Maternity Center at St. Francis

At the Maternity Center at St. Francis, we provide the perfect blend of expertise and comfort for new moms and babies. Our goal is to make your birthing experience special and unique in the way you want it to be. Should you wish, our anesthesiology team can provide a variety of pain control methods to ensure your comfort and safety throughout labor and birth.  We work with you to create a birth experience that matches your expectations as closely as possible. The Maternity Center at St. Francis has been designated a Safe Sleep Hospital Champion by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

At St. Francis, our cesarean rate for first-time mothers is 10 percent, which is lower than the national or Nebraska state average. If cesarean is necessary for a safe birth, operating suites and staff are ready at a moment’s notice. Skin-to-skin contact and other preferences can still be honored with cesarean birth.

Trial of Labor After Cesarean (TOLAC) sometimes referred to as Vaginal Delivery after Cesarean (VBAC) is also offered at the Maternity Center at St. Francis.

CHI Health providers who deliver at CHI Health St. Francis include OB/GYN's and Midwives.

Maternity Center Amenities

The Maternity Center has 15 private rooms where mothers labor, birth, recover and spend their postpartum time. Each beautiful, private room is a spacious retreat designed to make your experience special. There is a sleeper sofa for dads or other support people, and amenities like room service and wireless internet access make it feel like home. Whirlpool tubs are available for laboring and relieving postpartum discomfort.

The Maternity Center also offers many options for pain relief during labor including Epidurals and Nitrous Oxide.

NICU and Neonatal Expertise Helps Our Tiniest Patients

The Maternity Center has a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for babies who need special medical care. Nine private NICU rooms offer our tiniest patients the quiet, calm environment they need to thrive.

Research shows private NICU rooms are better for babies because they can provide better control of the environment, with less noise and activity and fewer interruptions to sleep. It’s an environment more conducive for improved development and growth. Private NICU rooms can accommodate twins and even triplets.

The serenity and space of private NICU rooms are better for families as well. A NICU stay is a family experience, and we offer a peaceful environment where parents can stay as much as they like and be involved in the care of their baby. Parents are encouraged to remain with their baby or babies as much as possible, especially during feeding times. Physicians, nurses, and staff are committed to involving the whole family as your baby grows.

Also, we have neonatal nurse practitioners available around-the-clock, our team can respond quickly if an emergency arises.

• As a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, our specially trained team cares for premature and full-term babies that need extra attention - all in a specially designed environment that helps them grow stronger every day.
• Our team of neonatal nurse practitioners onsite 24/7, specially trained nurses and on-call neonatologists care for babies born as early as 32 weeks. They also attend high-risk deliveries to provide immediate attention to babies in need.
• Nine private NICU rooms offer a quiet, calm environment. Our rooms can accommodate twins and even triplets. Parents are encouraged to remain with their baby or babies as much as possible, especially during feeding times.
• We understand that being a new parent can seem daunting. That’s why our team gives parents the education they need to care for their baby at home before being discharged.
• We encourage breastfeeding for all babies and especially for those that are born prematurely. We support our breastfeeding moms in the NICU by providing breast pumps in each room and offering donor milk as a choice when a mom’s own milk is not available.
• As a commitment to the safety of children, we offer car seat checks by certified car seat technicians for our patients and the community. 

Sacred Hour

Studies show that the mother-child bond is critical for a baby’s ongoing growth and development. To help you get off on the right foot, St. Francis likes to give new moms and babies a special time to bond and connect — we call it the Sacred Hour. If you wish to participate, the Maternity Center staff will ensure your first hour with your baby is free from visitors or interruptions so you can take full advantage of this important moment in you and your baby’s life together.

We also encourage skin-to-skin contact in the first hours and days of your baby’s life to help the two of you get to know one another. This closeness is one of the best ways for you to learn about your baby and to bond and connect.

Support for Breastfeeding Mothers

Breastfeeding is a special way to bond with your baby. And research shows there are many health benefits for both mother and baby. If you choose to breastfeed, we offer several resources to help you be successful.

• Breastfeeding classes
• On-staff lactation consultant
• Breastfeeding support group

Maternity Tours

Please call (308) 398-5888 to schedule a tour time, or visit our facebook page to see the video version.