Maternity

Childbirth Preparation

You and your partner will learn valuable strategies and information for a positive birth experience in this 4 week class.

Click the Login/register button for dates/times and to sign up.

Baby Safe Infant CPR

Great Start Breastfeeding Basics

Get the very best start on your breastfeeding journey by attending this class taught by a lactation consultant. Learn the importance of breastfeeding, positions for feeding, attaining a deep latch and more!

Infant Care Basics

This class covers what to expect in the hospital in the first few hours & days after your baby’s birth. The instructor will also demonstrate useful baby care tasks such as diapering, bathing, and swaddling.

Click the Login/register button for dates/times and to sign up.

Mommy Meet Up Breastfeeding Support Group

Join lactation professionals and other new parents in a fun and informal setting to socialize and share experiences. Meets 2 times per month on Zoom.

Call our Babyline at (805) 349-2229 for dates and links.

Moms FIRST! Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Support Group

This is a weekly support group to help new mothers understand and navigate the emotional highs and lows of pregnancy and motherhood. Contact our Babyline at (805) 349-2229 or Wendy Beres, LCSW at [email protected]

Family Birthing Center Tour

Join us for a comprehensive tour of our Beautiful Family Birthing Center. Tours are offered 2 times per month on selected Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Click the Login/register button or call our Babyline at (805) 349-2229 for more details.

Breastfeeding Support

One of the most important choices you will make as a new parent is feeding your newborn. Because every baby and family is unique, we work with you to create a feeding plan that is backed by research and follows our six guiding principles:

At Dignity Health, we help all families create a feeding plan, whether they choose breast milk, formula or a combination of both. We follow the latest scientific recommendations and stand by the following six guiding principles: 

1. Promote breastfeeding for its health benefits.
   We believe that human milk is the most natural way to nourish an infant. Babies who drink only breast milk have a lower risk of health problems, including ear infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and heart disease later in life.
2. Foster skin-to-skin contact for improved well-being.
   Research shows that early skin-to-skin contact is ideal for introducing babies to breastfeeding and their new surroundings. Keeping mothers and babies together during the hospital stay also creates bonding opportunities. We support keeping mothers and babies together unless separation is medically necessary. 
3. Extend feeding support beyond breastfeeding.
   While human milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, we fully support parents who may need to complement breastfeeding with donated human milk or infant formula.
4. Provide human milk to premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
   Many NICU parents are overwhelmed and need special support to feed their infants. Our nurses and breastfeeding support staff educate families on how to use breast pumps and feed expressed human milk correctly.
5. Teach, empower and support parents.
   Our staff provides lactation support and education to help families meet their goals and feel confident in feeding their baby. Parents who know how to breastfeed and feel comfortable breastfeeding are more likely to succeed. 
6. Build a strong breastfeeding foundation.
   Support, knowledge and practice are essential for successful breastfeeding beyond the hospital walls. As families prepare to leave the hospital, our staff ensures they have the necessary local resources and information to continue their journey with confidence.

Additional breastfeeding resources

Our breastfeeding support clinic is located at:
1400 East Church Street
Santa Maria, CA

Marian Regional Medical Center “NurtureLine”
Free telephone consultation service from a professional lactation consultant: 7 days a week, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
(805) 739-3388

Santa Barbara County WIC
(805) 346-8450

In our Birthing Center we are making donated breast milk available to every baby because we feel so strongly about the significant health benefits of human breast milk. We encourage moms to give any breast milk – their own or donated, processed milk – to their baby while they are in the hospital, by doing so their babies will have a great head start to a healthier childhood. 

Our Birthing Center receives donated, processed human milk from the Mother’s Milk Bank – a licensed tissue bank.

National statistics show that three out of four car seats are installed incorrectly by caregivers!

With everything that expecting parents have to think about, why not schedule a hands-on car seat fitting with trained car seat technicians? 

IMPORTANT! Appointments are reserved for Marian or French expecting patients or for patients who are discharging from Marian with newborns. Please call a local CHP or Santa Barbara County Fire Station for community appointments.

English:

Scan QR Code or click link to make car seat fitting appointment:

Phone number: (805) 614-5658 

Español:

Escanee el código QR o haga clic en el enlace para programar una cita para la instalación de asientos para el automóvil:

(805) 305-4807 (Español llamar o texto)