Having Your Baby at Cleveland Clinic

Is the hospital close to my home? Does it offer an unmedicated birth experience? Is there a neonatal care unit (NICU) if my baby needs special medical care?

All of these questions are important. Here are our answers.

When you start thinking about labor and delivery, many questions probably swirl through your head, like:

• Do you want an epidural or would you prefer an unmedicated birth?
• What happens if there’s a complication or an emergency?
• What if your due date comes and goes, but labor never starts?

Childbirth is a very personal experience and picking the best birthing option for you is a big decision. But don’t worry. Our providers are here to guide you and answer all your questions as you develop your birth plan. We’re ready and able to handle any type of childbirth, including:

• Planned unmedicated vaginal birth.
• Planned vaginal birth with an epidural.
• Induction.
• Planned C-section.
• Emergency C-section.
• Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

But no matter how you bring your little one into the world, we’ll be there for you and your child. Our experienced and compassionate physicians, midwives and nurses are specially trained to care for you at each of our hospitals.

A collaborative birth experience

We offer a way to work together during your labor and delivery. You’ll hear our team call this TeamBirth. But what is TeamBirth? It’s a way to improve and encourage communication between you, all members of your care team and your support people. Whiteboards in all labor and delivery rooms are used to highlight your birth preferences, outline care plans and chart progress for you and your baby.

Fairview and Hillcrest birthing suites

Are you low risk and want an unmedicated birthing experience? We offer private labor rooms at Fairview and Hillcrest hospitals with extra touches like blue tooth speakers, aromatherapy and TeamBirth boards. This lets you and your support people to be active participants in your care.  

High-risk Pregnancy Care

Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Is your pregnancy high risk? Our maternal-fetal medicine specialists are here to help every step of the way. From preconception planning and managing your pregnancy (primary care and consultation) to delivery if you or your fetus has an underlying health condition.

Neonatal Care

Our birthing hospitals are ready for anything — including complications. If your baby needs extra medical attention after birth, our teams can match their needs with several levels of care. From the Level II special care nursery at Mercy Hospital in Ohio, to the Level II NICUs at Martin North Hospital and Tradition Hospital in Florida and the Level III neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Fairview, Hillcrest and Akron General Hospitals, our providers work as a large team to make sure your baby gets the best care. Newborns with the most complex medical issues can also receive care at the Level IV NICU at Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus.

Special Delivery Unit

Do you have a serious underlying health condition? Does your fetus have a known congenital disorder? Our Special Delivery Unit at Cleveland Clinic Children’s provides you with expert, compassionate care in a family-centered environment for labor and delivery.