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Pregnancy and Birth

We are here with you for precious new beginnings. The team at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Women and Infants Center will be with you throughout your pregnancy with individualized, compassionate care.

Young pregnant couple smiling at mom's belly

Welcoming a new life can be an anxious time. Finding the very best care shouldn’t be one of your worries. Look to the team at HSHS St. Elizabeth's Women and Infants Center to be by your side, so you can focus on what matters most, enjoying the first precious moments of a lifetime. Click the "Find Care" button to find obstetricians who deliver with us.

Helping you every step of the way

Having your first baby is an exciting, yet vulnerable time. Sarah appreciates the care and compassion her HSHS delivery team provided when she had her baby – it brought her so much strength and comfort as a new mom. 

Birthing classes

Breastfeeding Class

Breastfeeding Class

5:30 to 8:30 pm
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Prepared Childbirth Evening Class

Prepared Childbirth Evening Class

Evening Class
5:30 to 8:30 pm
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Prepared Childbirth Saturday Class

Prepared Childbirth Saturday Class

9 am to 12 pm
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Women and Infant Center Tours

Women and Infant Center Tours

1-Hour Sessions | 5 to 6 pm
The 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month
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Pre-Admission Process

To assist in a smooth admission, please call the Pre-Access number at 217-492-6215 after 28 weeks of pregnancy.  The Pre-Access colleague will need your demographic information to prepare for your admission to the hospital.

New mom and dad with newborn infant in mom's arms

Labor and delivery

The Women and Infants Center at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital provides quality care to pregnant women and their families throughout the birthing process. Our anesthesia providers are available 24 hours a day to provide epidural placement and other pain management, as needed. Hydrotherapy tubs are available for mothers-to-be, (who meet safety guidelines), as a pain relief alternative to epidural treatment.

After you and your closest loved ones have welcomed your new baby in your private labor, delivery and recovery room, you will be transferred to your private post-partum room. We encourage rooming in for you and your baby. The support person is encouraged to stay as well!


Young woman in labor with nurse

Pain management with Nitrous Oxide

We additionally offer a nitrous oxide pain management program as an alternative to an epidural and IV pain medications. Expectant mothers like using Nitronox because it does not require IV access and is self-administered, empowering them to safely and effectively help manage the discomfort of labor and post-birth procedures while remaining alert and conscious. Plus, it can be quickly eliminated from the body so it does not affect the baby’s central nervous system or breathing and has not been shown to alter or slow the labor process.

Preparing for the hospital

We are proud to offer the only breast milk dispensary in St. Clair County to families in the Metro East where you can safely buy breast milk from an accredited milk bank. Learn more or place an order here.
Private rooms allow mothers, babies and families to enjoy their time together in privacy. During this time, we are conscious of your need for privacy, and you will find staff knocking before entering your room.

Room service
Any visiting guest of the new mom on the maternity unit can order a meal from our room service menu for the low cost of $6.00, payable in cash to the room service attendant.

Spiritual care
At the mother's request, our spiritual care team is available to provide spiritual support to new mom and family.
A diverse team, including a childbirth educator and a clinical resource nurse are available to you after the birth of your baby. Our maternity nurses are skilled at helping new moms and babies learn how to breastfeed, and our lactation counselors provide extra support. We smooth the transition to home with individualized instruction and a customized education program, including safe sleep information and educational tools you can view in the privacy of your room.
Mom365 brings beautiful newborn photography right to your hospital room. Free portrait sessions are provided, with the comfort of viewing portraits within minutes. Custom portrait packages are available and if you desire, we can we can post your baby’s pictures to the Mom365 WebNursery®.
We believe all new parents should have choices. One of these options is our Well Baby Nursery, available whenever you need rest. The amount of time your baby spends in your room is your choice, and the dedicated colleagues of the Women and Infants Center will work with you to accommodate your wishes. Our Nursery staff is flexible and willing to provide comfort and safety so you are able to be well rested prior to going home.
The Intermediate Care Nursery provides private rooms with a recliner, sleeper sofa, and refrigerator for breastmilk storage, which allows family to bond with their baby and participate in his or her care. Plus, a dedicated bathroom, with a shower, allows family members convenience of immediate access and the ability to maximize the amount of time with their new infant if health needs extend their stay.

Safe Sleep Practices

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is proud to announce that it has achieved recertification as a Gold Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital. Cribs for Kids is a national safe sleep initiative dedicated to reducing infant mortality.

Safe sleep practices are ways to make sure babies are as safe as they can be while they are sleeping to prevent sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Medical experts recommend following the ABCs of safe sleep practices until babies turn one:

  • Alone – Babies are safest when they sleep alone, with no blanket, bumpers or anything else in the crib with them, and not sleeping with their parents.
  • Back – Babies should always be placed on their back to sleep at nighttime and for naps.
  • Crib – Babies should sleep in a crib, bassinet or portable play yard with a firm, flat mattress and fitted sheet.
A circle of women holding hands

Share support group

TOUCHING LIVES... HEALING HEARTS... GIVING HOPE...

Each year there are 900,000 early pregnancy losses, over 26,000 stillbirths, and approximately 19,000 neonatal deaths in the United States.

Too often, the grief and loss felt by parents may not be understood or accepted by society. Parents are often expected to simply pick up the pieces and move on - back to “normal” life. Even close friends and family sometimes struggle to understand the depth of emotions bereaved parents may experience which can both strain relationships and unnecessarily prolong the grief process.

Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc. is a national organization with over 75 chapters in 29 states. The mission of Share is to serve those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life and offer a standard of personalized bereavement care through a lifetime of support, hope and healing – one family at a time. 

For more information call 618-234-2120, ext. 51398