during your hospital stay. Ask your Dignity Health Medical Group women’s health doctor about our breastfeeding support group.

Our nurses offer personalized support for your birth experience, providing various pain management options. These include comfort measures like in-room showers, guidance on breathing techniques, and pharmacological methods such as nitrous oxide. Additionally, anesthesia services are available 24 hours a day, and an anesthesiologist can discuss pain relief options with you at any point during your labor.

Yes. We partner with local cord blood bank organizations to provide expectant parents with the option of donating their baby’s umbilical cord blood. Your donation to the national registry could save the life of someone with a life-threatening disease or someone in need of a stem cell transplant.

If you are interested in donating, let your health care provider and nurse know when you arrive at the hospital.

Yes. At St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, your baby is placed on your chest right after birth. Skin-to-skin bonding has many benefits and often:

• Causes your uterus to contract and bleed less

• Gives baby better oxygenation and blood sugar levels

• Promotes feelings of closeness and protectiveness

• Provides a quiet time for your new family to connect

• Provides the best opportunity to get breastfeeding off to a good start

• Soothes and comforts baby

• Stabilizes baby’s temperature and vital signs

• Stimulates milk production

You can choose a pediatrician by asking your obstetrics and gynecology doctor or asking family and friends. You can also use our Find a Doctor tool.