Labor & Delivery: The BirthPlace

Why choose UCLA Health for labor and delivery?

At our two BirthPlace locations, specialists provide family-centered, high-quality labor and delivery care in warm and friendly environments. Our goal is to ensure you have a safe and comfortable birth experience that you cherish.

When you choose our birth centers, you can expect:

Complete care: Our two labor and delivery hospitals are among the most comprehensive birthing centers in Southern California. Our birthing doctors care for individuals with routine and high-risk pregnancies, providing access to maternal fetal medicine specialists as well as the latest technology to care for patients with complex conditions. If needed, we have on-site neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in both Westwood and Santa Monica to provide specialty care for your newborn.

Comfortable environment: We designed our private labor rooms to create a comfortable environment that best supports you, with safety as our top priority. Throughout your stay, we aim to keep you and your baby together as much as possible to encourage bonding.

Convenient check-ins: Before your labor and delivery, we have you complete all your preadmission registration. This means that when you arrive at the hospital, you can check in quickly without worrying about paperwork.

Smooth transitions: At UCLA Health, our top-quality providers practice at many locations throughout the greater Los Angeles region so that you can experience world-class, integrated care close to home. Often, you can choose your UCLA Health pediatrician or family doctor before you give birth so that you can establish a relationship and experience a seamless transition into newborn care.

Our commitment to a safe and dignified birth for you and your child

UCLA Health is committed to equitable care and helping you to reach your best health.  

We want your birth to be a safe and empowering experience. 

We will… 

• Treat you with dignity and respect at all times.  
• Work with you to learn how we can best support you. 
• Give you clear information, using an interpreter if you would like one, so you understand your options and can make the choice that is right for you.  
• Respect your values and personal boundaries. 
• Respect your culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, functional needs, preferences, nationality, language and religion. 
• Welcome and actively involve those you wish to include, such as family, friends and doula, as part of your team. 
• Have trained chaperones to help make sure sensitive exams and procedures are done in a safe, comfortable, and professional way. 

Our services

We provide an array of services at our birthing centers to help you have the smoothest birth experience and transition to parenthood as possible. Highlights of our services include:

24/7 obstetricians and anesthesiologists: Our on-call team includes care partners, nurses and physicians. We also have anesthesiologists available to ensure you have access to pain management options that will keep you comfortable.

Access to NICU care: Our aim is always to ensure you and your baby stay healthy and safe. If a higher level of care is needed, we have a Level III NICU on-site in Santa Monica and a Level III/IV NICU on-site in Westwood to provide advanced care for critically ill babies.

Lactation consultations: Nurses and International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) work directly with new moms, who also have access to a range of prenatal classes and support groups.

Nurse midwives: If desired, you can work with a Certified Nurse Midwife in our Santa Monica location. Our UCLA midwifery group has been a collaborative practice within the UCLA Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology since 2002, providing holistic, patient-centered pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.

Support groups and classes: We offer tours of our BirthPlace locations and a variety of classes to help you prepare for childbirth, breastfeeding and infant care. Support groups allow you to connect with other parents, share insights and discuss parenting topics.

Conditions we treat

Ideally, your labor and delivery will occur without complications. However, if problems do arise, we have the technology and expertise to care for you and your baby.

Our maternal fetal medicine obstetricians specialize in making a high-risk pregnancy less stressful for you, your baby and your family, and the specialists in our NICUs work seamlessly with our labor and delivery team to care for babies who need specialized treatments.

With our whole-person approach to care, we treat routine to complex conditions and offer mental health support, nutritional counseling and postpartum pelvic floor rehabilitation.

Treatments we offer

Women who give birth at a UCLA Health birth center have access to expert treatments to help them deliver safely and smoothly. Treatments we offer include:

Pain management during labor

Our dedicated in-house anesthesiologists are available 24/7 to provide pain management during labor, including the use of epidurals and intravenous (IV) medications.

We also support alternative and holistic pain management strategies, including directed breathing, the use of essential oils and position assistance for comfort.

Meet our team

Our specialists provide expert care with warmth and compassion. We use the latest technology and treatments to keep you and your baby as healthy and safe as possible. Our goal is that your birth experience is an event that you cherish for many years to come.

Contact us

Call 310-825-8611 to speak with a specialist at the BirthPlace Westwood. Call 424-259-8250 to speak with a specialist at the BirthPlace Santa Monica.