While preparing for birth is exciting, it can also be stressful. Eskenazi Health partners with expectant parents to create a birth plan to make things as easy as possible for parents and newborns. And, when the time comes, Eskenazi Health Family Beginnings’ excellent staff and private labor and delivery and postpartum suites provide a beautiful and comfortable setting in which to welcome new family members.
Expectant mothers and partners are encouraged to create individualized birth plans for delivery and infant care, including medication options, birth positions and breastfeeding plans. In addition, Eskenazi Health offers childbirth classes so expectant mothers and their partners can learn more about the birth process. To register for childbirth classes, please fill out this form.
The Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital is a designated Baby-Friendly Hospital, the only such facility in Indianapolis. Baby-Friendly facilities promote and implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in their hospitals and health centers. In accordance with these standards, Eskenazi Health offers support for parents to initiate breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible after birth. In addition to lactation education and support, Eskenazi Health enables parents and their infants to remain together and practice rooming-in 24 hours a day.
The Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital is also recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association as an INspire Hospital of Distinction. This award recognizes hospitals for excellence in addressing key drivers of maternal and infant health.
Services and amenities include:
- Two free exits from the Eskenazi Health Parking Garage
- Lactation consultations
- Newborn hearing screening and immunizations
- Adoption support
- On-site services for paternity affidavits
- Women, Infants and Children nutritional program
- Educational services
- Interpretation services
- Birth certificate and Social Security number application assistance
- Access to Marion County Public Health Department’s Healthy Families program
Once labor begins, expectant mothers should go directly to the Sablosky Family Labor & Delivery Center at Eskenazi Health on the fifth floor of the Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital via the Yellow Elevators.
Laboring mothers and loved ones will find confidence in the patient-centered care provided by our IU School of Medicine faculty physicians and obstetrics nurses and staff. Support people are welcome to share in the Family Beginnings experience. Three supporters are allowed with the mother while in active labor, no matter the time. Children under age 14 are welcomed in the unit but must be accompanied by an adult. One support person, over the age of 18, is able to spend the night with the mother after she has given birth. These visitation guidelines are subject to change as needed to minimize the risk of respiratory virus exposure to patients. More information about current status is available on the visitor information webpage.
New parents will enjoy a special celebratory meal as they prepare for their new life as a family.
Visitors should be healthy at the time of visit. Sick visitors, especially children, should wait until they are healthy to visit the baby.
