Birthing Center
Sutter Davis Hospital

Sutter Davis Hospital Services - Birthing Center Child Birth Classes

A happy life starts with a healthy beginning. With more than 1,200 babies born each year at Sutter Davis Hospital, the physicians, nurses and support staff understand what it takes to provide the very best experience for infants, new mothers and their families.

Attention Expectant & New Mothers

Delivery Options
Experience the wonder of birth at the Sutter Davis Hospital Birthing Center, where each delivery is treated not only as the beginning of a new life, but a new family as well. Our family-centered philosophy facilitates patient's and their loved ones' establishment as a family unit. Our caring staff encourages individual preferences and participation in the birthing process and beyond. The carefully designed birthing center provides each mother with the experience that is most attuned to her preferences and medical needs. The comfort of the home-like setting combines with the reassurance of ready access to specialty care, should the need arise. Each labor and delivery room is large, sunny and private, allowing mothers, family and friends to share in the birth experience. Located within the center, a dedicated operating suite is available for caesarean section or other special procedures. Sutter Davis offers many innovative programs for the expectant mother:

  • Water Births - Water births are a popular option at Sutter Davis. Warm water helps a laboring woman's muscles relax, which often speeds labor, while babies born in water enter the world gently and rarely cry at birth. Sutter Davis is the only hospital in the greater Sacramento area to offer the option of water births. Women desiring a water birth are encouraged to discuss their wishes with their healthcare provider. Read Jenny's story!
  • Doula Program - When requested by the expectant mother, Sutter Davis Hospital offers a special program to provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to mothers during the childbirth process. The Sutter Davis Doula Program is administered by volunteer doulas trained in the physiological and emotional aspects of childbirth. If you are interested in having a volunteer Doula available during your labor, please talk to your prenatal provider. Spanish-speaking doulas are also available. Read more about the benefits of doulas for labor and delivery and how to become a volunteer doula (PDF file).
  • Midwives - Sutter Davis Birthing Center is proud to offer midwifery services to its patients. Midwives deliver most of the babies born at Sutter Davis Birthing Center. Pregnancy and childbirth are normal, healthy processes. Midwives provide "hands-on" care throughout labor, birth and right after. There are many benefits for the woman and her family in being cared for by a midwife: there is less chance of complications and fewer interventions. Certified nurse midwives work individually with each woman and her family to identify their unique physical, social and emotional needs. You will enjoy the extended time midwives spend with you during labor and birth. Midwives understand that pregnancy and childbirth involve every part of a woman--her feelings, hopes, fears, physical needs, and spiritual beliefs. Your midwife will help you through your labor and delivery in the way most suited to you, and offer a variety of methods for your comfort and progress during labor. Most of the midwives at Sutter Davis Birthing Center speak Spanish. See our Sutter Davis Midwives: come to our "Meet The Midwives" (PDF) program to meet all the midwives who may deliver your baby, ask questions, and talk with other women and families from Sutter West Women's Health and Communicare clinics.
  • Active Birthing - Optimize the natural, normal, healthy process of birth. Read Monica's story!
  • Birthing Ball - Allows comfortable positions in labor that also promote faster progress.
  • Showers in Labor - Help promote comfort and relaxation with upright positioning to promote labor progress. Every labor room is equipped with a shower.
  • Lactation Support Specialists - Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies and helps prevent many childhood and adult diseases. Breastfeeding is normal, desirable, and achievable according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, which encourages every mother to breastfeed their infants for six months without supplements, and to continue breastfeeding for the first year and beyond. The AAP's new recommendations reflect new research on the importance of breastfeeding. Studies show breastfeeding can decrease conditions such as diarrhea, ear infections and bacterial meningitis. Breastfeeding may offer protection against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), diabetes, obesity and asthma. Research indicates that breastfeeding can reduce a mother's risk of ovarian and breast cancer, hip fractures, osteoporosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Breastfeeding also has the potential for decreasing health care costs, doctor's visits, and hospitalization. In the interest of improving the health of our mothers and newborns, Sutter Davis has specially trained nurses on staff daily to assist breastfeeding patients. View US Government information regarding breastfeeding. Be sure to read Molly's story about the benefits of breastfeeding and the benefit of having support to promote confidence and abilities in breastfeeding.

Birthing Center Tours
The Birthing Center provides tours to acquaint patients with the facilities. English-speaking tours are available every Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. and last approximately one-half hour. Spanish-speaking tours are available at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of every month. To join one of our tours, please meet in the main hospital lobby. Plan to arrive shortly before the tour is scheduled to begin.

¡Venga a recorrer nuestro Centro de Alumbramiento!
Se ofrece un recorrido especial para nuestras parejas de habla hispana el primer y tercer miercoles de cada mes a las 6:30 de la tarde.

En el recorrido, usted podrá ver los cuartos de parto, una tina de parto, y el área en la que usted y su bebé se quedarán después del parto. En esta área, las mamás y los bebés se quedan juntos. Ésta es la mejor manera para comenzar a amamantar a su bebé y aprender cómo cuidarlo con la ayuda de las enfermeras. Usted también podrá ver la sala de recién nacidos y la sala de operaciones, donde se llevan a cabo los partos de cesárea.

Reúnase con nosotros en la entrada principal del hospital. Asegúrese de llegar temprano, antes de que empiece el recorrido. El recorrido durará aproximadamente 30 minutos.

For additional information about the Birthing Center, registration for hospitalization or tour information, call the center directly at (530) 759-7444.

Pregnancy Health Information
Use the links below to learn more about what you can expect.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also maintains an extensive website for women with excellent information on healthy pregnancy and childbirth.

Access to Specialty Care
While the majority of pregnancies follow a natural course to the joyful delivery of a healthy baby, your choice of Sutter Davis Hospital also gives you access to the advanced medical care available through Sutter Women's Services. Sutter Women's Services includes a special Maternal-Fetal program for problems in pregnancies and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for babies born prematurely or with medical complications.

Childbirth Classes
Search Sutter Davis Hospital's classes and support groups to find out about the many classes and support groups available for expectant and new mothers, including exercise classes. At this time, classes are available in English only. Search for Childbirth Classes Now! Back to top.