Labor & Delivery

Know you’re in good hands when it’s time to bring your new baby into the world. Feel confident you’ll receive exceptional care at Palomar Health’s birth centers.

 
Birth Centers Near You

Benefit from quality care and safety with personalized attention and warmth. We are here to guide you through one of the biggest changes of your life. Choose the birth center that’s closest to your home and offers the amenities and services that best match your wishes for your birth experience:  

Your Birth Plan

We are here to support your personal birthing choices. Work with your pregnancy care provider to create a birth plan that suits your preferences and depend on Palomar Health to offer a wide range of choices to customize your birth plan, including ways to manage pain with epidurals or nonmedicated options.
 

Cesarean Delivery

Cesarean birth, also known as a C-section, is surgery to deliver a baby through an incision in the abdomen (belly). If you have a planned C-section or you need an unexpected one during labor, the skilled surgical team at Palomar Health are ready. Our maternity department is prepared to do the procedure safely whenever needed and help you heal as quickly as possible afterward.
 
Palomar Health’s C-section rates are below the national average, which means most patients are able to give birth vaginally. Unless you need surgery for a high-risk pregnancy, giving birth vaginally is usually the safer and healthier option for you and your child.
 

VBAC Services

VBAC stands for vaginal birth after C-section. If you gave birth through C-section and are pregnant again, you may be able to give birth vaginally. Talk to your doctor to learn more, and count on the team at Palomar Health to support your choice with excellent care.
 

”Golden Hour”

The first hour of your baby’s life is one of the most special moments for a new family. You and your newborn can bond through skin-to-skin contact called “Golden Hour.” We will provide support for everything you and your baby need while you recover in the birth center and get to know each other.
 

Postpartum Care & Breastfeeding Services

Babies don’t come with instructions, so we will help you practice caring for your little one. You’ll also get help to start breastfeeding from a certified lactation consultant, a professional who offers guidance and support. Learn more about what to expect during your stay at the birth center.
 

NICU Services

If your baby needs some special care after birth, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is located in the hospital. Palomar Medical Center Escondido and Palomar Medical Center Poway have Level III NICUs, which means our staff can care for newborn infants with extreme prematurity or who are critically ill or require surgical intervention.
 
Rely on Palomar Health’s neonatologists and other specialists not only to care for your infant, but offer support to you and your family.

 

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  • The mission of Palomar Health is to heal, comfort
    and promote health in the communities we serve.

    Palomar Health is a California Public Healthcare District.

     

  • Palomar Medical Center Escondido

    2185 Citracado Parkway
    Escondido, CA 92029
    442.281.5000
     

    Palomar Medical Center Poway

    15615 Pomerado Road
    Poway, CA 92064
    858.613.4000
     

    Palomar Medical Center Downtown Escondido

    555 East Valley Parkway
    Escondido, CA 92025
    760.739.3000

 
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