Riverside Community Hospital – The Birthplace

Website:https://www.riversidecommunityhospital.com/specialties/womens-care/labor-and-delivery

Address: 4445 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92501

Phone: (951) 788-3000

MotherFigure Ratings - Hospital Maternity Ratings

• Live Births: 3,594
• Early Elective Deliveries: 0.0%
• C-Section Rate: 26.2%
• Episiotomy Rate: 5.9%
• Number of High-Risk Deliveries: 36
• Quality of High-Risk Deliveries: Some progress
• Screening Newborns for Jaundice Before Discharge: Better than Target
• Preventing Blood-Clots in Women Undergoing Cesarean Section: Better than Target
• Is this a Teaching Hospital? Yes

LeapFrog Ratings - Hospital Maternity Ratings

• Delivery of Very Low Birth-Weight Babies: 39
• Cesarean Rate: 24.5%
• Episiotomies: 3.5%
• Screening Newborns for Jaundice Before Discharge: 100%
• Preventing Blood-Clots in Women Undergoing Cesarean Section: 100%
• Number of Live Births: 3,884 live births at this hospital location during the reporting time period
• Midwives: This hospital does have certified nurse-midwives and/or certified midwives deliver newborns
• Doulas: This hospital allows patients to bring their own doulas
• Lactation Services: This hospital does offer lactation services in the hospital
• Vaginal Delivery After Cesarean Section (VBAC): This hospital does offer vaginal delivery after cesarean section (VBAC)
• Tubal Ligation: This hospital does offer tubal ligation during the labor and delivery admission
• Policy to Prevent Early Elective Deliveries: This hospital does have a policy to prevent early elective deliveries

Riverside Community Hospital is recognized by Blue California with a Blue Distinction Centers+ for Maternity Care designation, as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program. Facilities earn these designations based on rigorous, evidence-based, objective criteria and input from expert physicians and medical organizations. The goal of this recognition is to help all Blues health plan members - and others - find quality specialty care on a consistent basis, while enabling and encouraging healthcare professionals to improve the overall quality and delivery of care nationwide.

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Riverside Community Hospital is located within ‘Tree of Life’s’ FREE travel radius!

Placenta Encapsulation is the process in which your placenta is used to make an easy-to-take daily supplement that can help you have a better postpartum recovery!  The most common reported benefits include:

• Boost in energy
• Reduced risk of developing postpartum depression
• Healthy milk supply
• Less postpartum bleeding
• Faster healing/recovery
• Less post-surgical and postpartum pain 

In the state of California, you are allowed to keep your Placenta in most cases, but certain circumstances can require that the Placenta go to Pathology for testing. Read more about what to do if this happens here: Know Your Placenta Rights in a Hospital Setting

☸ The specific “Placenta Protocol” for The Birthplace @ Riverside Community Hospital is:

1. Discuss your Placenta Encapsulation plans with your OB & add to your Birth Plan
2. Notify Hospital Staff of your plans to keep your placenta upon admittance
3. Bring a Cooler (the hospital will provide ice)
4. Sign the Hospital’s Consent/Release Form

➡️Are you ready to place your Placenta order? Fill out & Submit an Order Form

Our Delivery Experience at Riverside Community Hospital:

 After reading through various online maternity reviews, Riverside Community Hospital stands out as having more recent positive reviews than negative. On the positive side, many reviews praise compassionate staff and having experienced a smooth process. The hospital’s NICU capabilities and handling of higher-risk births were positively mentioned as well. Lastly, some users mention that rooms were comfortable, with space for partners to stay overnight. On the negative side, some older reviews described significant wait times before going to triage or being assigned a room, delays in administering epidurals, being understaffed, staff fatigue, and nurses being stretched too thin. Some inconsistencies were mentioned, with some mothers describing mixed experiences — wonderfully helpful staff at times, but other times nurses were perceived as rude, unresponsive, or judgmental. Always do your research and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself!

Yelp Reviews

Google Reviews

Reddit Reviews

Positive Reviews:

2025 (Google): “Great Experience here. The nurses are great here. Shout out to Nurse Mita, she helped me deliver my baby. Smart, quick on her feet, and very professional. She needs an award!
Shout out to Nurse Stella from the Postpartum side. Super sweet, patient and considerate. I could not have asked for two better Nurses to take care of me. Keep in mind that during this time the Maternity department is busy, busy!!”

2025 (FB): “I had 2 c-sections at Riverside Community Hospital and they are the best. I loved my experiences. I just had my second one 2 weeks ago once they took my son out of my belly they showed me what he looked like, then they cleaned him up but in my situation my baby wasn’t breathing that well and his oxygen was really low so they had to put him in the NICU, but before they did that they let me hold him for a little bit and then brought him to the NICU. So, it all depends how the baby is doing.”

2025 (Google): “The nurses were all amazing and super attentive. Especially in postpartum and NICU!! Carissa and Christa for the night-shift postpartum were absolute gems, they helped me so much and made my stay so comfortable and easy. The lead, Aurora was also amazing, she’s so kind and happy it truly changes your mood. And a special recognition for Lauren in NICU, she handled my son with so much care and love and I was truly grateful and it made me feel at ease that he was in good hands. Very reassuring! 10/10 experience”

2025 (Google): “Unfortunately our baby was born prematurely, but fortunately we were here at Riverside Community Hospital. The NICU nurses were and are nothing short of amazing. Nurse Linda, Nurse Abby, and Nurse Thara were a tremendous help, welcoming and supportive. Treated our baby girl as if their own. Anytime we called up, we got descriptive updates and they were always hands on when my wife and I arrived. If we have more kids this will be the place we will choose 100/100 times. Thanks to all the Nurses who work in the NICU to ensure all the babies needs are met.”

2025 (Google): “My wife and I had our baby here. Such a great hospital and everyone from labor and delivery to the postpartum maternity ward CNAs/RNs and lactation specialist were amazing! It was our first baby and she came sooner than we planned, but everyone made it a great and memorable experience!”

2025 (Google): “Came in on Tuesday 8/19/25 at 6:30am and we're getting ready to leave with our newborn today (21st). The staff has been great, security downstairs responsible, and overall, the labor and delivery team has been very accommodating. The nurses deserve all the recognition they can get. The nurses we had consistently checked in and helped answer questions, show us proper techniques, and were just very supportive and friendly! Also, they brought good meals for both my wife and I, and the postpartum room was very comfortable. Definitely coming back for our next baby's delivery. Try the coffee shop downstairs too, it's great!”

2025 (Google): “All nurses in Labor & Delivery, Postpartum and NICU were great! Even though they are busy with other patients, they sure make you feel like a priority. Always attentive for your needs. Great experience.”

2025 (Google): “For the nurses, they did great, and my baby’s Dr is great. The postpartum rooms are not good, but I know it's not their fault. Outdated and no shower and no couch for my spouse. Delivery room was great though”

2025 (Google): “First off, I want to say that I had a very good experience here at Riverside Community Hospital. Dr. Jay Lee delivered my Baby. He’s the best. His team was absolutely amazing. The anesthesiologist and the whole team were very attentive, kind and just amazing overall. Once I moved to postpartum, there was a team of nurses and CNA‘s that attended to my every need and I would like to give a special thanks to them. Irene, Leo, Jessica, Heather and Jen thank you so much for your kindness and support most of all your patience. I would also like to thank the nurses in the NICU. Rohanda, you are amazing, thank you so much for taking care of my baby. And to the nurse that took over after Rohanda please forgive me for not remembering your name I appreciate you, sister. Dr. Taylor in the NICU and the supervisor of the NICU, thank you so much for being so attentive. Your staff is amazing! Last but not least, Aurora, the Supervisor for Postpartum, thank you so much for making sure that your patients are receiving the care that they deserve. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with my last child. Thank you so much.”

2024 (Reddit): “I can’t say enough great things about RCH. I was scared because it’s not the “ideal hospital” BUT everything was wonderful. I had a high-risk pregnancy along with a complicated delivery. The nurses were THE SWEETEST and so compassionate and helpful. My son had to be in the NICU, and same goes for them. The nurses were encouraging, helpful, and very sweet. My labor was my most vulnerable, and they helped care for me and checked up on me constantly the 3 days & 2 nights I stayed. I moved away and I’m genuinely sad I won’t get to have that same exact birth experience again.”

2024 (Yelp): “My labor and delivery nurse was Tori; she works the night shift. She was super nice and attentive to all my needs. Very gentle and made me feel very comfortable. This is my second time delivering at Riverside Community Hospital and they were both an amazing experience. Thanks again Tori.”

2024 (Google): “I loved labor and delivery; nurses were very kind and caring with me. When admitted I had an old male doctor who was rude to me. He did not respect my religious beliefs and made fun of me because I refused a nasal swab even though I wasn’t sick or anything! I'm glad I never saw him again. Postpartum was amazing. My biggest complaint is the beds are hard as rocks, very uncomfortable. I was not comfortable at all. They offer icy cold water and I did not drink it because it made me colder as the AC is cold enough as it is.”

2023 (FB): “I delivered in 2023 and had a great experience, I’m 38weeks right now and will be delivering again at Riverside Community.”

2023 (Google): “I spent time in a labor and delivery room (induction), an operating room (emergency c-section), a postpartum room, an emergency room, and a cardiac room (sepsis and tachycardia) over the span of a week, and my overall level of care was amazing! Even the nutrition department was stellar with the quality of the food and the level of customer service they provided. Housekeeping too! I wish I remembered names, but I hope the majority of the staff I encountered get recognized for their great work.
I'd say the times things were lacking or downright not good were due to staff shortages and a few bad apples who simply need to be better at their jobs, or possibly even get into a different line of work where they aren't responsible for people's health. The ONLY issue I had with the facilities was the shower room. It was tiny and dirty, and I definitely didn't feel comfortable being in there after major surgery. I suggest using the antimicrobial wipes, cleansing spray, and a peri bottle until you go home.
Overall, I recommend going to this hospital to have your baby, and if God forbid you have to go here as a heart patient, know that you are in good hands.”

2022 (Yelp): “Labor and Delivery Nurse by the name of Kristen was so Amazing!!! Had my baby here and was so happy with my choice to deliver here. I chose to have an unmedicated birth and my Nurse fully supported and encouraged me the whole time. Along with the rest of the nurses helping me out as well, I wish I could remember all of the names. I only had 1 nurse roll her eyes when I asked if I would be getting an epidural - knew it was going to happen of course since it basically a given now a days. But other than that, I loved the help I received. I would totally recommend RCH for your next baby, ask for Kristen if possible!!!”

 Negative Reviews:

2024 (FB): “Riverside Community, March 2024. Don’t go there, if you have a choice I’d say go anywhere else. My experience was terrible.”

2024 (Reddit): “RCH was severely understaffed the night my wife gave birth. The nurses were tired and frustrated as they ran from room to room. They gave my wife Pitocin to speed up labor and then disappeared telling her she’d have to wait to deliver, even though the contractions were right on top of each other. After delivery, however, we did have some excellent nurses care for my wife and baby. The doctors were generally nice too. But everyone just generally seemed overworked and like the place was chronically understaffed.”

2023 (Google): “I delivered my baby at this hospital. My experience in labor and delivery was a five-star experience; however, I was disappointed to discover that it all went seriously downhill once transferred to the postpartum room after birth. It was very clear that the rooms were not intended to be maternity suites but were temporarily or hastily made to be so (this was confirmed by a staff member). There was no shower in the room, just a small bathroom with toilet and sink. While there were tiny communal showers in the hallways, we were informed during our stay that there was no working hot water on the floor. There were two beds in the room and we were told we would likely get a roommate because of how busy they were (but fortunately we did not). The only option for my husband to sleep/hang out was in a single chair in the corner of the room - this is where he would have had to sleep overnight if we had gotten a roommate. The nurses were very sweet and caring but it was clear they were completely overwhelmed from understaffing issues. A few of them expressed they wish they had more time to spend caring for us more thoroughly. At times it took hours to hear back from them on important things. The hospital seems very disorganized between departments - the nurses didn’t have access to my chart from labor and delivery, and when ordering meds (or even witch hazel pads or numbing spray for postpartum recovery) it took hours because the meds were coming from a different department. I was left to just sit there in pain with some Motrin. One very odd thing was that it was really difficult to find drinking water. My husband brought empty reusable bottles and went into the hallway to ask a staff member where he could fill them (the staff told him they didn’t know and just to ask our nurse - difficult to do when they were gone for hours at a time). He looked for a vending machine to buy water and was told there wasn’t one. Every time we needed water we had to ask our nurse, and they would bring a cup or two. So bizarre, and we both got dehydrated during our stay. My husband and I advocated to be discharged at earliest possibility because we had more on-hand at home to recover from labor, but it inexplicably took 7 hours to process our discharge and let us leave. We suspect the nurse was probably too overloaded with patients to submit our discharge request with the doctor when she said she would. Some positives of the experience were that the staff was friendly, they bring us meals, and they were thorough with checking on baby and my vitals. Overall, I’m grateful for a safe delivery and healthy baby but I really hope this hospital gets their staffing and communication issues addressed properly. Birth and the subsequent healing and bonding is such a vulnerable experience - every person should have an environment that feels safe and attentive to start this process before going home.”

2023 (Google): “Gave birth here a few months ago, and it was the worst experience ever! I went in having contractions and they have you wait in a waiting room! I waited for almost an hour, and you wait just to be sent to triage with more beds filled with other woman as well, I was left on a bed while they waited till I dilated more and they even had me walk laps for an hour. While I walked the laps I ended up dilating more so when I went back, I had to lay back on my bed and wait till the nurse was available again to check me. I ended up dilating more and I could hear the nurses whispering about how 3 of us were ready for a room but that there weren’t any rooms available, that they didn’t have clean rooms. I was already in so much pain I kept asking for an epidural but of course I had to wait until there was a room available. My water broke while in triage and then finally they got me a room just to find out you have to wait to get the epidural because apparently there’s a new policy where they have to do a 30-minute ultrasound first! I was crying and in so much pain all, I wanted was the epidural, and almost didn’t make it. I got the epidural at 7 centimeters!!! After I got the epidural, it only numbed half of my body but I ended up dilating from 7 to 9 within minutes so there was “nothing they could do”. The first time I had my baby here in 2016 I had an amazing experience. I got a room right away and got my epidural at 4 centimeters, so this new method they have is ridiculous!”

2023 (Google): “The nurse, Colleen I believe was her name was, very rude and messed up my IV. The worst Labor and Delivery I’ve ever had. Nurse Robyn was amazing; she gets 5 stars. Dr. Lee was awesome as well. The postpartum area had no shower, had to walk across the hallway. They have better showers at prisons honestly. I do not recommend this hospital for anything you might need, especially delivering a baby. I’ve had two other kids at other Hospitals and this was by far my worst experience.

2023 (Google): “Worst experience ever. Unfortunately, they were short staffed, but still no excuse for the care received. I went into labor midnight and was having contractions 2 minutes apart in the waiting area while waiting to be called back for triage. An hour later I was called back. Never have I seen that at a hospital as I am an RN as well. I wasn't planning on receiving an epidural, but when I decided I did want it, I waited an hour and a half to finally receive it. I had previously asked the nurse if there was a cutoff as to when I would no longer be able to receive it just to be sure. I was drenched in sweat from the pain when the nurse and anesthesiologist finally came in. They made it a point to mention how sweaty I was and obviously knew it was from the pain I was in. After I gave birth, I was rarely updated on what was going on and had to ask every time at shift change. I would only see the nurse during shift change or if it was time for my medication. When I reached out to the nurses on day shift, they would take forever or never got back to me for what I was requesting. When being discharged, the nurse who discharged me basically kicked us out. She gave me my discharge paperwork, told me to go to the nurse’s station to go over the bracelet for my newborn. She didn't explain anything and when I told them I was going to change my baby before leaving, she told the other nurse I couldn't stay because I was already discharged even though the other nurse was going to allow me. I wasn't even able to go back to the room and gather the rest of my things as she kept telling me to get into the wheelchair. My fiancé had to go back quickly because she was rushing us out. I would not recommend this hospital to anyone.”

2022 (FB): “I had my son via c-section in 2022 and it wasn't a pleasant experience for me…but my dr was great just not the nursing staff.”

2021 (Google): “I had my son here because we knew he was coming early and needed to be in the NICU. There were some great nurses here. BUT, there was a nurse, Andrea, who was just vile. Tone was awful. Mean, cruel, and unnecessarily unpleasant. I had never disrespected this woman but it’s like she woke up in the morning everyday just to come and make NICU parents lives hell, as if it wasn’t bad enough. I remember asking kindly when the doctor would be in and she snapped saying “You already spoke to him!” Not only did that not answer my question, but I hadn’t spoken to the doctor and this was my first time in the NICU since having had a C-Section and couldn’t get up. They let me know that there would be a survey sent within a couple weeks of delivery, which never was. For all of this, I give this place a solid 1 star. This is outside of how they released me still in terrible pain, and unable to poop. Saw me as another number, I’m sure. Lack of compassion here.”

2021 (Yelp): “This hospital was the only choice I had. Some nurses were nice and kind. But some were not. One even told me to go to the restroom by myself after c-section. Several friends delivered at this hospital and were also not satisfied with the service. Finally, I understood why my OB did not recommend for me to deliver at this hospital. Will never recommend others to this hospital.”

2019 (Yelp): “I had my baby here and it was the worst experience I've ever had in a hospital. It was a complete nightmare. I received poor treatment from 80% of the nursing staff. Upon arrival, I had informed the labor and delivery emergency staff that my water had broken and I was having contractions every 2 minutes. The attendant called my doctor in front of me and informed him that I was claiming to be in labor, then she later asked me to prove it. How do you prove your water broke when the puddle of water was at home and you rushed to the hospital without taking photos. I was refused pain meds and had my baby completely natural because the nurses didn't want to check me. I was requesting the epidural and was ignored during my whole labor. I had back labor, which made it all that more painful. I was told I was going to be in labor and delivery for days, but I had my baby within 6 hours of arriving to the hospital. Instead of helping me, the nurse attending me was making rude comments about me while I was in labor. I even overheard her say, "labor is not that painful!". Horrible, most horrendous experience of my life when it should have been the opposite. I would not recommend this hospital to family or friends.”