Maternal-Child Center

St. Joseph's provides comprehensive care for all stages of life from prenatal and pediatric services to support and education for women. St. Joseph's is honored to welcome more than 2,000 new babies each year. Expectant moms and dads may become acquainted with our staff before they arrive for their big day, by taking advantage of our maternity tours, childbirth and breastfeeding classes, and newborn care programs.

Our "Mother-Baby Care" encourages togetherness and bonding, creating a closer relationship with the new baby in the first important hours following childbirth. Our Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery is available for babies requiring more advanced care with specially trained staff dedicated to the care of premature or ill newborns.

St. Joseph's welcomes every new baby and offers each parent the opportunity to play a "lullaby" tune overhead following the joyous moment. Our Foundation also offers the "Star is Born" giving program, commemorating the birth of a child with their very own star through a gift to Maternal-Child Services.

Maternal-Child Visiting Policy

The comfort and safety of our patients and babies are of utmost importance to us.

Visiting Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

 To contact the Maternity Department, please call (209)467-6410.

Maternity area:

• Only two people, in addition to the support person, may visit at one time
• Children under age 12 are not allowed in the department.
  Exception - after delivery, brothers and sisters of the newborn, accompanied by an adult, are welcome during regular visiting hours. Short visits are best for your children.
• Visitors must not have fever, cold, cold sores, diarrhea, vomiting, rash or skin sores. Those who have been exposed to illnesses such as chickenpox or measles may not visit.

Labor and Delivery:

• One additional person, other than the support person, may be present during labor and delivery. We ask that all other visitors wait in the visitor's lounge (not the hallway.)
• Only the support person may accompany the expectant mom for a Cesarean delivery.

Prenatal Classes

Welcome to Life Class Series

Having a baby brings many new changes for moms-to-be as well as other family members. It is important to be prepared and feel comfortable, safe and at ease as new situations arise. Our Welcome to Life class series is provided to help you become more confident and gain knowledge about what is happening to your body, your emotions, and your baby through pregnancy and in the first few months of becoming a new parent. The classes are open to moms, dads, grandparents, and siblings - everyone is welcome to attend! All classes are FREE and there is no pre-registration required.

Class topics include:

• Lamaze Childbirth Preparation
• Welcome To Life Maternity Tour
• Breastfeeding
• The Newborn
• Big Brother - Big Sister
• Infant CPR

Click here for a schedule of our classes (PDF) or here to register.

For more information, call (209) 461-5213 or the St. Joseph's Education Department at (209) 467-6331.

St. Joseph's is Becoming Baby-Friendly

St. Joseph’s has recently been granted a Certificate of Intent to become a designated Baby-Friendly Hospital! With this permission, we can begin taking steps to becoming officially “Baby-Friendly.” We are on our way to becoming the first hospital in San Joaquin County to have this distinction. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for lactation. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so. (For more information, visit www.babyfriendlyusa.org). We will be implementing the 10 Steps to Becoming Baby-Friendly over the next year, with hopes for an assessment and designation of Baby-Friendly status to be granted by the time we open the new Maternal-Child Center in the Patient Pavilion.

Having Your Baby At St. Joseph's

We are delighted that you are choosing St. Joseph's Medical Center for the birth of your baby. We are looking forward to your arrival and welcoming your new baby. It is very important to us that you and your family have a positive experience and we are prepared to give you exceptional care. We also believe that helping you to prepare for what to expect during your hospitalization will help you feel more comfortable and at ease throughout your stay. For many women, childbirth is the first time they have ever been in a hospital. Hospitals can be busy, confusing places and we understand that you may feel anxious. Our Welcome to Life Guide (PDF) has been designed to prepare you for what to expect during your stay at the hospital and during those first few weeks at home with your new baby. It contains information and resources that you should find very helpful. If you would like a printed copy of this booklet, please contact our Education Department at (209) 467-6331.