Birthing Services, lactation consulting, and newborn care
Birthing Center in Lake Charles
At CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital Center for New Life, we understand your journey to parenthood is an incredible experience filled with anticipation and excitement. Our birthing center is designed to provide exceptional care, support, and amenities to ensure a safe and comfortable birthing experience for you and your baby.
When you choose CHRISTUS Center for New Life for your delivery, you will experience:
- Guidance and expertise from a team of dedicated OB-GYNs
- Care from neonatologists for high-risk pregnancies
- Peace of mind with a Level III NICU when needed
- Breastfeeding support from experienced, trusted, lactation consultant nurses
Comprehensive Maternal Care
Your and your baby’s health, safety, and well-being are the top priority. Our team of experts is here to guide you through every step of pregnancy, labor and delivery, and post-birth care.
Our team of experienced OB-GYNs is dedicated to guiding you throughout your pregnancy. With their expertise and compassionate care, you will receive personalized support and specialized medical care, supporting a safe and comfortable experience from prenatal to post-partum care.
Our maternal-fetal medicine physicians travel from Baton Rouge to our birthing center 1-2 times per week, bringing advanced testing and treatments to complex or high-risk pregnancies.
Their expertise ensures that expectant mothers with complex medical conditions receive personalized care and monitoring, maximizing the safety and well-being of both mother and baby. With their support, you can feel confident knowing you’re receiving the highest level of care, in Lake Charles.
Our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is equipped with advanced technology. It also has a team of experts who specialize in caring for babies who require special attention. You can find comfort in knowing that if your baby needs extra support, our NICU will provide the care your baby needs to grow and thrive.
Birth Experience
Our birthing center offers a range of facilities designed to ensure the highest level of care and comfort for our patients:
- 10 spacious labor, delivery, and recovery suites provide a comfortable environment for childbirth. This includes a pull-out sofa for a support person or family member.
- 4 Antepartum rooms, equipped to offer specialized care for expectant mothers.
- 2 Triage rooms for efficient evaluations.
- 3 C-section surgery suites provide accessible, safe delivery when necessary.
- 24-hour, fully staffed Well Baby Nursery for trusting care
- Advanced electronic infant security system for peace of mind
Recognized for Exceptional Care
Our birthing center at Ochsner Lake Area Hospital is committed to providing you with excellent labor and delivery services. Our commitment to excellence has been recognized with various awards and designations:
- Birth Ready Designation
- Gift Designation
- Gold Safe Sleep Designation
- Nationally Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians available with referral
Birthing and Parent Education Classes at the Mother Baby Clinic
At the CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital - Mother Baby Clinic, we offer a range of services to support mothers, newborns, and families during their pregnancy or postpartum.
From birthing and breastfeeding classes to weight management and jaundice support, we provide comprehensive care to ensure the well-being of both mother and baby.
Location and Hours
CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
Mother Baby Clinic
James W. Gardiner Breast Center- Building I
(located on the hospital campus)
4200 Nelson Road
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
By appointment only.
2024 Prenatal Class Schedule
Baby Basics takes the parents from the moment of delivery through the first few months of life. We cover your stay in the hospital, newborn appearance and characteristics, infant feeding, care, and safety. We strive to show the parents what to expect as normal and when to call the doctor. Parents can ask questions throughout the session. We also have “hands on” activities to practice changing diapers and swaddling babies. Basic baby care is learned in a casual setting with other expectant parents. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: May 6/ July 8/ Sept. 9/ Nov. 4
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Breastfeeding class is designed to teach new moms the basics of breastfeeding including: its benefits, early feeding, positioning, latching on, and milk production. You will learn about: breast anatomy, hormones, the importance of exclusive breast milk feeding for six months, and the prevention and management of common concerns.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar. 21/ May TBA/ July 25/ Sept.19/ Nov. 21
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Natural Childbirth class is designed to instruct expectant parents about what to expect during the process of labor and delivery. Couples will learn about the stages of labor, how to prepare mentally and physically for the labor process, comfort techniques to manage the pain for an unmedicated birth, timing contractions, and breathing techniques. Couples will have hands on practice with labor tools such as a peanut ball, birthing ball, CUBs chair and practice comfort positions. This will increase your confidence in your body’s ability to deliver a baby naturally and you will learn to advocate for yourself and your baby. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar 14/ May 9/ July 18/ Sept. 12/ Nov. 14
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Prepared Childbirth class is offered to mothers and families to help prepare you for your birth experience. You will learn about what to expect when you go into labor and when to come to the hospital. We cover the stages of labor, procedures, medications, pain management, and the birth process. Whether you have a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, we want your birth experience to be a memorable one. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 9:00 am - 12 pm / Saturday
DATES: Mar. 23/ May 25/ July 20/ Sept. 14/ Nov. 9
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Pediatric CPR class is facilitated by registered nurses and taught with video led instruction produced by the American Heart Association. Participants will learn step by step how to intervene in emergent situations that require CPR for children and infants. They will learn when it is necessary to initiate CPR. In addition, participants will learn how to correctly manage a mild and severe airway block in an infant or child. Instruction will also be given about using an AED properly. Hands on practice of chest compressions and giving breaths using manikins will help to boost your confidence in these lifesaving skills.
COST: $10 per person
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar. 28/ May 16/ July 23/ Sept. 26/ Nov. 19
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Nurse guided tour of the hospital including Labor and Delivery and Post Partum units. Approximately 30-minute hospital tour by appointment only.
Call (337) 475-4788 to make an appointment.
Bridging the Gap Between Home and Your Pediatrician
- Weight Management – Caring for a newborn that is losing weight or slow to gain weight can be difficult. The Mother Baby Clinic offers expert breastfeeding assessments, weighted feedings, and individualized feeding plans to help your baby gain weight appropriately. Additionally, you will receive a personalized feeding plan and in-clinic weight progress follow-ups as needed until your baby has a healthy, established weight-gain pattern.
- Breastfeeding Support – Breastfeeding support in Southwest Louisiana is led by international board-certified lactation consultants. CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area has established outpatient lactation services to assist mothers and babies in need of breastfeeding support. All moms are welcome, even those who delivered their babies somewhere other than CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital. Here, mothers can meet one-on-one with an international board-certified lactation consultant to address their specific needs and those of their babies.