Kathleen D. Allen. maternity. Center. at Southampton Hospital

Transcription

1 maternity Kathleen D. Allen Center at Southampton Hospital

2 Making the decision to have a child - it s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body. Elizabeth Stone You re having a baby! Congratulations! Birth is an extraordinary experience a time for quietly celebrating life and welcoming a new member to your family. This is an exciting time and you re about to make many important decisions. We re here to help. Southampton Hospital s Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center is proud to offer a safe, comfortable birth and recovery in a state-of-the-art, beautifully appointed setting. Our skilled Maternity Center staff understands the unique needs of each mother, baby and family. Our physicians, midwives and nursing staff are committed to providing you with personal, caring attention throughout every step of your baby s birth. We look forward to welcoming you and your family. And we hope this booklet will help you as you embark on the amazing journey you are about to take.

3 Why Southampton Hospital? Southampton Hospital s Maternity Center has been helping mothers and their families usher new babies into the world for over 100 years. When the new Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center opened its doors in 2007, it raised the standards for comfort and excellence in maternity care on the East End. Mothers know what s best and their reviews of our Maternity Center couldn t be better! The Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center is the best place on Eastern Long Island to welcome your new baby. Our family-centered setting, with four private labor/delivery rooms, is designed to provide a supportive, comfortable and medically safe birthing environment. Each is equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring capabilities for mother and baby. Anesthesiologists with specialty training in obstetrics assist you with pain relief during and after childbirth. Our labor and delivery RNs have competency in fetal monitoring and all Maternity staff members are competent in neonatal resuscitation and postpartum care. You and your newborn will rest comfortably in a beautifully appointed room with private bathroom and every modern amenity including WiFi and flat-screen TV. You can count on your Obstetrician and our cohesive team of caring and experienced nurses at every stage of your labor and birth. Our round-the-clock experienced nursing staff can assist you by answering any questions or concerns you may have.

4 your obstetrician Women and their partners have better birth experiences when they are involved in the decision-making process and have a good rapport with their Obstetrician. At some stage during the journey, you may need to ask your doctor some very intimate and personal questions, so establishing a comfortable connection from the beginning is very important. Last, but not least, when choosing your Obstetrician, make sure that your health insurance is accepted! Also, since you ll be meeting on a regular basis, find someone with an office that is convenient for you. important questions to ask Every doctor s approach and personality is different, and every mother-to-be has individual concerns. Of course you re going to get recommendations from friends and family, but it is important for you to do your own research before you decide. Don t ever feel embarrassed asking your maternity care provider questions. If you have any health issues or concerns, be open and honest. Here are questions to consider asking prospective Obstetricians: At Southampton Hospital s Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center, the Board-certified OB/GYN physicians and midwives on our Medical Staff are from the practice Hamptons Gynecology and Obstetrics, with offices in Southampton and Riverhead. 1 How does he/she feel about your birth philosophies and preferences? certified nurse midwives 2 How much choice will you have in the decision-making process? Southampton Hospital welcomes the practice of midwifery. Certified Nurse-Midwives are registered nurses who have completed graduate-level training in midwifery and who have passed a national certification exam. They provide a full range of primary health care services for women, from adolescence to beyond menopause, including primary care, gynecologic and family planning services, preconception care, care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. At Southampton Hospital, certified Nurse-Midwives work collaboratively with the physicians at Hamptons Gynecology and Obstetrics to provide patients with high quality, personalized maternity care. 5 3 How does he/she feel about pain relief during labor? 4 How does he/she feel about induced labor? 6 How does he/she feel about electronic monitoring and when it should be used? How does the physician view a vaginal birth after a Cesarean?

5 ultrasound imaging during your pregnancy eating healthy for two An ultrasound is generally performed for all pregnant women at around 20 weeks gestation. This imaging uses high-frequency sound waves, inaudible to the human ear, that are transmitted through the abdomen via a device called a transducer, to look inside the abdomen. With prenatal ultrasound, the echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images of your baby. During this initial ultrasound, the doctor will confirm that the placenta is healthy and attached normally, and that your baby is growing properly in the uterus. The baby s heartbeat and movement of its body, arms and legs can also be seen on the ultrasound. Most prenatal ultrasound procedures are performed topically on the surface of the skin, using a gel as a conductive medium to aid in the quality of the image. An ultrasound may be performed earlier in your pregnancy to determine the presence of more than one fetus, your due date or the age of the fetus. Later in pregnancy, ultrasound may be used to determine more about the baby. A healthy diet is always a good idea, but it s essential to having a healthy baby. Your physician will discuss nutrition with you and make recommendations based on your overall health. While the basic principles of healthy eating are the same fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein there are other nutrients important to your diet during your pregnancy. Folate is a B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects, serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord. Lack of folate in a pregnancy diet may also increase the risk of low birth weight and pre-term delivery. The synthetic form of folate is folic acid and can be found in supplements and in foods such as fortified cereal. Good sources of folate are leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and dried beans and peas. You ll need 800 micrograms of folate or folic acid a day before conception and throughout pregnancy. Vitamin D promotes bone strength and also helps build your baby s bones and teeth. You can get 600 IU a day from asparagus, fortified milk and orange juice. Protein is crucial for your baby s growth, especially during the second and third trimesters 71 grams a day from lean meat poultry, fish and eggs. Other options include dried beans and peas, tofu, dairy products and peanut butter. where to get your ultrasound You will most likely have your initial ultrasound at your physician s office. Additional ultrasounds, as needed, may be performed at 2 convenient locations: Southampton Hospital Hampton Bays at the Medical Atrium Iron is used by your body to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to your tissues. During pregnancy, your blood volume increases to help your baby make his or her entire blood supply, so you need to double your daily iron intake to 27 milligrams from lean red meat, poultry, fish, iron-fortified breakfast cereals, nuts and dried fruit. Ask your health care provider if you should take a prenatal vitamin or other special supplements if you follow a strict vegan diet or have a chronic health condition. Always check with your physician on any herbal or over-the-counter supplements first.

6 education & support Southampton Hospital s classes can help you and your family prepare for childbirth and childcare. Our complimentary Beyond Delivery Orientation is a two-hour class that prepares mothers for their hospital stay. Other classes include: Lamaze Childbirth Preparation: This class prepares you and your childbirth coach for the birth experience, and includes topics such as the three stages of labor, variations in labor, relaxation and breathing techniques, and pushing techniques. Recommended in the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy. (Two sessions, 2 hours each) Breastfeeding: Learn invaluable information that will help you decide on whether or not to breastfeed. Topics include the advantages of breastfeeding, dispelling myths, preparing for breastfeeding, and proper techniques to ensure success. Recommended during the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy. (One 90-minute session) Baby Care Basics: This class prepares new parents to feel comfortable and confident in caring for a new baby. Topics include sleep habits, bathing, diapering, temperature taking, and feeding. Recommended during the 6th or 7th month of pregnancy. (One 90-minute session) Baby Safe-Infant CPR: Designed for parents, expectant parents, grandparents, family members, baby sitters, teachers, nannies - anyone who cares for infants and children. Topics include infant and child safety, accident prevention, CPR and rescue breathing, airway obstruction maneuvers, and emergency first aid. Recommended at any time during pregnancy or following birth. (One 4-hour session) Sibling Preparation: For children ages two and older. Designed to assist parents in helping their other children welcome a new sibling. Call for this one-hour class. Beyond Delivery Orientation: Prepare for your hospital stay and your new parental roles! Topics include self-care for the mother, physical and emotional changes, vital information to help parents in the transition from Hospital to home, tour of the Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center. Recommended in the 8th month of pregnancy. (One 2-hour session) VBAC Education (vaginal birth after Cesarean): This class educates, prepares and emotionally supports couples preparing for a trial of labor after a previous Cesarean birth. Correct relaxation, breathing and pushing techniques for labor are presented. Recommended during the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy. Schedule at your convenience. Call Betty Commander at for this 90-minute class. All of our classes can be viewed on the flat-screen TV located in each private room. The schedule for each class is available at: for more information on class fees, or to make a reservation for any of these classes, call

7 lovely private rooms at the maternity center Our beautifully appointed private rooms with bathrooms allow you and your new baby to become acquainted in a restful and quiet environment, while our highly trained nurses are available and ready to give you personalized attention and respond to your questions and concerns. Your room is also equipped with television and WiFi access. We welcome your partner or another person who is close to you, to be present during your labor and delivery. You may choose to have your baby with you 24 hours a day, or use our nursery at night. If you plan to breastfeed, our experienced nurses will assist you with the latest techniques to help you and your baby get a healthy start. holistic birth options Our staff recognizes the unique needs of our patients and their families and is committed to providing an environment that supports the desire for women to experience healthy labors and healthy babies. For women with low-risk pregnancies, we offer a number of holistic techniques during labor that enhance each woman s innate ability to give birth naturally or with as few medical interventions as possible. These techniques include hydrotherapy, aromatherapy, intermittent fetal monitoring, and immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby. cheerful nursery Our state-of-the-art Nursery is monitored by Maternity Nurses round-the-clock. The comfort and safety of every baby is assured by the infant security system.

8 visiting hours Family and friends are welcome from 12 Noon to 8 pm. Fathers are welcome at any time and may opt to stay overnight. Only siblings may visit. If under the age of 10, they must be accompanied by an adult. more information If you are planning to have a baby and would like to visit The Kathleen D. Allen Maternity Center, please call Our professional staff will look forward to showing you around and answering your questions. Anyone interested in learning more about breastfeeding can join the La Leche League. For information and meeting locations call

9 Committed to excellence, to community, and to you. 240 Meeting House Lane Southampton, NY