Collingwood Hospital Birth

Updated January 7th, 2025
Written by Leah Jackson, Certified Childbirth Educator (PDCCE) living in the Blue Mountains providing birth doula services and prenatal classes

Collingwood Marine and General Hospital’s Labour, Delivery & Postpartum Unit has 5 rooms. The birthing unit is “family-centred” so one or more support persons (including your doula!) can attend your labour and delivery. Families can birth there whether they are in midwifery or physician care.

Do the rooms have tubs/showers?

Yes! Good news, if you are giving birth at Collingwood M&G Hospital, you can labour in and out of their bathtub and shower. Each of the 5 LDP (labour, delivery and postpartum rooms are all in one versus L&D being separate from Postpartum) has a tub and shower for use along with wireless, waterproof fetal heart rate monitoring. The ability to monitor baby in the tub means that individuals using Pitocin to induce or augment labour and those requiring constant heart rate monitoring can still labour in the tub/shower.

Is waterbirth permitted?

Not typically. With a midwife it may be possible but with a physician it is not within their practice or protocol. This is not a law and every individual does have the right to give birth in the tub if they should so choose. If evidence-based information is provided, phyisicans/obstetricians may be willing to permit waterbirth on an individual case by case basis. Self-advocating may be needed if you are hoping to have a waterbirth at Collingwood G&M Hospital.

Can I still labour in water if my water membranes have been broken ?

Yes, in most cases you are still allowed to labour in the tub/shower at Collingwood G&M Hospital even if your waters are broken. Tolerance for labouring in water may vary from provided to provider. Talk with your doctor or midwife about their individual practice around water use when there is meconium-stained amniotic fluid or in other circumstances. If you want to know more about your rights and the nuanced decisions you may need to make around waterbirth, contact me for a private prenatal consultation/childbirth class.

Is nitrous oxide available?

Yes. Otherwise known as laughing gas, you can use nitrous oxide in labour at Collingwood G&M Hospital.

Are birthing balls provided?

Yes, peanut balls and exercise balls are available in the birth unit at Collingwood G&M Hospital. If there isn’t one in the room, ask the nurse to find one from another room.

Can I use a squat bar?

You can use a squatting bar, however Collingwood G&M only has one available to the five LDP rooms. It’s also worth noting that squat bars aren’t very often used, and may require self-advocacy to set-up and use during labor and delivery.

Can I have a holistic Cesarean Section at Collingwood G&M Hospital?

It is not yet a common practice to bring holistic measures into the OR at Collingwood G&M Hospital. It is unlikely that lowering of the drapes and immediate uninterrupted skin-to-skin will occur without persistent self-advocacy. However, the umbilical cord will generally be kept intact for 30-60 seconds while the baby is skin-to-skin on the abdomen. Delayed cord clamping of 3-5 minutes will require self-advocacy, as will keeping the cord intact if resuscitation of the baby is required. It is important to be educated on the transition from fetal to newborn breathing to make informed decisions.

More questions? Contact me for a private childbirth education class (either online or unperson) to prepare for giving birth at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital’s labour, delivery and postpartum ward.