Maternity Center
At our Maternity Center we provide the best possible care for you and your newborn. We welcome more than 2,400 newborns into the world each year.
Our services are centered around caring for you and your baby together in the same room from the moment of birth. We give your newborn an ideal start to life and give you the support, education and guidance you need to be a great parent.
We have a doctor and midwife on staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, as well as an in-house anesthesia team. Should your baby require extra special care and attention, we also have the only level III Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Alaska.
Our services focus on caring for you and your baby and include:
As soon as you deliver, our nurses can help you with your baby’s first feeding. Board-certified lactation consultants also check in during your stay to see how your breastfeeding is going and offer assistance. They can help once you get home, too. Just call 907-212-5886.
We offer help for high-risk pregnancies through our prenatal testing services and Prenatal Unit. Sometimes, before birth, you need the full-time care only a hospital can provide. Our Prenatal Unit has specially trained nurses who can closely monitor and care for you and your baby.
You and your baby will benefit from our Mother & Baby Unit, which keeps you and your baby together from the moment of birth. Learn more about the Mother & Baby Unit.
Our 66-bed NICU offers around-the-clock care and monitoring for premature newborns and babies needing specialized medical care soon after birth. We began as Alaska’s only Level III NICU and serve as the regional referral center for the entire state.
Our NICU provides state-of-the-art care for your baby and special care for you, too. We know that when your baby is in the NICU, it’s a challenging time. We keep you informed, work closely with your baby’s primary care doctor and offer services such as parent navigators and our Parents-for-Parents program to make sure you have needed support from others who have faced similar situations. Learn more about the NICU.
Our Nurse-Family Partnership program offers special support and services to first-time moms. Learn more about the Nurse-Family Partnership.
Through Parenting with Providence we offer a number of valuable tools and services for including classes and support groups for first-time parents and old pros. Learn more about Parenting with Providence.
The Women’s Boutique offers a number of products and services to help you and your baby. Learn more about the Women's Botique.
Check out Find a Doctor on our website. You’ll find a list of all doctors and midwives who deliver babies with us.
We do have telemetry fetal monitoring options that will allow for more freedom of movement during labor.
An induction initiating the labor and delivery process on a preplanned date. We bring you into the Maternity Center for this process, but it may take up to several days before your delivery occurs. We can induce labor in several different ways. Please be sure you have discussed your wishes with your provider and understand what your plan of care is for your induction.
Pain is expected during delivery. However, there are a number of ways we can minimize and help control your pain, including epidurals, IV pain medication, position changes, walking, showering and labor tubs. We will educate you about your options and work with you to find the option that’s best for you.
We encourage still pictures of your baby and family. Please ensure you have permission from all caregivers in the room if they may be captured in the picture. Videos are not allowed during procedures or in the operating room. However, you can use a video camera when you’re bonding with your newborn and sharing your baby with family.
We try to keep your baby with you at all times during your stay. If your baby requires specialized care in the nursery or NICU you’re welcome and encouraged to go with them. If you require a cesarean section, you and newborn will briefly be separated to ensure you’re safely transferred to the recovery room. Your support person can accompany your newborn to the recovery room to meet you there.
As soon as you would like. Many babies are born ready to start nursing very quickly. We encourage this and can help facilitate positioning.
Yes. Picking a provider for your infant once they are discharged is an important part of your delivery and transition to home. Many doctor’s offices offer prenatal appointments to meet care providers and speak with office staff.
Before you’re admitted to the hospital, it’s helpful to learn what your insurance plan covers. Things that are good to know include:
- If your plan requires pre-authorization for maternity services
- If your plan covers you and your baby, and if necessary, how to add your newborn to your coverage
- What the authorized length of stay is for vaginal and cesarean births
Please be aware nurses are unable to answer insurance questions.
Our beautiful Maternity Center was designed with input from patients and caregivers to ensure the best use of space and flow of care. It features spacious, private rooms with all the comforts of home.
You will find:
- A comfortable couch that converts into a guest bed
- A private bathroom and shower
- Cable TV, DVD play and free Wi-Fi
- In-room refrigerator
- Scenic views from most rooms
We are now offering in-person tours of the Maternity Center at Providence Alaska Children’s Hospital. Tours will show you a labor and delivery room, a postpartum room, and answer general questions about your upcoming experience here. It is recommended to take the tour between 32-37 weeks of your pregnancy. Tours are generally available on Monday evenings, Thursday afternoons, and some select Saturday mornings (dates may vary – specific availability is listed in the registration portal). Because space is limited, registration for the tours is required. Interested tour participants can register through the Parenting with Providence classes portal
It’s helpful to pre-register before you arrive to give birth. This will make the admission process easier when the big day arrives.
You can register at any time during your pregnancy. Forms are available through our Admitting Department and the Maternity Center. You can also obtain the form online or by calling 907-212-3149. Once complete, simply return it to us by mail.