Family Birth Center | MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital

There are two spacious birthing suites and one smaller triage room, all rooms are private and comfortable, where the birth parent and partner can share the birth experience in the care of our nursing and medical staff. All birthing rooms include state-of-the-art, fetal monitoring wireless technology, allowing freedom of movement in labor. Your birth plan will help guide your care. 

Hydrotherapy/Tubs

Birthing suites have tubs where the laboring parent can soak for comfort and/or to experience a water birth. All rooms include private bathrooms with showers that can also be used for hydrotherapy. A body in water weighs only a fraction of what it does out of water, which decreases tension, increases oxytocin/endorphins and creates a euphoric effect. 

Cesarean Birth

MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital offers a full spectrum of surgical services to support both the scheduled and the unscheduled cesarean birth. Services include “family-centered” surgical births with a clear drape for viewing of the birth and skin-to-skin contact in the operating room to facilitate breastfeeding. Nurses will continue to care for you throughout the experience.

Pain Management

Our Family Birth Center offers many labor and delivery pain management options, including IV pain medication and epidurals. An anesthesiologist is always available to support these options.

A postpartum care appointment is usually scheduled 2-4 days after you leave the hospital with your new baby. This is an opportunity to be seen by a registered nurse who is also a lactation (breastfeeding) consultant. The nurse will assess and evaluate how the baby is feeding and how the birth parent is doing physically and emotionally.

Lactation/Breastfeeding Care

Your primary care provider or OB/GYN provider may also refer you for additional care from a registered nurse lactation consultant if you need breastfeeding support, education and encouragement beyond the hospital stay. Please call 207-301-8337 for more information.

Behavioral Health Care

Licensed counselors are available by appointment and by referral to provide behavioral health counseling to new parents. Please call 207-301-8911 for more information.

Support Groups

Support groups, including a weekly breastfeeding group and a new parents circle, are available. View support groups.

We follow safe sleep practices for your newborn while you are at the MaineHealth Pen Bay Hospital Family Birth Center. 

Remember Your ABCs

The safest way for your baby to sleep is:

• Alone
• On their back
• In a crib

We recommend that your baby share a room with you for at least the first 6 months of life, or ideally for the first year.

Watch a short video to learn how to safely position your baby for sleep at naptime or bedtime to help prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Our childbirth and parenting classes will help you prepare for your newborn. View classes and register.