Comprehensive Prenatal, Childbirth and Infant Care Education and Supportive Services for Parents
Loyola Medicine shares your joy during this special time. We understand that as expectant parents you have many questions, and we are here to help answer them with our childbirth support services and preparation classes.
The more a woman understands about the process of childbirth, the more positive it will be—and the more a couple knows about newborn care and development, the easier the adjustment to parenting will be. Our carefully designed classes and support services will give you the knowledge, skills and confidence you need.
To help you prepare for delivery, we offer tours of our labor and delivery units, and postpartum care rooms. We offer a range of classes for the various needs of expectant parents:
- Breastfeeding class — Breastfeeding support from Loyola doesn’t end after you are discharged home. Our breastfeeding support group meets the third Wednesday of every month from 9-10 am at the Loyola Center for Health at Oakbrook Terrace. This free service is an opportunity for you to share your journey with other breastfeeding mothers. A Loyola lactation consultant will be present to answer any medical concerns as you learn from and teach each other.
- Childbirth preparation class — Our childbirth preparation class will explore the labor and delivery experience. We will cover relaxation, concentration and breathing techniques that will help you through the labor process.
- Infant care class — First-time parents will learn how to care for their newborn and how to handle those first weeks of sleepless nights.
Each of our classes is led by an experienced instructor and includes plenty of time for questions. Our board-certified lactation specialists are also nurses experienced in providing breastfeeding support.
For more information or to register for a class, please click here.
Exceptional Services For Women and Babies Before and After Delivery
Loyola offers supportive services before, during and after delivery for the various needs of expectant parents, including:
- Breastfeeding education and support — As part of the postpartum care provided at Loyola, our skilled lactation consultants provide support for mothers who are just beginning to breastfeed their infants and those experiencing difficulty with breastfeeding.
- Chaplain services for obstetric health — Loyola’s obstetric health chaplains minister to women who are here for routine and high-risk pregnancies. Our chaplains often see patients who are adjusting to unanticipated pregnancy or delivery issues. They have vast experience in providing emotional support to mothers and families who are dealing with anxiety, loss of control, stress and changes in routine.
- Genetic counseling — For parents-to-be with a baby at risk of a birth defect or an inherited disease, Loyola offers counseling and genetic testing to provide information and support.
- High-risk pregnancy — Our experienced maternal-fetal medicine specialists will help diagnose and treat any condition that may arise or affect mothers who are expecting a high-risk birth or pregnancy. Loyola’s clinicians are experts in caring for high-risk pregnancies and have vast experience in complicated deliveries.
- Lactation services — Loyola has experienced lactation consultants to help guide new mothers learning how to breastfeed their babies. Loyola is the only academic medical center in Chicago to be named a Baby-Friendly Hospital, meaning that our medical center has been recognized for providing optimal care for infant feeding and mother-baby bonding.
- Postpartum support — About 16 percent of women in the United States suffer from postpartum depression after the birth of a child. Detecting childbirth-related depression in the early stages can help women seek the care they need to protect themselves and their infants—yet these conditions often go untreated. Loyola’s mental health clinicians provide support for women throughout pregnancy and after childbirth; ask your doctor for a referral if you need extra support.
For more information, please call 708-216-4300.
