Labor & Delivery

Labor & Delivery

When you choose to have your baby at Elliot Hospital’s Birthing Center, you can count on a personalized birthing experience from the moment you arrive to your departure after recovery.

Every birthing experience is unique.

Delivering the most babies in the region, our specialty trained board-certified physicians and certified nurse midwives, along with our unparalleled nurses, are experts at providing new families with compassionate care and exceptional attention.

Birthing Center safe-sleep.jpgElliot Hospital offers a unique layout, with a full suite of labor and delivery rooms and a separate postpartum unit to move into after delivery. This allows for a transition to a clean, new space as you learn to care for your new baby in preparation for going home. Our team at our labor and delivery center is committed to supporting parents throughout their birthing experience. If a cesarean (c-section) delivery is needed, our Labor and Delivery unit has its own two operating rooms so that you may be cared for by the same team on the same unit as your labor room.

Elliot Hospital is the first hospital in NH to be recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a Gold Level Hospital for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. 

We offer a full suite of labor and delivery services including:

  • Private labor and delivery rooms equipped with tubs, showers, TVs and space for your support partner.

  • Various comfort techniques for your labor experience – birthing stools, birthing balls, peanut balls, jacuzzi tubs, showers, wireless monitors, relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, positioning, emotional support.
  • Nitrous oxide, IV medication and epidurals for comfort.
  • Cesarean sections right on our unit performed by our staff – with options for clear drapes during surgery as well as skin to skin time while with baby in the operating room.

Once your baby is born:

  • Rooming-in to promote better sleep, bonding and feeding. Almost all newborn care and testing is done right at your bedside.
  • Breastfeeding support and access to lactation consultants during your stay as well as after your discharge home. 
  • Comprehensive education about how to safely care for baby at home to include bathing, diapering, soothing, safe sleep and car seat safety.
  • Access to in-house Level III NICU, if needed.
  • Top notch newborn care delivered by our nurses and rounding physicians.
  • Access to New Moms Group.

Frequently Asked Questions

All parking is free at Elliot Hospital. You are welcome to utilize the parking spots out front of the hospital’s main entrance, or if you are using our Emergency Department (ED), the parking spots by that entrance are for your use as well. There is also a parking garage that is available. Valet parking is available at the main entrance on weekdays from 8 am – 4 pm.

You should utilize our main entrance if you are coming in for a non-urgent reason such as induction, full term labor or scheduled cesarean section. You should use our Emergency Department (ED) entrance if you are coming in for an urgent/emergent situation such as preterm labor, vaginal bleeding, elevated blood pressure or severe headache. If you use the ED entrance for a pregnancy-related issue at >20 weeks gestation you will be brought directly to Labor and Delivery for immediate care and not triaged in the ED.

Yes! Your labor room will have either a daybed or a recliner for your support person. Your postpartum room on our maternity unit has a day bed equipped with sheets, blankets and a pillow providing a sleeping area for 1 visitor. Your postpartum room will also have a small refrigerator for your use. Both of our units have kitchenettes to supply you and your support person with beverages and light snacks throughout your stay. Admitted patients will order food directly to their room during their stay, and support people are welcome to use our cafeteria.

It is very helpful if you are able to pre-register. To do so, just call 603-663-5663 anytime Monday-Friday 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. They will need our insurance information (so please have your card handy), as well as your due date and OB/GYN practice. It is most helpful if you are able to do this 1 month prior to your expected delivery. It is a very brief 5-10 minute conversation.

The average length of stay after is two nights for a vaginal delivery and three nights for those who have a cesarean section.

Ideally, you should be thinking of pediatrician offices for your baby during your pregnancy. If you have not chosen one by the time your baby makes their arrival, a pediatrician from our on-call practice will round on your baby while in the hospital. (This will also be the case if you have chosen a practice that does not currently see babies while inpatient at Elliot Hospital.) You will need to choose a pediatrician by the time of discharge so that we can ensure your baby has appropriate follow-up care and their records can be sent to the office you have chosen.

Reach out to us! We are currently offering virtual Learn to Labor and Learning to Care For and Feed Your New Baby classes, or you can email us with any additional questions at childbirthed@elliot-hs.org.

Hospital Pre-Registration

Please call within 30 days of your due date at 603-663-5663 to pre-register anytime Monday-Friday 7 am – 5 pm. Our staff will need your insurance information (so please have your card handy), as well as your due date and OB/GYN practice. In most cases, this is a very brief 5–10-minute phone call.

What to Expect When You Deliver

For a detailed explanation of where delivery happens at The Elliot and what to expect after your baby is born, please view our video.