Pregnancy and postpartum care in Reading.
A plain guide for moms in Reading: where to deliver, what Medicaid covers, free local help, and the warning signs that matter for a full year after birth.
Key takeaway
Two hospitals near Reading deliver babies. If you have Medicaid, you stay covered for 12 months after birth. Know the warning signs, and keep support close for the whole first year.
Having a baby in Reading means choosing a hospital, sorting out coverage and knowing where to turn after you go home. This guide covers where to deliver, what Medicaid covers, free local help, and the warning signs to know for the whole first year.
Where babies are born near Reading
As of October 2026, these hospitals have labor and delivery units.
Hospital | NICU |
Reading Hospital | Level III |
Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center | Level II |
Reading Hospital’s Beginnings Maternity Center has the region’s only Level III NICU.
Questions to ask on a hospital tour
What level is your NICU, and can my baby stay here if they need intensive care?
Who can stay overnight with me after the birth?
Will a lactation consultant see me before I go home?
How will you check my blood pressure after I leave?
Who do I call at night if something feels wrong after discharge?
What Medicaid covers after birth
If you have Pennsylvania Medical Assistance (Medicaid), your coverage now lasts 12 months after your pregnancy ends. It used to stop at 60 days. The change took effect on April 1, 2022.
What | After birth |
How long Medicaid lasts | 12 months |
Doctor and nurse visits | Covered |
Mental health and substance use care | Covered, through Community Care Behavioral Health |
Certified doula care | Covered, may need a clinician’s recommendation |
Medicaid health plans in Berks County
Berks County is in the HealthChoices Lehigh/Capital zone. These plans cover physical health care:
Health plan | Phone |
AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania | 888-991-7200 |
Geisinger Health Plan | 855-227-1302 |
Jefferson Health Plans EverWell | 800-553-0784 |
Highmark Wholecare | 800-392-1147 |
UPMC for You | 800-286-4242 |
Mental health and substance use care for Medicaid members goes through Community Care Behavioral Health. Call the behavioral health number on your Medicaid card to find a therapist or treatment program. To find a doula, ask your health plan which certified doulas are in network.
Free and low-cost help in Reading
Program | What you get |
WIC | Healthy food, breastfeeding help and nutrition support for moms and kids under 5. Run by Maternal and Family Health Services. U.S. citizenship is not required. |
Nurse-Family Partnership, Community Prevention Partnership | A nurse visits first-time parents with low income at home. Enroll before your third trimester. |
St. Luke’s Nurse-Family Partnership | Also serves Berks County, for first-time moms with low income. |
Parents as Teachers, Community Prevention Partnership | Home visits for families who are expecting or have a child up to 5. |
Statewide WIC line: 1-800-WIC-WINS.
Why the year after birth matters
Pennsylvania extended Medicaid to a full year after birth because many serious problems, like high blood pressure, infection and depression, can show up weeks or months after the six-week checkup. Checking in, catching warning signs early and getting help fast is what changes outcomes.
Warning signs to know
These signs matter for up to a year after birth, not just the first few weeks.
If you have | Do this |
Chest pain | Call 911 |
Trouble breathing | Call 911 |
A seizure | Call 911 |
Thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else | Call 911 |
Bleeding that soaks a pad an hour, or egg-sized clots | Call your doctor or midwife |
An incision that isn’t healing | Call your doctor or midwife |
A red, swollen, painful or warm leg | Call your doctor or midwife |
A temperature of 100.4°F or higher | Call your doctor or midwife |
A headache that won’t go away, or one with vision changes | Call your doctor or midwife |
If you can’t reach your provider, call 911 or go to the emergency room. Tell them you recently had a baby.
If you are struggling emotionally
Feeling overwhelmed, anxious or low after a baby is common, and it is treatable. You don’t have to wait until it feels like a crisis.
Who to contact | How to reach them |
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline | 24/7, in English and Spanish. |
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | 24/7. |
Berks County Crisis Intervention | 24/7, walk-in at 401 Buttonwood St., West Reading. |
Postpartum Support International | 8am to 11pm ET. Support and referrals, not a crisis line. |
Where Phia fits
A licensed perinatal medical group you text. Phia doesn’t replace your OB. It covers the stretches between visits.
01
Every message is checked
A nurse steps in when something looks wrong, day or night.
02
Phia remembers you
A headache this week is read alongside last week’s blood pressure.
03
Help that follows through
Phia connects you with programs like these, then checks that you got care.
Between visits, Phia is there.
16 min
Median time for a clinician to pick up a flagged concern
Any language
Text Phia from the phone you already have. No app to download.
Common questions.
Which hospitals near Reading deliver babies?
As of October 2026: Reading Hospital, Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center.
How long does Medicaid cover me after I give birth in Pennsylvania?
12 months after your pregnancy ends. Pennsylvania extended postpartum Medical Assistance coverage from 60 days to 12 months on April 1, 2022.
Is there free help for new moms in Reading?
Yes. Community Prevention Partnership runs Nurse-Family Partnership and Parents as Teachers home visits, and WIC is run by Maternal and Family Health Services.
Is Phia available in Reading?
Yes. Phia works by text, in any language, from pregnancy through postpartum. It costs $19 a month, and some employers and health plans offer it at no cost. Phia is not an emergency service. If you need help now, call 911.
Sources: Tower Health, Reading Hospital. Penn State Health St. Joseph, Breidegam Family Birthing Center. PA DHS HealthChoices and behavioral health MCO lists, 2026. Berks County HealthChoices and Crisis Intervention pages. PA Department of Health WIC agencies. PA 211. PA DHS postpartum coverage bulletin, 2022. CMS State Plan Amendment PA-25-0003 (doula services). AWHONN POST-BIRTH warning signs. HRSA National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. 988 Lifeline. Postpartum Support International.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Programs, phone numbers and hospital services change, so confirm details directly. Phia is not an emergency service. If you need help now, call 911.
