Childbirth Center

Childbirth is one of life’s most meaningful events. Experience the bliss of birth at The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital.

Family-Centered Maternity Care that Meets Your Needs

Griffin Hospital offers family-centered maternity care in an environment that best meets individual and family needs. The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital follows a patient-centered Planetree philosophy, and is committed to providing a warm, caring atmosphere for you and your loved ones. The Childbirth Center’s  attentive and highly skilled caregivers are devoted to every patient’s needs, and take the time to genuinely get to know patients and families , ensuring a  childbirth experience that is supported with compassion and understanding.

• What We Provide You
• Classes

Embracing Your Personalized Birth Preferences

Each woman experiences childbirth differently, and almost all women worry about how they will cope with the experience of labor and delivery. The decision of whether or not to use medication is a personal one, and our empathetic nurses will respect and support whichever method you choose. Creating a birth preferences list will make your wishes known to your care team. We will do our best to honor your wishes, but in certain circumstances, it may be necessary to change the original plan. You, your support partners, doctors, and nurses will work together to ensure a safe and exceptional birthing experience. Click here to download the Childbirth Preferences Form.

What We Provide You

Your Room

Our private, family-friendly rooms feature a warm, cozy decor that maximizes comfort and minimizes visible technology. Each room includes:

• a glider rocking chair
• Wi-Fi Internet access
• a television
• a private bathroom with shower.

The rooms are equipped to allow your new baby to stay in the room with you. Some rooms are available with double beds so that your partner may stay with you overnight.

Family Room

Our family room, equipped with television, reading materials, and toys, offers visitors a place to gather during the moments you require privacy. You may have two support people present during your labor. Once you have been moved to your post partum room you may choose the amount of visitors you would like until quiet hours start at 8:00 pm. Overnight visitation is limited to your spouse or significant other.

Superior Staffing Ratios and Vaginal Deliveries: Prioritizing Safety and Choice

The Childbirth Center at Griffin Hospital maintains superior support, adhering to the guidelines set by the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses. This commitment to excellent nurse-to-patient ratios ensures personalized attention and diligent monitoring throughout the birthing process. Furthermore, we proudly support Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) deliveries, empowering mothers who desire a vaginal birth following a previous C-section. Our skilled team works closely with mothers to assess their eligibility for VBAC deliveries and provide the necessary care and support, fostering a sense of confidence and control. To ensure that you receive the best care possible, our Childbirth Center features five fully-equipped delivery rooms and two advanced operating rooms along with experienced physicians and other care professionals specially trained in maternal and newborn care available 24 hours a day. Our lactation consultant and educators are also available before and after your delivery.

Labor and Delivery

Each woman experiences childbirth differently and almost all women worry about how they will cope with the experience of labor and delivery. The decision of whether or not to use medication is a personal one and our childbirth nurses will respect and support whichever method you choose.

Birthing balls and peanut balls are available for positioning and our Jacuzzi provides a relaxing place to labor. Our skilled nurses can guide you in breathing and relaxation techniques and will stay by your side to guide you. If you prefer to use medication during labor, a variety of options are available, including nitrous oxide analgesia and epidural anesthesia.

Childbirth Preferences – Our goal is to have a healthy mother and baby. Creating a Birth Preferences list will make your wishes known to your care team at the Childbirth Center. We will do our best to honor your wishes. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to change the original plan. You, your support people, doctors, and nurses will work together to ensure a safe and exceptional birthing experience. Click here to download the Childbirth Preferences Form.

Childbirth Education

Expectant parents are encouraged to enroll in our Prepared Childbirth class, which provides an overview of labor options and instruction in breathing and relaxation techniques. Additionally, our Newborn Care Class helps parents understand their newborn’s behaviors and needs, covering topics such as feeding, swaddling, and soothing. Our board-certified lactation consultant conducts the Breastfeeding for Beginners class, offering guidance on the biological process of breastfeeding, proper positioning, recognizing hunger signals, frequency and volume of feedings, using a pump, and assisting mothers who plan to return to work. We also provide various support groups, including the Breastfeeding Support Group and Pregnancy and Postpartum Rehabilitation. Certified car seat technicians from the Valley Parish Nurse Program will properly install your infant car seat at no charge. Moreover, two-to-three days after your discharge, one of our Childbirth Center nurses will reach out to you for a wellness phone call, addressing any questions or concerns you may have and reviewing your plan of care. We also partner with community-based organizations to provide additional resources, including the Naugatuck Valley Maternal and Infant Health Resource Guide and the Maternal Health Directory.

Healthy Beginnings

Two to three days after your discharge, you will receive a wellness phone call from one of the Childbirth Center nurses. They can discuss any questions or concerns you have and review your plan of care.

Car Seat Installation

Did you know that 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly? The Valley Parish Nurse Program staff is certified car seat technicians and can install your infant or child seat properly at no charge. Call (203) 732-1337 for an appointment any time during your last trimester.

• Pampering Moms at Our Childbirth Center

  At our Childbirth Center, we believe that every mother deserves to feel pampered and cherished. As a testament to our commitment to exceptional care, our supportive and caring team offers various indulgent amenities to enhance the comfort of moms. Imagine savoring a delectable steak, shrimp, or vegetarian celebratory dinner with a loved one in the privacy of your own room. Our spacious double beds allow significant others to comfortably stay overnight to ensure intimate support and companionship. during this intimate moment. Additionally, our thoughtfully curated furniture and cozy rocking chairs create a home-like, nurturing environment, adding to the overall sense of peacefulness.

• The Power of Nature’s Serenity and Your Family’s Support

  Understanding the impact of surroundings after delivery, our Childbirth Center provides thoughtfully designed private rooms with ample natural light. We believe that a serene and aesthetically pleasing environment enhances relaxation and positively influences post-partum recovery. Our well-appointed rooms create a soothing ambiance, contributing to a calmer, stress-free atmosphere, which can profoundly benefit both mother and baby. Accented with glider rocking chairs, Wi-Fi access, TV, and a private bathroom with a shower, our private, family-friendly rooms feature warm, cozy decor that maximizes comfort while minimizing visible technology. Understanding that the presence of families and loved ones is crucial to your well-being, our double-wide beds allow your partner to stay with you overnight, emphasizing our dedication to embracing family and social support.

• Our Dedication to Empowering Breastfeeding

  At our Childbirth Center, we wholeheartedly embrace the World Health Organization’s recommendations for successful breastfeeding. With a team of compassionate experts led by a board-certified lactation consultant, we provide personalized support for mothers on their breastfeeding journey. From initiating breastfeeding within an hour of birth to promoting rooming-in and breastfeeding on demand, we prioritize the well-being of both mother and child. Our commitment extends beyond the hospital walls with our breastfeeding support group to ensure ongoing care, support and empowerment after discharge. The CT Department of Public Health provides great resources through their dedicated breastfeeding website.

• After Delivery

  Breastfeeding Support Group
  Our Breastfeeding Support Group is facilitated by a board-certified lactation consultant and is open to any woman who is breastfeeding her child.
  Pregnancy and Postpartum Rehab
  Designed to address physical pregnancy and postpartum issues.

• Our Commitment to Breastfeeding

  We practice the World Health Organization’s recommendations for successful breastfeeding:

  1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
  2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
  3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
  4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
  5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
  6. Give infants no food or drink other than breast-milk, unless medically indicated.
  7. Practice rooming in – allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
  8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
  9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
  10.  Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or birth center.

• Additional Resources

  • Maternal Health Directory
  • Community Resource Guide
  • Commmunity Resource Guide with Women’s Health Providers

Get Rewarded for Choosing High-Quality Care

Connecticut State Employees and State Health Plan members can now earn a cash reward for choosing this high-quality service for their healthcare needs through the State of Connecticut Network of Distinction program. To get started book an appointment through your State Health Navigator at (866) 611-8005 or at carecompass.ct.gov/nod.

Classes

All classes and groups will be offered remotely via Zoom at no cost.