Bloomin’ Babies Birth Center in Grand Junction to Close on March 28
Due to steadily declining birth rates in Mesa County and unsustainable decreases in the number of new patients at Bloomin’ Babies Birth Center in Grand Junction, CO, the difficult decision has been made to close the birth center on March 28, 2025.
Current patients of the freestanding birth center can transition to receive care from their current care team or a new team at Intermountain Health’s Patterson OB-GYN and Midwifery Clinic, 610 25th Road, the Wellington OB-GYN Clinic, 2525 N. 8th St., or the St. Mary’s Family Medicine Clinic, 2698 Patterson Road, Entrance 42.
Care navigators from Intermountain Health will work one-on-one with patients who would like assistance in transitioning their care.
These clinics have certified-nurse midwives, OB-GYN physicians and/or family medicine physicians who support patients who prefer unmedicated and low-intervention labor and delivery options, and current patients can opt to give birth at Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital.
St. Mary’s Regional Hospital offers a variety of similar labor and delivery options as Bloomin’ Babies, including unmedicated or low-intervention birth, and natural pain relief methods and amenities to personalize the birth experience.
These include in-room tubs for laboring, squat bars, birth balls, private rooms with natural lighting, and skin-to-skin time during the golden hour after birth to promote breastfeeding and bonding.
“St. Mary’s Regional Hospital offers comprehensive childbirth options to meet the full range of birth plans that range all the way from unmedicated, uncomplicated labor and delivery to epidurals and other pain-relief medications, to Cesarean sections and high-risk pregnancies,” said Bryan Johnson, president of Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital.
“Births at the hospital are supported by certified-nurse midwives and OB-GYNs with the ultimate goal to keep every mom and baby safe and healthy,” he added.
Physicians, midwives, and nurses at the hospital have years of experience providing high quality care and supporting pregnant and laboring moms as well as their partners with various types of birth plan goals.
The Intermountain St. Mary’s team is dedicated to helping patients and families feel comfortable and at ease as they provide care, even if complications arise during pregnancy, labor, delivery or postpartum. Physicians and midwives help provide evidence-based information about medical conditions and the risks and benefits of treatment options so patients can make informed decisions.
“Having an unmedicated or low-intervention birth experience at the hospital offers the best of both worlds – the atmosphere of a birth center or home birth coupled with the reassurance that if complications arise, we have state of the art equipment and specialty trained staff ready to assist,” said Jenn Tuning, director of women and children’s services at Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital.
For babies born early, or who have a low birth weight or complicated medical conditions at birth, St. Mary’s has the only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Western Colorado. It is staffed with specially trained neonatologists, nurses, other sub-specialty caregivers, and the equipment to help monitor and manage the conditions of these typically, tiny babies who may also have heart problems or need help with breathing or eating.
St. Mary’s is also a Baby-Friendly certified hospital, which means it meets state criteria to support breastfeeding. Lactation consultants are available during hospital stays and afterward to offer breastfeeding support and information about breast pumps and pumping, going back to work and weaning.
Intermountain St. Mary’s also offers childbirth preparation classes and has a weekly parenting support group. Virtual tours of the labor and delivery unit are available here.
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