Birth rates are steadily declining in Mesa County, but Community Hospital continues to deliver a record number of babies as more expecting parents are choosing to deliver at The Birth Place at Community Hospital.

Overall, birth rates in Mesa County have decreased more than 30 percent since 2016, whereas Community Hospital has seen an increase of more than 25 percent, the hospital said in a news release.

While a significant decrease in births has impacted the county, Community Hospital welcomed more than 600 babies in 2024, the highest number of babies delivered at The Birth Place since opening in 2016.

“Our staff takes pride in offering a more personal approach to labor and delivery, and that has really resonated with our patients,” said Ami Hanson, interim director of The Birth Place at Community Hospital. “Parents are very much a part of the health care team at The Birth Place and feel empowered to make decisions throughout the birthing experience in a safe and comforting environment, which helps explain why our unit consistently ranks in the top 5 percent of all birth centers in the country.”

The Birth Place offers several birthing options for laboring mothers, including hydrotherapy, water births, nitrous oxide, medicated and natural pain relief methods and more. Its team tailors each patient’s birth to be a safe, meaningful and individualized experience.

The Birth Place staff is trained to care for low and high-risk pregnancies, including twin births and obstetric complications or emergencies. A neonatal transfer team is also available in the rare event a baby needs to be moved to a higher acuity unit.

“It’s rare babies need to be moved to a different hospital, but we are prepared to safely transfer those patients as needed,” Hanson said, adding less than 5 percent of patients needed to be transferred to a higher level of care in 2024. “If a baby is transferred, we make every effort to discharge the mother as soon as it is safe to do so in order for her to be with her baby.”

The Birth Place provides support to expecting parents before, during and after the birthing experience. Its team offers childbirth education classes, breastfeeding classes and support groups as well as lactation consultations.

The labor and delivery unit at Community Hospital features eight labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) suites, each with a private jetted tub and one cesarean section operating room.

Expectant parents also get private parking and a private entrance with an elevator that takes them directly to the labor and delivery unit. Each family enjoys a special celebratory dinner prior to leaving the hospital or has the option to take home a beautiful gift basket to enjoy at a later date to celebrate their new bundle of joy.

To learn more about the comprehensive labor and delivery services offered at The Birth Place at Community Hospital, or to schedule a tour of the unit, visit YourCommunityHospital.com.