What to Expect After Delivery Welcome to the Mother Baby Unit This is a special time in your life and we are happy to share it with you! It is a time to learn new things about yourself, your new baby and changing family relationships. Our staff is eager to help you and your family as you learn and make needed adjustments. All of the rooms on the Mother Baby Unit are private. Family and friends are welcome. Each room has accommodations for the baby s father/birth partner to stay and spend the night to help you in caring for the baby. Menu Click on Topic What to Expect After Delivery (Continued) Breastfeeding Chart Formula Feeding Chart Child Passenger Safety What will I need to pack for my stay after delivery? Please see list in Tab 3, Preparing for Your Birth, for What to Pack, Postpartum Bag and Baby s Bag. For your convenience, extra towels, washcloths and hospital gowns are located in your room. Each room on the Mother Baby Unit is supplied with a day bed for the father/partner who wishes to spend the night to help you care for your new baby. Please ask your nurse for additional blankets and linens for this bed. Will my baby s safety be monitored? A new baby is one of life s most precious family additions. The security of you and your baby is of great importance to us here at Lehigh Valley Health Network. We take every precaution to ensure the safety of you and your baby. For your protection, our units are locked. When family and friends visit, they need to use the phone located outside the unit door to call into the unit. To gain access, family and visitors must state their full name and know your full name. Your guests will then be given access into the unit. Your guests will also need to be seen leaving the unit. Please ask the staff located near the main entrance/exit door to permit your visitors to leave. When are visiting hours on the Mother Baby Unit? The Mother Baby Unit is a family-friendly environment. Father/partner may visit any time with proper newborn identification. Remember, rest is an important part of your recovery! We recommend short visits for children as they become restless. For safety reasons, other children may not sleep overnight during your stay. An adult, other than the new mother, must accompany other children at all times. Be sure all guests are in good health with no evidence of a cold or recent exposure to communicable diseases. Please encourage all guests to wash their hands thoroughly before holding your baby in the hospital and at home.
Meals Meals are served from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You may place your order by calling the hostess from your hospital room. A menu with the complete breakfast, lunch and dinner selections is located in your room. Fathers/partners may also place an order for a guest tray for a $7 fee which must be paid with a credit card at time of placing food order. Food may also be purchased by your family/visitors from the Lehigh Valley Health Network Cafeteria and brought to your room to enjoy together! Extra drinks and snacks are located in the pantry for our moms and dads/partners on the Mother Baby Unit. A celebration of life dinner is also available for purchase. Please let your hostess know by 1 p.m. on the day of your dinner. The celebration of life dinner is $25 per person and payment is required at time of order. Your hostess will provide you with the menu. Will my baby be able to stay with me? We support mother and baby bonding by allowing your new baby to stay with you as much as possible. You are encouraged to keep your baby in your room to care for him/her as much as possible while you are here. We want you to become familiar with your baby by learning his/her feeding cues as well as their behavior. Don t hesitate to call your nurse or technical partner for assistance. As a precaution against falls, we encourage you to use your baby s crib to transport your baby in the halls and to and from the nursery. For your safety, please be sure to wear your slippers/shoes while staying with us. How will I care for my baby while I m in the hospital? While staying on the Mother Baby Unit, the drawer in the baby s crib contains the supplies used for his/her care. Use the diapers and wipes provided in the drawer. Our wipes must be moistened with water from the faucet in your room. Ask your nurse if there is anything else that you may need. Please let the nursing staff know when you change the baby s diaper as we count wet and soiled diapers. Your baby s doctor (pediatrician or family practitioner) will visit you within the first day of birth and once each day following delivery unless your baby has special needs. Never leave your baby unattended. This includes bathroom use. If you are alone and need to use the bathroom, wheel the crib to the bathroom door so you can see your baby at all times. If you need to shower, nap, or leave the room, only if for a moment, you may wheel the baby to the nursery or you may call the nurse and we will take your baby to the nursery for you. We insist, for nursery security and your baby s protection, and as a precaution against falls, please place your baby in the rolling crib, rather than carrying your baby in your arms, whenever going in the hall to and from your room. Please do not sleep while holding your baby. If you or your partner are feeling tired while holding your baby, place your baby back into the bassinet or call for assistance using the call-bell system. When can I feed my baby? You will have the opportunity to breastfeed immediately after birth and then on baby s request. Each baby s feeding schedule is individual and it is normal for babies to feed from 8 to 20 times a day. You will learn to respond to your baby s feeding cues. Formula fed babies should be fed every 3-4 hours, increasing feedings by ½ ounce daily. Be sure to burp baby with each feeding. Formula and supplies are located in the drawer in baby s crib. Please be sure to ask your nurse or technical partner if you should need additional supplies for use during your stay with us.
You will be given a feeding chart to help you keep track of your baby s feedings and diapers. We recommend that you continue to use this chart until you take your baby to their first doctor visit. This visit is usually scheduled for 1-3 days after discharge from the hospital. Will someone answer my questions about breastfeeding? Breastfeeding is a natural way to nourish your baby. A certified lactation consultant will be available to help you with breastfeeding in the hospital and answer your questions. Nursing mothers are encouraged to keep their baby with them at night to accommodate demand feedings. We only give formula or a pacifier to a breast fed baby upon a mother s specific request. If you have breastfeeding questions or problems after you leave the hospital, call your baby s healthcare provider or the hospital lactation consultant at 610-402-7264. Breastfeeding Chart Date/Time Breastfeeding/ description of feeding Wet diapers Bowel Movements Comments
Formula Feeding Chart Date Time Started Amount Bowel Movements Wet Diapers
Will my baby have any tests or vaccinations? Prior to discharge, a simple and painless test to check for potential hearing problems is performed on all newborns. Also performed within 48 hours after birth is the blood testing required by the State of Pennsylvania PKU and Supplemental Screening. Your baby may also have a bilirubin test performed prior to going home. Please ask your nurse for more information about these tests. The first of a series of three Hepatitis B vaccines may be given to your baby while in the hospital. Your baby s healthcare provider will discuss more about this vaccine with you. You will need to sign a consent form or a refusal form for this vaccine. You will also be given a card with documentation that your baby received this vaccination. Be sure to keep this card in a safe place. You should take this card with you to all future baby doctor appointments. You will need proof of vaccination information for travel and school registration. What about circumcising my son? Your baby s healthcare provider will discuss the procedure with you if you choose to have your son circumcised. The doctor will also discuss pain relief for this procedure. You will need to sign a circumcision consent for this procedure. Your nurse will instruct you on how to care for the circumcision after the procedure has been done. What if my baby stays in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit)? In the event your baby requires the special services of our NICU, the NICU will review your baby s care with you. You can call the NICU from the telephone in your room. Your baby will be cared for by a doctor, nurse practitioner, registered nurse, respiratory therapist and a case manager. You are encouraged to visit your baby in the NICU at any time! How long will I stay in the hospital? Getting Ready to Go Home Education Class Most mothers and babies stay in the hospital This class is held on the Mother Baby Unit. We will review up to 2 days after vaginal birth and 3-4 days necessary instructions for getting ready to go home. Your after Cesarean birth. A discharge order must nurse will review class times that are offered during your stay. be written by your healthcare provider and It is required that you attend this class to receive completed your baby s healthcare provider before going information and instructions for going home. home. Have you: Received Newborn and Mother s postpartum teaching booklets? Received Documentation of immunizations (Immunization Records) for mom and baby? Discharge time is 10:00 a.m. on day of going home. At this time you and your baby will be escorted to the main entrance of the hospital to meet your ride. Completed birth certificate and social security paperwork? Be sure to ask for the souvenir record of birth from Lehigh Valley Health Network. Is the car seat ready for baby on day of discharge? We encourage you to bring the car seat to your room to make necessary harness adjustments. Car seat inspections are not done on the Mother Baby Unit. A complete car seat inspection can be done by calling 610-402-CARE (2273) to schedule an appointment or to locate an inspection station in your area.
Child Passenger Safety You will need to have an infant car seat and know how to use it properly before delivery. Have your car seat checked before delivery. Pennsylvania law requires all infants must ride rear facing in an approved child passenger safety restraint. It is your responsibility to ensure that your baby is placed in the car seat correctly and that the car seat is properly installed in your car. Call 610-402-care (2273) to schedule an appointment or locate a certified car seat inspection station. Be sure to review the car seat instructions as well as the vehicle instructions before attending the car seat check appointment. For your safety, we cannot check seats in the hospital driveway on day of discharge. How do I get a birth certificate and social security number for my baby? We will provide you with the necessary paperwork for your baby s birth certificate and social security number. Please be sure to give your completed forms to the Birth Certificate Registrar or your nurse. To avoid errors, be sure to neatly print your information onto the birth certificate worksheet. If you should have any questions in regards to the birth certificate or social security number, please ask to speak to the registrar. The official birth certificate will arrive to your home within 4-6 weeks. You will receive your baby s social security number several days after you receive the birth certificate. If you are not married to the father of your baby, please be sure to ask for the additional paternity paperwork. Those couples who are not married will receive an official birth certificate within 4-6 months. Should you have additional questions in regards to the completion of the birth certificate or paternity papers, please ask to see the Birth Certificate Registrar. How do I publish my baby s birth in my local newspaper? We share in the excitement of the birth of your new baby and understand that the birth of the baby is well worth celebrating! For your security and protection we will not release any information about the birth of your baby. You may announce your birth by contacting: The Morning Call, PO Box 1260, Allentown, PA 18105 A photocopy of the souvenir certificate Record of Birth is required to be sent to the above address or you may fax a copy to 610-820-6693. The Easton Express Times Call 610-258-7171, ext. 3548 for additional instructions on how to publish. Will I be able to purchase a newborn picture of my baby? The nursing staff will take a photo of your baby, upon your request, on the day you are discharge. You will receive a catalog and order form with information on purchasing newborn pictures while on the Mother Baby Unit.
What about programs after delivery? Let us continue to guide you during this incredible journey of your lifetime! After Delivery Parent Gathering, Postpartum Exercise, CPR Family & Friends, Depression After Delivery-Postpartum Support, Parenting Workshops & Car Seat Safety inspections are just a few of the programs we offer for you! To find out more about the program dates, times, fees & locations, call 610 402-CARE (2273) or visit www.lvh.org. Smoking Lehigh Valley Health Network is a non-smoking facility, this includes in and around the hospital. If you would like information on how to stop smoking, call Lehigh Valley s tobacco treatment program at 610-402-5000 or visit www.lvh.org. Patient Safety It is important for you to be an active participant in patient safety while in the hospital. The single most important way you can help to prevent errors is to be an active member of your healthcare team. Be sure to speak to your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns. Always ask to be introduced to your nurse. Check the white board in your room and confirm names and contact phone numbers with each of them. All staff authorized to take your baby out of your room must have a Lehigh Valley Health Network employee I.D. badge with their name printed on it and a Pink stripe. Please do not hesitate to ask the staff about the Pink stripe. You, your new baby, and one other person (most often the baby s father) received I.D. bracelets immediately after delivery. These bracelets are matched by pre-printed numbers and bar code scans. Please ask your nurse or technical partner to check both the numbers and the bar code scan every time your baby is brought back into your room, or you go to the nursery for your baby. Best Wishes! We hope this information is helpful to you. If you have any more questions, please be sure to contact our Lehigh Valley Health Network Parent Education Program Coordinator, Deanna Shisslak, at 610-402-5733 or email deanna.shisslak@lvh.com. We wish you a wonderful beginning!