Pennsylvania Hospital
800 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
The oldest hospital in the country. Offers Cadence-based EFM, water labor (no water birth), VBAC-friendly, midwifery practice on staff (Penn Midwifery). Single LDR rooms.
VBAC: Yes
Resources
A directory of the good people in Philadelphia birth.
Hospitals, midwives, pelvic floor PTs, perinatal therapists, and lactation specialists I refer to often. No affiliate links — just the practitioners and resources I trust with my own clients.
Jump to a section
Section 01
Philadelphia hospitals — labor & delivery overview
Each Philadelphia hospital has its own L&D culture, VBAC support level, and intervention norms. This is a snapshot based on current practice — but call any hospital and ask for their tour to see for yourself. Things change.
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP)
3400 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Academic Level III center. High-risk and MFM available. CNM-attended births available through Penn Midwifery. Strong NICU. Newer L&D unit (2018).
VBAC: Yes
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
111 S 11th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Newer family birthplace (2019). Hydrotherapy tubs in every room. Midwifery available. Accommodates birth plans well. High-risk OB available on-site.
VBAC: Yes
Einstein Medical Center
5501 Old York Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19141
Level III NICU. Diverse patient population. Doula-friendly nursing culture. Higher induction and cesarean rates than the citywide average — worth discussing your preferences early.
VBAC: Case-by-case
Lankenau Medical Center
100 E Lancaster Ave, Wynnewood, PA 19096
Main Line Health system. Mother-baby unit. Lower intervention rates than many city hospitals. Easy access for Main Line and West Philadelphia families.
VBAC: Yes
Bryn Mawr Hospital
130 S Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Smaller, family-feeling unit. Strong lactation consultant team. Main Line Health system.
VBAC: Yes
Paoli Hospital
255 W Lancaster Ave, Paoli, PA 19301
Main Line Health Birthing Suite. Beautiful, hotel-feeling rooms. Newer facility. Lower-intervention culture.
VBAC: Yes
Virtua Voorhees (NJ)
100 Bowman Dr, Voorhees Township, NJ 08043
Strong choice for South Jersey families. Midwifery practice on-site. Hydrotherapy tubs. Sibling-friendly visitation policies.
VBAC: Yes
Section 02
Midwives & birth centers
Philadelphia-area midwifery practices I collaborate with regularly.
Lifecycle WomanCare
Bryn Mawr · serves Greater Philadelphia
Long-established freestanding birth center on the Main Line. Offers birth center and home birth options. CNMs.
Whole Birth Midwifery
Philadelphia · South Jersey
Home birth midwifery practice. CPMs. Strong relationships with the doula community.
Penn Midwifery
Center City + University City
CNMs delivering at Pennsylvania Hospital and HUP within the Penn Medicine system.
Jefferson Midwives
Center City
CNMs delivering at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Co-care model with OBs available.
Section 03
Pelvic floor physical therapy
Every postpartum person benefits from a pelvic floor PT evaluation, even without symptoms. Here are local practices that take prenatal and postpartum clients.
Beyond Basics Physical Therapy
Pelvic floor PT including prenatal prep and postpartum recovery. Diastasis, prolapse, scar tissue.
PHILA Physical Therapy
Pelvic health specialists with women's health certification. In-network with several insurers.
Embodied Wellness Physical Therapy
Pregnancy and postpartum pelvic floor work. Trauma-informed practice.
Section 04
Perinatal mental health
Up to 20% of birthing people experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder (PMAD). It is medical, treatable, and not your fault. These resources are good starting points.
Postpartum Support International — Pennsylvania chapter
1-800-944-4773
Free 24/7 helpline. Searchable directory of PMAD-trained providers in PA.
The Postpartum Stress Center (Rosemont)
postpartumstress.com
Karen Kleiman's practice. Specializes exclusively in perinatal mood and anxiety. Therapy and groups.
Maternal Wellness Center
Various locations
Therapists specializing in fertility, pregnancy loss, perinatal anxiety and depression, birth trauma.
If you are in crisis right now: Call or text the
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or call
Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773.
You are not alone, and this is not your fault.
Section 05
Lactation specialists
IBCLCs are the highest credential in lactation. I refer here for anything beyond the CLC scope — tongue tie evaluations, supply complications, complex feeding.
Philadelphia IBCLC Cooperative
Independent IBCLCs across the city, many of whom take insurance. Most do in-home visits.
Nest Collaborative
Virtual lactation consults covered by many insurance plans at no cost to families.
WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors
Philadelphia WIC offices have peer counselors trained in lactation. No cost for eligible families.
Section 06
Childbirth education classes
Beyond my own private classes, here are group options worth knowing about. Different formats fit different learners.
Birthwise Philly
Comprehensive 6-week classes at multiple Philadelphia locations. Bradley method-influenced. Small group sizes.
Maternal Wellness Center Classes
Childbirth education from licensed professionals. Often paired with prenatal yoga programming.
Evidence Based Birth Virtual
Rebecca Dekker's research-led childbirth class. Pairs well with private classes from a local doula.
Section 07
Reading & listening I actually recommend
Most pregnancy books and podcasts are fine. These are the ones I find myself recommending again and again.
Books
- Ina May's Guide to Childbirth — Ina May Gaskin. Birth stories that quietly recalibrate what's possible.
- The First Forty Days — Heng Ou. Postpartum nourishment and ritual.
- Cribsheet — Emily Oster. Evidence-led parenting decision frameworks.
- The Birth Partner — Penny Simkin. The book I give every birth partner.
- What No One Tells You — Alexandra Sacks. Matrescence and identity in motherhood.
- Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage — Rachel Reed. For folks ready for a deeper read.
Podcasts
- Evidence Based Birth — Rebecca Dekker. Research-led, no fluff.
- The Birth Hour — Birth stories from real families. Wide variety.
- The Down to Birth Show — Two midwives in honest conversation.
- The Longest Shortest Time — Honest postpartum and parenting stories.
Section 08
Free downloads
Practical PDFs you can use whether you hire me or not. New ones added every few months.
The Philadelphia Hospital Bag Checklist
A 2-page checklist tuned to Philly hospitals — what to bring, what they actually provide, and what to leave at home.
Request the PDF →Birth Plan Template (1-page)
A single-page birth plan that nurses will actually read. Pre-formatted for Penn / Jefferson / Einstein / Main Line hospitals.
Request the PDF →Postpartum Week-by-Week Guide
What to expect, when to call, and what is "normal" through the first six weeks postpartum.
Request the PDF →Comfort Measures for Partners
A pocket guide with the 12 most useful comfort measures — illustrated, with photos and brief instructions.
Request the PDF →A warm intro
Looking for a specific kind of provider?
This list is the tip of the iceberg. I keep a longer, working referral list and am always happy to make a warm intro to someone I trust.