Choosing where to give birth is one of the most meaningful decisions you’ll make during pregnancy. It’s also the beginning of a story you’ll one day want to remember, not just how your baby arrived, but how you felt in this season. In Central Oregon, families have several options, ranging from hospital births with full medical support to midwife-led birth centers and home birth care. Each setting offers a different experience, level of intervention, and type of support.
This guide walks you through the birth options available in Central Oregon, so you can choose the setting that feels safest, most supportive, and most aligned with your values, and begin planning how you’ll remember this season through maternity and newborn photography.
Hospital Birth Options in Central Oregon
Hospital births are ideal for families who want immediate access to medical interventions, pain management options, and emergency care if needed.
St. Charles Family Birth Center – Bend
St. Charles Bend is the primary hospital where most Central Oregon families give birth. The Family Birth Center offers:
- Comfortable, private birthing suites with amenities like Jacuzzi tubs for laboring moms and sleeper beds for support people.
- A care team that includes obstetric hospitalists, certified nurse midwives, pediatricians, and family physicians committed to quality care.
- Comprehensive support from prenatal education through postpartum recovery.
- A Perinatal Nurse Navigation Program to support families with care coordination, education, and emotional support during pregnancy and after birth.
- On-site access to the region’s only Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Bend, if extra care is needed for newborns.
- The option to join virtual or in-person tours so families can get familiar with the space before delivery.
For the most detailed and current information, including tours, classes, and specific services, visit their website
This option is often best for parents who want the reassurance of full medical support while still having the option to create a personalized birth plan.
St. Charles Medical Center – Madras
St. Charles Madras also provides maternity services and may be a closer option for families living in Jefferson County or surrounding areas. Like Bend, it operates within the St. Charles Health System.
Midwife-Led Birth Center in Central Oregon
For families seeking a more natural, low-intervention experience, birth center offer a calm, home-like environment while still providing professional care.
Bend Birth Center
The Bend Birth Center is a licensed, midwife-led birth center serving low-risk pregnancies.
Currently supports:
- Birth center births
- Home births
Their approach to care
Their team describes their philosophy as:
Individualized care that focuses on informed consent and the best current evidence for pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care. The time we get to spend with our clients. It really allows for us to build relationships.
Birth centers can be a wonderful choice for parents who want minimal intervention and a deeply personal birth experience. Families planning a birth center delivery should discuss transfer plans to a hospital in case additional medical care becomes necessary.
Learn more about Bend Birth Center
Home Birth Options
For families with low-risk pregnancies, home birth is another meaningful option in Central Oregon when attended by a licensed midwife. This model offers continuity of care from pregnancy through postpartum and newborn follow-up, all in the comfort of your own home.
Shalom Midwifery in Bend provides holistic, midwife-led support including prenatal visits, labor and birth support at home, and postpartum follow-ups. Their approach emphasizes individualized care, informed choice, and emotional support throughout the pregnancy and birth journey.
Evermore Midwifery & Health is another midwifery practice serving Central Oregon families, offering comprehensive prenatal, labor, and postpartum care with a focus on shared decision-making and evidence-based support for home or out-of-hospital birth.
What home birth care often includes:
- Personalized prenatal appointments tailored to your needs
- Labor and delivery support at home
- Postpartum visits and newborn care guidance
Important: Most home birth midwives, including these practices, focus on low-risk pregnancies and will help you plan a safe care path, including an emergency transfer plan if needed.
Choosing a Provider: OB-GYNs, Midwives, and Doulas
Your provider plays a major role in your birth experience and sometimes even more than the location itself.
OB-GYNs and Certified Nurse Midwives
Many families in Central Oregon receive care through practices that offer both obstetricians and certified nurse midwives. This allows flexibility in approach while still delivering in a hospital setting.
Doulas and Childbirth Education
Doulas provide emotional, physical, and informational support during labor and postpartum, regardless of where you give birth. Childbirth education classes can also help you feel prepared and confident heading into delivery.
How to Decide Where to Give Birth in Central Oregon
When choosing where to give birth in Central Oregon, consider the following:
- Your pregnancy risk level
- Your preferences around pain management and medical intervention
- Distance and travel time to your chosen location
- Insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs
- The philosophy and communication style of your care provider
Many families find it helpful to tour facilities, interview providers, and talk with other parents in the community before making a final decision.
Preserving This Season Beyond Birth
No matter where you choose to give birth in Central Oregon, pregnancy and the early newborn days are fleeting. These moments, your changing body, the anticipation, the quiet days at home with a brand-new baby, deserve to be remembered with intention.
As a Central Oregon maternity and newborn photographer, Natalie Stephenson Photography works with families during this meaningful season. The approach is gentle, unhurried, and deeply personal and focused on preserving connection rather than perfection. Many parents choose to schedule maternity portraits during the third trimester and then continue with newborn sessions once they’re home and settled, creating a visual story that begins before birth.
Whether you’re preparing for a hospital birth in Bend, planning a midwife-led birth center experience, or welcoming your baby at home, your story is worth documenting in a way that feels true to you.
When to Book Maternity & Newborn Photography
If you’re expecting a baby in Central Oregon, planning your photography early ensures availability and a more relaxed experience.
Maternity sessions are best scheduled between 28–34 weeks, when your belly is beautifully visible and you’re still comfortable moving.
Newborn sessions are typically planned during pregnancy and photographed once you’re home and settled—allowing space for feeding, rest, and a slower rhythm that honors postpartum recovery.
Natalie Stephenson Photography offers full-service maternity and newborn photography in Central Oregon, guiding families from planning through finished artwork—so your images don’t live on a hard drive, but in albums and frames meant to be held and passed down.
A Gentle Next Step
If you’re currently planning your birth or already counting down the weeks, Natalie Stephenson Photography maternity and newborn sessions are designed to support you in this season.
You can explore more about the approach or inquire about availability through maternity and newborn photography collections.
Thoughtful maternity and newborn photography allows you to hold onto these memories long after the details fade and long after your baby is no longer so small.
Final Thoughts
There’s no single “right” place to give birth, only the place that feels right for you and your family. Central Oregon offers a range of thoughtful, supportive birth options, whether you envision a hospital birth, a birth center experience, or welcoming your baby at home.
As you make decisions about where and how you’ll give birth, consider how you want to remember this season, too.
Your Birth Experience in Central Oregon
Every birth story is different and hearing from other parents can be incredibly reassuring during pregnancy.
💬 We’d love to hear from you:
- Where did you give birth in Central Oregon?
- What helped you feel most supported during labor?
- Is there something you wish you had known before choosing your birth setting?
You’re invited to share your experience or thoughts in the comments. Your story may be exactly what another expecting parent needs to read.
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