Obstetrics & maternity care
Find a specialistAt Advocate Sherman Hospital, we take pride in delivering babies with compassionate care and leading expertise. Each year, our award-winning Sherman Delivers program offers an exceptional experience for moms, newborns and their families. We are honored to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
Trust your delivery to us:
- Skilled experts: Our multidisciplinary team includes top midwives, nurses, obstetricians, counselors and breastfeeding consultants. You’ll also have access to fetal cardiology specialists and maternal-fetal medicine doctors who handle high-risk pregnancies.
- Advanced nursery: Our birthing center includes an intermediate care nursery that has the necessary staff, services, equipment and record of excellence needed to treat high-risk infants appropriate for level II nursery care.
- Comfortable environment: Individual delivery rooms and postpartum suites with private bathrooms provide an optimal space for labor and recovery.
Schedule your obstetrics appointment
From pregnancy to postpartum, our OB-GYNs are here for you. Schedule your appointment in LiveWell, online or by phone.
What’s it like giving birth in a birthing center?
The Sherman Delivers experience aims to make your pregnancy and delivery truly special for you and your family. That's why we provide exceptional treatment along with the support and education you need to confidently care for your newborn at home.
What you can expect:
- Breastfeeding support before and after your pregnancy with classes, one-on-one assistance and outpatient services.
- Private delivery rooms and postpartum suites to welcome your family's new addition in comfort.
- One nurse, your Baby's First Friend, dedicated to caring for only you and your baby.
- A bassinet is provided for your baby to have a safe place to sleep at your bedside. It’s important for babies to sleep on their back in a safe sleep environment.
- Focus on bonding through skin-to-skin contact.
- No separation policy that keeps you and your baby together throughout your hospital stay, unless he or she requires specialized care.
- Daily nap time that promotes rest for healing and bonding.
- In-room assessments and screenings including hearing, cardiac testing and bloodwork.
- A baby security system using unique identification bands that monitor your baby's location at all times, for peace of mind.
How long do you stay at our birthing center after giving birth?
Your labor and delivery experience is unique to you. For vaginal deliveries, the typical stay is 24-48 hours after birth if there are no complications. For C-section deliveries, the usual stay is 48-72 hours to monitor recovery.
Advocate Sherman family birthing center tour and information
Tour the family birthing center: Each month we offer tours led by our childbirth educators. Register now for a virtual tour or in-person tour. Also check out our photo gallery [PDF].
Comprehensive birthing center services
Advocate Sherman is a designated Baby-Friendly hospital – a worldwide breastfeeding quality improvement project created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). This means we provide breastfeeding guidance and support throughout pregnancy and beyond.
- Helping you prepare: Learn basic breastfeeding skills and how to avoid common problems. Partners or other support people are encouraged to attend. Classes are taught by an international board-certified lactation consultant. Register online now.
- During your stay: Our nurses, peer consultants and international board-certified lactation consultants are available to help you get started, answer any questions and address any complex issues.
- Support at home: Once you return home after your delivery, our outpatient breastfeeding center is available to you. You'll also have access to a 24-hour Breastfeeding Warm Line and our donor milk depot (Mothers’ Milk Bank of the Western Great Lakes). For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 224-783-8041.
Advanced services for complex issues
Should complications arise, specialty services available at our birthing center make us more than equipped to identify and treat high-risk mothers and babies.
- Intermediate care nursery: Our level II intermediate care nursery is equipped to treat high-risk newborns.
- State-of-the-art testing: We offer a wide range of testing options to monitor the health of mothers and babies throughout pregnancy. These include level II ultrasound, screening for abnormalities, fetal echocardiograms, first trimester/early down syndrome screening and genetic/fetal lung amniocentesis.
- Counseling: Our specialists are available at any time for preconception, genetic or diabetes counseling.
Classes & resources from our birthing center
We offer a variety of childbirth class options, including in-person, virtual and online self-paced classes. Our certified instructors are here to guide you as you navigate pregnancy and childbirth, newborn care and breastfeeding. We’re here to help you and your family prepare to welcome your new baby, and we look forward to working with you during your newborn’s first few months.
Register for a class
Select a class to learn more and register online. You can also register by calling 800-3-ADVOCATE and mentioning the class code.
- Tour of the family birthing center: In-person, virtual, en español
- Childbirth Express: In-person
- Childbirth and Newborn Care – 2-Session Express Series: In-person & virtual
- Understanding Childbirth: Self-paced (this course is also included in both of our Express classes)
- Breastfeeding Basics: In-person, virtual, self-paced
- Newborn Care: Self-paced (this course is also included in both of our Express classes)
- Empowered Pregnancy and Beyond: Virtual
Support groups
Our support groups are held at the hospital. Free valet parking is available at the main entrance. Classes are free and registration is not required. For more information, call 224-783-8041.
New Mother/Breastfeeding support group:
Meet and connect with other moms as you support and encourage each other throughout your breastfeeding journey. Lactation consultants from Advocate Sherman Hospital facilitate the group.
Beyond Baby Blues support group:
Designed to support you and your mental health, this weekly support group offers moms a chance to connect with others who can relate to what you’re going through. In this group setting, learn about helpful tools and resources to help you along your journey to wellness. A nurse trained in maternal mental health will be on-hand to help guide the meeting.
Learn more about support groups.
Advocate Sherman Hospital car seat safety check
We offer car seat checks by certified technicians who can also recommend the right type of seat for your child. Appointments are available on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 708-684-7019 to schedule.
Additional resources
Advocate Health Care offers a range of resources for moms and babies, including baby pictures and hearing tests. View Advocate's resources.
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