MercyOne Des Moines Birth Center

Baby Packet | Pre-Admit Form | Birth Class Registration | Birth Center Tour | MercyOne Maternity App

At MercyOne, we know having a baby is one of life's most significant journeys. From the time you find out you are expecting, to the time your baby arrives, the health care experts at MercyOne are here to provide you with exceptional care as you welcome your new bundle of joy into the family.

Your personalized circle of care may include experts such as:

• Birth Doula
• Midwife
• Family practice providers
• Neonatal specialists
• Obstetricians
• Pediatricians

Our advanced health care team is equipped to assist with a variety of conditions that may arise during pregnancy. These can include trouble latching or other breastfeeding challenges, blood sugar monitoring for gestational diabetes, miscarriage, postpartum depression, preterm labor, preeclampsia and stillbirth.

Should your baby need advanced care, our expert staff at the MercyOne Children’s Hospital William and Josephine Norkaitis NICU are specially trained and ready to care for even the tiniest patients.

MercyOne Des Moines Birth Center is a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care with a Birthing-Friendly Designation from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), recognizing our commitment to high-quality maternity care.

MercyOne Maternal Transport Team

MercyOne Maternal Transport Team is positioned to provide specialized care throughout Iowa for mothers experiencing difficult labor conditions.

This service – which pairs specifically trained Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) and Maternal teams with our Flight Team and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) –provides much-needed care, especially in rural areas with fewer obstetricians or, where obstetrics is unavailable. Additionally, external Fetal Heart Monitoring equipment in the transport vehicles and at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center allows providers to read and monitor the vitals of patients in labor across the state, detecting quickly when the Maternal Transport Team should be deployed and what care is needed.

Services:

• 62-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
• Access to our free maternity app
• Care for low- and high-risk pregnancies, deliveries, postpartum and newborns
• Cesarean section (c-section)
• Dedicated OB Emergency Department and Antepartum Unit
• Delivery of multiples (twins and triplets)
• In-person and virtual birth education classes in preparation for baby’s arrival
• In-person and virtual birth unit tours
• Lactation consultation and support
• Neonatal hospice services
• Neonatologists
• Neonatal Transport Team
• Nurses specially trained in labor, delivery and postpartum recovery
• Operating room suites on birthing unit for c-sections
• Perinatal Center: Maternal fetal medicine consultation services
• Private rooms for expectant mothers having a c-section delivery, preterm labor, gynecological care or other complications
• Secure newborn nursery available 24 hours a day
• Triage rooms
• Volunteer Doula services
• Wireless electronic fetal monitoring

Procedures and Practices:

• Baby’s first bath
• Baby’s first health exam
• Blood sugar monitoring during labor and delivery for women with Type 1, Type 2 or gestational diabetes
• Delayed cord clamping
• Emergency c-section
• Epidural and nitrous oxide for pain control during labor
• External cephalic version to turn baby’s position from breech to head down
• Induction of labor
• Lactation consultation for breastfeeding and/or using a breast pump
• Neonatal resuscitation
• Screening for depression
• Skin-to-skin bonding
• Whirlpool therapy

Amenities:

• 15 dedicated labor suites
• Birthing balls
• Large windows for natural light
• Private bathroom with jacuzzi tub
• Refrigerator for personal use
• Television
• Sofa bed
• Wireless internet
• 40 private postpartum recovery rooms
• Baby Bella Photography services
• High-tech security system
• In-suite bathtub sink for baby with temperature-sensitive sprayer
• Secure, safe sleep environment for your baby

Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital

MercyOne Des Moines Birth Center is recognized for following the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and providing training programs for healthcare team members, and safe sleep education to family and caregivers.