What follows is a general overview of maternity services. Services are ever-changing, so it is best to double check the information below with a provider or institution before you hire anyone to assist you with your birth.

Please check with your provider to make sure they perform a service, like waterbirth, or using the birth stool. For example, a hospital may offer waterbirth but maybe only the midwives and two doctors have the skills or interest in providing this service.

Also note that, tubs and nursing ratios and the like can depend upon the number of people who are in labor at any given time and that there is never any guarantee regarding the information provided.

Labor (L), Delivery (D), Labor-Delivery (L-D), Post Partum (PP) rooms
Charlton Memorial Hospital All in one room
St. Luke’s Hospital L, D, L-D, PP unit seperate
Tobey Hospital All in one room
Falmouth Hospital All in one room
Cape Cod Hospital All in one room
South Shore Hospital All in one room
Jordan Hospital All in one room
Whole Life Care Homebirth All in one
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth All in one

Nurse per Patient Ratio
Charlton Memorial Hospital 1 on 1 in active labor
St. Luke’s Hospital 1 on 1 in active labor
Tobey Hospital 1 on 1
Falmouth Hospital 1 on 1
Cape Cod Hospital 1 on 1
South Shore Hospital 1 on 2 or 1 on 1
Jordan Hospital 1 on 1
Whole Life Care Homebirth 1 midwife on 1
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth 2 midwives on 1

Tubs / Showers for Laboring
Charlton Memorial Hospital Showers
St. Luke’s Hospital Showers
Tobey Hospital Showers, tubs
Falmouth Hospital Showers, tubs
Cape Cod Hospital Showers, portable labor tub
South Shore Hospital Showers, tubs: 7 of 15
Jordan Hospital Showers, tubs
Whole Life Care Homebirth Showers, tubs
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Showers, tubs

Waterbirth
Charlton Memorial Hospital No
St. Luke’s Hospital No
Tobey Hospital No
Falmouth Hospital No
Cape Cod Hospital No
South Shore Hospital Provider decision
Jordan Hospital Yes, with midwives
Whole Life Care Homebirth Yes
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Yes

Types of Practitioners
Charlton Memorial Hospital Midwives, OB/GYNs
St. Luke’s Hospital Midwives, OB/GYNs
Tobey Hospital Midwife, OB/GYN/DOs, OB/GYNs
Falmouth Hospital OB/GYNs
Cape Cod Hospital Midwives, OB/GYNs
South Shore Hospital Midwives, OB/GYNs, Family Practitioner
Jordan Hospital Midwives, OB/GYN/DO, OB/GYNs, Family Practitioner 
Whole Life Care Homebirth Midwife
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Midwives

Specific Drs or Midwives on-call for individual clients
Charlton Memorial Hospital No
St. Luke’s Hospital No
Tobey Hospital Midwife only
Falmouth Hospital No
Cape Cod Hospital No
South Shore Hospital No
Jordan Hospital Midwife only
Whole Life Care Homebirth Yes
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Yes

Birth Equipment
Charlton Memorial Hospital Ball, squat bar
St. Luke’s Hospital Ball, squat bar
Tobey Hospital Birth chair, ball, squat bar
Falmouth Hospital Birth chair, ball, squat bar
Cape Cod Hospital Birth chair, ball, squat bar
South Shore Hospital Birth chair, ball, squat bar
Jordan Hospital Birth chair, ball, squat bar
Whole Life Care Homebirth Birth chair
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Birth chair, ball

Infant Care Policy
Charlton Memorial Hospital Rooming in, nursery available
St. Luke’s Hospital Rooming in only
Tobey Hospital Rooming in, nursery available
Falmouth Hospital Rooming in only
Cape Cod Hospital Rooming in only
South Shore Hospital Rooming in, nursery available
Jordan Hospital Rooming in, nursery available
Whole Life Care Homebirth Rooming in only
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Rooming in only

Number of Births per Year
Charlton Memorial Hospital 1708
St. Luke’s Hospital 1499
Tobey Hospital 509
Falmouth Hospital 641
Cape Cod Hospital 922
South Shore Hospital 4119
Jordan Hospital 624
Whole Life Care Homebirth N/A
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth 10

C-Section Rate
Charlton Memorial Hospital 27%
St. Luke’s Hospital 26%
Tobey Hospital 24%
Falmouth Hospital 34%
Cape Cod Hospital 27%
South Shore Hospital 31%
Jordan Hospital 31%
Whole Life Care Homebirth 2%
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth <2%

Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) Availability
Charlton Memorial Hospital No
St. Luke’s Hospital No
Tobey Hospital No
Falmouth Hospital No
Cape Cod Hospital Yes
South Shore Hospital Yes
Jordan Hospital Yes
Whole Life Care Homebirth Yes
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Yes

Epidural Rate
Charlton Memorial Hospital 37%
St. Luke’s Hospital 65%
Tobey Hospital 22%
Falmouth Hospital 37%
Cape Cod Hospital 60%
South Shore Hospital 63%
Jordan Hospital 38%
Whole Life Care Homebirth Not offered
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Not offered

Episiotomy Rate
Charlton Memorial Hospital 28%
St. Luke’s Hospital 11%
Tobey Hospital 8%
Falmouth Hospital 15%
Cape Cod Hospital 9%
South Shore Hospital 10%
Jordan Hospital 8%
Whole Life Care Homebirth <1%
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth 0%

IV Therapy
Charlton Memorial Hospital 99%
St. Luke’s Hospital 99%
Tobey Hospital 78%
Falmouth Hospital 94%
Cape Cod Hospital 97%
South Shore Hospital 98%
Jordan Hospital 85%
Whole Life Care Homebirth N/A
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth 0%

Nursery Level
Charlton Memorial Hospital Level 2
St. Luke’s Hospital Level 2A
Tobey Hospital Level 1
Falmouth Hospital Level 2A
Cape Cod Hospital Level 1
South Shore Hospital Level 3 (NICU)
Jordan Hospital Level 1B
Whole Life Care Homebirth Transport if needed
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth Transport if needed

Lactation Consultant
Charlton Memorial Hospital Business hours only
St. Luke’s Hospital 24 hours
Tobey Hospital 24 hours
Falmouth Hospital 24 hours
Cape Cod Hospital N/A
South Shore Hospital N/A
Jordan Hospital Business hours only
Whole Life Care Homebirth 24 hours
Birth Care Midwifery Homebirth 24 hours

* Please note that there are no birth centers on the Cape or in SE Mass, there are several in the Boston area. Also, Newport Hospital (RI) does provide waterbirth service through a midwife.

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