Congratulations on your pregnancy! There is so much to think about and consider in the coming months, but one of the bigger things to start planning for is where you will welcome your new baby into the world. The Greater Boston area has some incredible hospitals where you can rest assured you’ll be in the best possible hands. I’ve compiled this list of Boston birthing centers as a starting point for your research. Check them out!
7 Boston Birthing Centers Offering Exceptional Care Teams & Top-of-the-Line Facilities
Cambridge Health Alliance
If you decide to deliver with Cambridge Health Alliance, you will be the center of extraordinary care. They are a Harvard and Tufts teaching hospital, so you will have highly trained providers who are some of the most experienced and knowledgeable in the industry and the brightest future doctors at your side. They have one of the lowest cesarean section rates in Massachusetts, offer additional doula services, and offer several ways to customize your birth experience.
Cambridge Health Alliance has two options for delivering your baby: McGovern Maternity Suite in the CHA Cambridge Hospital or the CHA Cambridge Birth Center. At the hospital, you and your baby will be tenderly cared for by a team of incredible nurses in a large room with a jacuzzi tub and a television. Plus, you’ll have access to their 24-hour Anesthesia service, so if you plan on having an epidural to make things a little less intense, this would be the spot for you!
The CHA Birth Center is staffed with amazing midwives and provides an intimate place where you can labor and deliver your baby. They have private rooms with a jacuzzi bathtub, a family room, a kitchen, a living room, and a garden for a home-like birthing experience. You’ll have the freedom to move about as you see fit and the ability to include your family as much as you’d like.
BIDMC of Boston
Named by U.S. News & World Report as a 2022-2023 High Performing Hospital for Maternity Care, BIDMC of Boston is one of the best in the area. Their labor and delivery unit has helped families welcome thousands of new babies. With an experienced and acclaimed medical staff, you will be in exceptional hands from the moment you check in until leaving with your baby in your arms. Their private birthing suites have televisions, large showers for relief during labor, and other birthing tools that can help promote a more comfortable birth experience.
Furthermore, their postpartum suites are equipped with private bathrooms and a comfortable chair that pulls out into a bed for your support person, should they choose to spend the night with you. They prioritize safety above all else and have plenty of security in both their labor and delivery unit and their postpartum unit, so you’ll know your baby will always be safe and protected.
Also, fun fact: they’re the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox!
Massachusetts General Hospital
The doctors, nurses, and specialists at Massachusetts General Hospital are all dedicated to providing expert personalized care to women and babies, knowing that every childbearing experience is totally unique! They’ll work in partnership with you to design a care plan tailored to your needs and preferences and provide you with the education you need to feel confident in your decision-making.
While other hospitals include private-practice physicians, the team at Massachusetts General is all connected, giving you continuous and seamless care in all aspects of your and your baby’s health. They proudly deliver more than 3,500 babies every year, and their team includes general OB/GYNs, high-risk pregnancy specialists, and midwives. Many are even faculty at Harvard Medical School!
Mount Auburn Hospital
Mount Auburn Hospital is home to a beautiful birthing facility called Bain Birthing Center. This family-centered space allows you to deliver however you feel most comfortable. Their Labor/Delivery/Recovery rooms all have a rocking chair and a private bath with a shower or tub. You’ll also have access to other useful tools like an adjustable birthing bed, birthing ball, birthing stool, and a birthing bar, all of which can help you labor more comfortably. Plus, they have wireless fetal monitoring so you can get up and move around the room while in labor.
Additionally, if you’re interested in water birth, there is a room with a freestanding tub (if you qualify and are working with their midwives). However you want to bring your baby into the world, this Harvard-affiliated hospital will help you have a safe, empowering, and informed childbirth experience.
Newton-Wellesley Hospital Boston Birthing Center
A collaboration between the two largest maternity services in Greater Boston, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Newton-Wellesley Hospital, the Newton-Wellesley Obstetrics unit is a wonderful place to deliver your baby. Their newly renovated and spacious labor and delivery suites have private bathrooms with jacuzzi tubs, perfect for helping to ease discomfort throughout labor. You’ll have access to various medications and resources to help you cope with pain, including epidurals, pain med injections, birthing balls, massage, and more.
Something else unique about Newton-Wellesley’s maternity unit is that they have quiet hours in the middle of the day between 2 and 4, where postpartum families are left alone to bond with their baby, no visitors, and no disruptive nurse check-ins (unless needed). Plus, your baby will stay in your room with you throughout your entire stay so that you can learn their feeding cues and other critical communications.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top five hospitals in America and is a trusted name in women’s health. They help to welcome over 6,000 babies every year and offer exceptional high-risk pregnancy care before, during, and after delivery, should you need it. Their facilities are state-of-the-art, reflecting the advanced care they provide, and strict security measures to keep you and your baby safe the entire time you are in their care.
Their team of experienced physicians, midwives, and nurses are there to care for you in one of their 24 private delivery rooms, and operating rooms are nearby in case you need a cesarean section. Once your baby has arrived, their postpartum rooms are spacious and staffed by skilled and compassionate nurses who will help you learn everything you need about the first few weeks of parenthood, including diapering, breastfeeding, and more.
Plus, if anything were to happen earlier than expected, their Level III NICU cares for nearly 3,000 premature and ill babies every year.
Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital has proudly provided exceptional care for new moms and their babies for over 100 years! Whether you have a low-risk or high-risk pregnancy, they have the maternity and childbirth services you need for a positive birth experience. They offer specialized nursing and medical care if needed, provide childbirth and family education on how to best and most safely move forward with your life with a new addition, and so much more.
In addition to their spacious delivery rooms, they also have a hydrotherapy tub available in labor and delivery. It’s located in a private setting with relaxing light dimmers and soothing music for comfort and relaxation. It’s a great tool if you’re hoping to avoid pain medications throughout your experience but are looking for a way to stay relaxed and comfortable as much as possible.
Boston Birthing Centers
These Boston birthing centers are all highly reputable places to welcome your newest addition to your family. If you already have an OB/GYN you love, check and see where they deliver so you can plan accordingly! But if you’re looking for a new doctor to trust with your childbirth, you can always start by looking to see if there’s a place you’d like to deliver and then find a healthcare provider.
Regardless, once your baby is safely here, I would love to help you capture their first days in beautiful photographs!
