Labor & Delivery

At Watsonville Community Hospital, we are dedicated to providing preventative, diagnostic and clinical services that support the health and wellness of women of all ages. The Labor & Delivery Unit is a modern facility that provides comfort and care for mother, baby and the whole family during the birthing experience.

We offer:

• 18 large suites with private showers
• Intermediate intensive care nursery
• Sleep rooms for parents with babies who need extended treatment
• Obstetric hospitalist coverage from Salud Para La Gente
• Pediatric hospitalist coverage from Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford
• Neonatolgists
• Certified Nurse Midwives
• Comprehensive lactation support services
• Nutritional support program for diabetic mothers
• Nourish fresh market where moms can pick up free, healthy food for their family
• Family/partner-centered  visiting policy
• Free Prenatal Classes for stages of labor, infant care, breastfeeding (English and Spanish)
• Tours of our birthing center
• Bilingual staff

A Wonderful Experience

Welcoming a child into the world is a wonderful personal experience. At Watsonville Community Hospital we believe you should have choices and information on how to deliver and care for your baby.  We want to work with you to  make your birthing experience everything you want it to be!

Preparing for the Happy Event

Expectant moms and dads can learn all about pregnancy, delivery, and baby care through our childbirth education classes offered year round at Watsonville Community Hospital.  You will learn about changes in the expectant mother’s body, how the baby grows, and what happens when your baby decides to make his or her debut.  Breastfeeding classes are very helpful to get you off to a good start after birth.  Every class includes a tour of our birthing center. If you are not planning to take a class but want a tour, please call 831-724-4741 ext 1402.

Nourish

We care about your family’s health and are here to help. The mission of Nourish is to promote wellness by providing access to fresh, local, nutritious food options to pre- and post-natal women. Nourish is a partnership of Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation and Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County.

Baby Talk Support Group (for new parents & infants)

Watsonville Community Hospital in collaboration with Community Bridges WIC Program offers a support group for newly delivered moms and their support person.  In this group we offer guidance and support for successful breastfeeding and a place where it is safe to discuss concerns and needs for your growing family. In addition to support from our lactation nurses, we offer assistance from one of our occupational therapists if needed. It’s also a great place to meet and experience the camaraderie of other new moms and dads. We highly recommend you stop by and see for yourself the great support this group can offer! 

When: Every THURSDAY 1pm-3pm in our outpatient lactation department on the second floor of the hospital.

Your Hospital Stay

During the hospital stay, our nurses teach new moms the basics of infant care; from how to feed and diaper their newborn to when to call the doctor.  To ensure a healthy start our team of nurses and lactation consultants are available to assist mothers with breastfeeding.  We make it our job to help you feel comfortable caring for your newborn and yourself.  We take the time to answer all of your questions and have years of experience to help put you at ease.

Certified Baby-Friendly

Baby-Friendly designation means that Watsonville Community Hospital has gone through a rigorous review process and site visit with Baby-Friendly USA, an initiative created by the World Health Organization and UNICEF to encourage hospitals all over the world to promote health feeding choices for infants. It means supporting moms who wish to breastfeed is a high priority for us. We have designated RN lactation specialists, breastfeeding peer counselors and occupational therapists who all work to support new moms, both at the time of delivery and in a support group moms and dads can attend for free follwing the birth of their baby. More information can be found here.

California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) Awards 

Recognizing hospitals for dedication and commitment to quality improvement.

Quality and Sustainability Award: NTSV Cesarean Birth Rate (PC-02) 

Awarded to hospitals that met and maintained the World Health Organization’s Healthy People 2030 target rates for Cesarean Birth (PC-02) measure for three consecutive years, 2021-2023. View certificate.

Maternal Data Center (MDC) Superstar Award: Small Birth Volume Hospitals

Awarded to hospitals with fewer than 1,000 annual births (we deliver over 800 babies every year) that exhibited high levels of engagement in the Maternal Data Center (MDC). View certificate.