Sadly, the birth center at Mission Hospital closed in 2024. Many of the midwives are now working at Saddleback in Laguna Hills or the Hoag Fudge Family Birthing Suites in Irvine. If you’re looking for a freestanding birth center or homebirth midwife, please visit our resource page to get connected to our favorites.

As Doulas, part of our role is to guide our clients through the various options and resources available to them during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. That is why we are beyond excited to share a new option for families seeking a natural birth experience in Orange County;

The Birth Center at Mission Hospital.

We recently had private tour of this incredible space and are here to give you an in intimate look at birthing here. This state of the art center was pioneered by Obstetrician, Dr. Kenneth James and Nurse Midwife, Allison Molinski of Laguna Beach OBGYN & Midwifery, in partnership with the team at St.Joseph Health Mission Hospital. It is the first of its' kind in OC and only the second in-hospital birth center in all of California. It caters specifically to healthy women with low-risk pregnancies, desiring an unmedicated childbirth and midwifery care.  

A low intervention and encouraging atmosphere.

The birth center features three private suites with spacious queen size beds and beautiful natural light; where you can move around freely and utilize the comfort of warm laboring tubs, aromatherapy, birth balls and hands-on support in a home like environment. Staffed exclusively by a team of Midwives and Nurses, the serene setting features intermittent monitoring with a handheld doppler, avoids routine use of IV’s and permits eating and drinking regularly for nourishment during labor. Providing truly family centered care, they give space for the normal process of physiological birth and encourage women to push in any position that’s comfortable, including hands & knees, squatting or side-lying! Mission Hospital welcomes patients to add a Birth Doula to their team for well rounded, continuous labor support. 

A new approach to hospital postpartum support. 

The care after birth is slow paced, personalized and respectful of the parent-baby bond. As a certified Baby Friendly™ Hospital, the golden hour with skin to skin bonding and lactation specialists available 7 days a week is the standard of care. Newborn exams are delayed and there is plenty of room for the entire family to snuggle up on the large bed right after birth. After a mom welcomes her baby, parents get to stay in the same room for 24 hours, with around the clock postpartum medical care from skilled and caring nurses in addition to the midwife checking in. This calm transition sets families up for a healthy and happy journey into the fourth trimester.  

Bringing the Midwifery Model of Care to the Hospital 

We are fortunate in Orange County to have a variety of choices and excellent care providers. Previously, local mothers seeking a natural birth, had the option of a freestanding birth center, a home-birth with a CPM or planning an unmedicated birth in a standard Labor & Delivery unit that may or may not be familiar low intervention birth. With this addition, expectant mothers now have one more option to help find the best fit their family. This is a monumental and positive change for the community that empowers women to birth as their body leads them, in a atmosphere that is safe and supportive. Many families are wanting to welcome their baby in a birth center, but with the safety net of immediate emergency care, on-site surgeons and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  In bridging this gap, Mission Hospital is changing the status quo and putting the holistic wellbeing of mothers back at the forefront of birth. 

Our team at Doulas of OC values creating relationships with each and every professional that we refer our clientele to ensure they receive high quality and personalized care. We are thrilled to be able to refer our clients to this wonderful birth center and more than confident in recommending Laguna Beach OBGYN & Midwifery for all your in-hospital prenatal and birthing needs. Their private practice consists of Kenneth James, MD; Allison Molinski, CNM; Nancy Pol, MSN, RN, CNM and Elaine Kopinga, MSN, CNM, WHNP. You can set up a complimentary consultation with their team and book your Maternity Tour at Mission Hospital today. 

We are excited to share more information below about everything you could possibly want to know about working with Laguna Beach OBGYN & Midwifery and welcoming your little one at the Mission Hospital Birth Center.