FAQ - BirthPlace Tours

Ronald Reagan
Couch

Santa Monica
Pull out sleeper chair

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
You can bring your own, but the hospital will also provide blankets and pillows. We recommend using a different color pillow case other than white if you bring a pillow from home.

Ronald Reagan
All labor and postpartum rooms are private. Triage rooms and pre-operative and recovery rooms have privacy curtains. 

Santa Monica
All labor and postpartum rooms are private. Triage rooms and pre-operative and recovery rooms have privacy curtains.
We have three extra-spacious postpartum suites which cost $330/night. You cannot make reservations. 

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
There may be instances where we limit visitors due to space, safety, privacy, and clinical needs. In Labor and Delivery, two visitors are allowed. On Postpartum, one overnight visitor is allowed per patient, unless safe care is impacted.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
All visitors must register at the information desk and receive a badge. All visitors must be symptom free of any infectious disease. Visitor Guidelines.

Ronald Reagan
Guest meals for family members or friends are available for an additional charge. For more information, call (310) 267-9218.
The Edward D. and Anna Mitchell Family Foundation Dining Commons is open M-F 6:30 am to 10 pm, and on weekends and holidays from 7:30 am to 8 pm. For your convenience, Subway is located on Level B and is open 24 hours/7 days a week. Vending machines are also located on Level B.

Santa Monica
Guest meals for family members or friends are available for an additional charge. For more information, call Food Services at (424) 259-6600. Café Santa Monica is open from 6:30 am to 2:00 am.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. We can assist with storing perishables in the unit refrigerator. All food placed in the refrigerator must be labelled and dated.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. Only one overnight visitor is permitted, and minors must be accompanied by an adult who is not the birthing parent.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Masks are required in patient care areas. Masks are not required for visitors in non-patient care areas. Masks are required in ambulatory clinics. Visitor Guidelines.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Covid testing is not required before being admitted.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Choose a pediatrician (Primary Care & Immediate Care - General Pediatrics | UCLA Health), think about drafting a birth plan (make a dry run to the hospital, check that your car seat is installed safely (Car Seats and Booster Seats(Link is external) (Link opens in new window)), consider taking prenatal education classes (BirthPlace classes).

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. UCLA staff cannot assist with installing or strapping your baby into the car seat.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. Your baby will be insured under the birthing parent’s coverage for 30 days automatically, and you will need to add your baby to insurance within that timeframe.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
You will need to work with a private cord blood bank. They will provide you with information and supplies for how to proceed with banking your baby’s cord blood. You will bring this to Labor & Delivery, and the team will assist with the collection at delivery. Then you will coordinate directly with the bank to pick up the blood.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. UCLA Health is not set up to collect cord blood donations.

Ronald Reagan
We are in the process of expanding Pasteurized Human Donor Milk (PHDM) to our nursery. At this time, PDHM is available for babies who are admitted to the NICU.

Santa Monica
Yes, we have Pasteurized Donor Human Milk (PHDM) available for babies who meet certain eligibility criteria who are admitted to our nursery. We do not have PHDM available to take home after discharge.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Peanut balls are available, yes. UCLA does not provide exercise balls. You may bring your own from home and we recommend also bringing an air pump.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes, birthing bars and birthing stools are available.

Ronald Reagan
No. We have showers with detachable shower heads which can be used for targeted hydrotherapy.

Santa Monica
No. We have showers with detachable shower heads which can be used for targeted hydrotherapy. A few of our labor rooms also have bath tubs which can be used for hydrotherapy, but not for birthing.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes, we practice delayed cord clamping. We allow the cord to stop pulsating prior to cutting.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
No. UCLA provides medical grade aromatherapy oils in the following scents: lavender, lemon, and peppermint. Your nurse will be able to assist you with these oils upon your request. Outside diffusers are only allowed for use if they are inspected by clinical engineering and approved for use in the patient care area.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes, we have nitrous oxide available for labor analgesia.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes, walking epidurals are available. Walking epidurals require extra time to prepare. If you are interested in having a walking epidural, it is important to discuss this option early-on with your labor nurse and the anesthesiologist.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
This means our medical center is affiliated with a medical school to provide education programs for physicians.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes. Since we are a teaching facility, residents function as part of the patient care team. They are overseen by attending physicians at all times.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes, you can take your placenta home. We cannot store it. Please have a cooler ready. You will need to sign a consent form that you are taking your placenta.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes! Please make an appointment with the UCLA Outpatient Lactation program to go over how to safely collect and store colostrum and our recommendations for how and when to bring it to the hospital.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
We assist the birthing parent to practice safe skin to skin as soon as both baby and parent are stable after delivery. This could be immediately after birth and will continue until the end of the first breastfeed, or for at least one hour, or as long as the parent wishes. We delay weights and measurements until after skin to skin is completed.

Ronald Reagan
No

Santa Monica
Yes, Santa Monica has Certified Nurse Midwives. Unfortunately, right now, we do not have full time coverage with midwives at Santa Monica hospital. The Midwives cover most day shifts on weekdays and weekends. We are working toward having 24/7 coverage in the near future.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes. In Labor & Delivery, a birth photographer would count as one of the two visitors.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes. We practice “rooming-in,” which means your baby stays in the same room with you throughout your postpartum stay, 24hrs/day. This allows you to learn how to care for your baby, respond to his/her feeding cues, and promote bonding. At times, babies will need to go to the Nursery for an exam or screening. In these cases, we welcome a parent to come along.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
If you have concerns about being able to safely care for your baby, we will work with you to explore your concerns and create a plan with you and your family. We can care for your baby in the nursery, and will work with you to tailor care to help support your breastfeeding goals while facilitating your rest. 

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica

• Nightgown
• Nursing bras
• Robe and slippers
• Toiletries and cosmetics
• Change of clothes to wear home (5-month pregnancy size)
• Cloth diapers, extra inserts, and laundry bag

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica

• Pads
• Disposable underwear
• Baby brush
• Baby wash
• Baby wipes
• Diapers
• Baby hat, shirt, and swaddles
• Breast pads
• Breast pump
• Pillows for breastfeeding support

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
It is best to discuss this question with your OB provider during pregnancy. Not all OB providers perform circumcisions. It is a good idea to know what to expect during the immediate postpartum period and arrange for an outside referral if needed. Circumcisions are considered elective procedures. Even if the covering OB performs circumcisions, they may or may not be available to perform this procedure depending on the census and patient care needs in labor and delivery.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
How quickly you see a lactation consultant will depend on many different factors. Our goal is for you to see a lactation consultant every day of your stay.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes! Our nurses are knowledgeable and trained to help you with your breastfeeding goals. All perinatal nurses undergo extensive education and skills training to support postpartum parents with lactation. Your labor and delivery and postpartum nurse will coach you through the early hours of feeding.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Breastfeeding is a learned skill which develops with practice and over time. We recommend all patients take a breastfeeding class prior to giving birth. Scheduling a prenatal lactation consultation is also an available option. The UCLA care team will provide ongoing education and support to support you with learning to breastfeed.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Lactation consultants and nurses are able to evaluate for appropriate flange fit when pumping. And lactation consultants are able to measure breastfeeding parents for flange size.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
On average, the length of stay for a vaginal delivery is 24-36 hours and 48-72 hours for a C-section. But, ultimately we determine how long the postpartum stay is according to when milestones are met for the birthing parent and baby.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Baby: Adequate wet and dirty diapers, feeding well, all screenings are complete, birth certificate complete, bilirubin level checked, appropriate level of weight loss, pediatric follow up appointment is scheduled, vaccines administered per parental consent.
Birthing parent: Pain well controlled, walking, voiding, tolerating food, minimal bleeding, vaccines given as needed, Edinburgh postnatal depression screening tool complete, supported with education and outpatient follow up resources for OB, Mental Health, Lactation, etc.

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
There are two options for registration:

Option 1: Online. Register though your myUCLAhealth account.
Option 2: Pre-Admission form. Print, complete and return the Pre-Admission form as soon as possible during your pregnancy.

More information about pre-admission registration can be found here:
Westwood(Link opens in new window)
Santa Monica(Link opens in new window)

Ronald Reagan
The BirthPlace, Westwood at Ronald Reagan UCLA | Parking

Santa Monica
Santa Monica Patient & Visitor Parking | Security and Parking Services

Ronald Reagan
5

Santa Monica
2

Ronald Reagan & Santa Monica
Yes.

Ronald Reagan
Yes. Valet parking at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is being offered at the Emergency Department from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday (7 days a week), and at the Westwood portico from 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Santa Monica
Yes. Monday – Friday only. Pull up to the main entrance or SMUCLA Medical Center. If you arrive on the weekend, pull up to main entrance of the hospital and proceed to the security desk. They will provide you with a parking pass for a structure. There is a parking discount for birthing families.