Preparing for Your Delivery
From writing down your birth preferences and preregistering your delivery to finding a doula who meets your needs and taking prenatal classes that work for you, we’re standing by to help you feel as comfortable and prepared as possible as you get closer to your due date.
Explore Birthing Centers
We want your birth experience to be as safe and comfortable as possible. At El Camino Health, our Mountain View and Los Gatos maternity units offer spacious, private birthing suites with the latest care and amenities to keep you, your baby and your partner feeling well.
These family-friendly rooms were designed with your comfort in mind. Our birthing suites offer plenty of natural light and privacy to give you the most relaxing experience possible. We provide wireless patient monitoring to give you the freedom to move throughout the suite. We also offer a variety of birth support equipment, such as peanut balls, to make giving birth a little easier and personalize your experience to your preferences. And for your peace of mind, our birthing suites include the latest safety and security features to keep you and your baby protected.
Once you've welcomed your baby, you move into a private recovery room in the mother-baby unit. We care for you and your baby together to promote bonding and breastfeeding. All mother-baby unit rooms are private and include amenities for your comfort:
- Adjustable patient bed
- Pull-out bed for your partner or support person
- Large windows
- Phone
- Private bathroom with a shower, towels and personal hygiene products
- Television
- Wireless patient monitoring
Recovery & Bonding
Once you’ve delivered your new baby, your care team is here to help you both recover and bond in comfort. We encourage skin-to-skin contact with your newborn and help you hold your baby safely, even if you’ve needed a C-section, and are ready to give breastfeeding support as soon as your baby is ready to feed.
When you are feeling well enough, we move you to the mother-baby unit where you can more fully recover and bond with your baby in the days after your delivery. All the rooms in this unit are private and designed with your comfort in mind. With robust safety and security measures in place, you and your baby can rest easy.
We know that you may have many questions, concerns and worries in these first hours after your baby is born. Rest assured that we fully assess you and your baby during all transfers of care.
Visitor Guidelines
We want to make sure your family and support network can visit you safely during this special time. Our labor and delivery unit allows two support people at a time, including supervised siblings over age 14 during visiting hours (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.). Your partner does not count against this number and is welcome at all hours.
Once you deliver your baby and move to the postpartum unit, siblings of any age are welcome with adult supervision during visiting hours. Two support people, in addition to your partner, are also welcome during visiting hours. Again, your partner is welcome to stay with you at all times.
Please note that visitors may not enter either the labor and delivery or postpartum unit if they are experiencing symptoms of illness like fever, cough or shortness of breath.
See our current Visitors Guidelines for the most up-to-date information to share with your loved ones.
Newborn Services
Maternity Boutiques
Our on-site maternity boutiques, including the Maternal Connection at Mountain View Hospital and the Gift Connection at Los Gatos Hospital, offer popular items, recommended by our team of specialists, and hard-to-find supplies for you and your baby. From breast pumps you can rent or buy to a full range of baby supplies, our trained staff is here to help you find what you need. For your convenience, we offer gift certificates to both boutiques and accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
Baby’s First Photo
If you’re hoping to capture your baby’s earliest moments during your hospital stay, El Camino Health is here to help. We are happy to partner with First Day Photo to offer professional newborn photography in the comfort of your maternity suite. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit firstdayphoto.com or text 800-770-1926.
You are welcome to bring a private photographer to take newborn photos. Note that while the photographer is with you, they count as one of your visitors.
Birth Certificate Services
Paperwork might be the last thing on your mind after you deliver your child, but we are here to make some of these requirements, like getting your baby’s birth certificate and social security number, a little easier for you.
Our birth recorder visits you after delivery to gather information for your baby’s birth certificate and works to finalize the certificate before you leave the hospital. The birth recorder submits this information to the county and shares how you can order copies for your records. If you have questions about your baby’s birth certificate, call the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Vital Records and Registration at 408-299-5688.
El Camino Health can also help you begin the process of applying for your baby’s social security number, which is usually mailed to you within eight weeks. For questions about your baby’s social security number, call the U.S. Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.
The birth recorder is available to answer your questions and assist you with completing any forms.
Meal Options
You deserve to feel well-nourished after delivering your baby. Our broad menu has many different options, and our kitchen can accommodate a range of dietary needs including gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, lactose-intolerant and diabetic diets. Please let your care team know about your dietary restrictions upon admission so we can make sure to meet your needs. We can also provide hot and cold water and healthy, delicious snacks whenever you need them. If you’d prefer food from outside of the hospital, you can order via meal delivery service to your room.
Preparing to Go Home
Taking your new baby home might feel daunting, but we are here for you every step of the way. We work with you to create a personalized plan to get you and your baby ready for discharge.
Before you head home, we prepare you with everything you need for a smooth start to your baby’s life.
Breastfeeding Support
We offer breastfeeding support to help with any questions you have about breastfeeding in the hospital or at home. We also offer continuing lactation counseling after you head home from the hospital.
Mental Health Support
Your well-being matters, and you deserve to feel well mentally, emotionally and physically. El Camino Health is here with tailored mental health programs to support you postpartum.
Pelvic Health
Pregnancy and childbirth can lead to new pain, symptoms or challenges with your pelvic floor. Pelvic floor therapy from El Camino Health’s women's pelvic health team can help ease these symptoms for you.
New Baby Support
From newborn immunizations and screenings to birth certificates, photography and more, we offer new baby services to take care of some of your needs quickly and conveniently during your hospital stay.