The providers at
Altru’s Family Birthing Center are honored to be a part of your birth experience and excited to watch
your new family flourish at home.
Your length of stay at the hospital before you head home with baby depends
on several factors and will be a decision between you and your physician.
During your stay, we will provide items necessary for the care of your
baby, including:
Clothing
Diapers
Formula, if needed
Soap
Wipes
Upon discharge, you will need to have a going-home outfit and an appropriate
car seat for your baby.
Continuous Communication
Going home with your new baby is an exciting time. It can also be a time
filled with anxiety, questions and uncertainty. That is why we offer a
wealth of support for parents.
During your first few days at home, one of our experienced nurses will
contact you to answer any questions you may have or refer you to a resource
that can help.
You may want guidance about a variety of topics as you adjust to life with
your little one, including:
Bathing
Pumping milk
Understanding baby’s cry
Diapers
Safe Sleep
The easiest way to remember how to create a safe sleep environment is to
think of the ABCs of safe sleep. When you put your baby down for a nap,
make sure they are:
Alone
On their
Back
In a
Crib
Keep these other key guidelines in mind when putting your baby to bed:
Choose a firm sleep surface. Never place baby to sleep on pillows, quilts, sheepskins or other soft
surfaces, such as couches or armchairs. Instead, place baby on a firm
crib mattress.
Do not use infant car seats, strollers, swings or slings for routine sleep. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, they pose a risk for
airway obstruction.
Do not share your bed with your baby. Your baby can sleep in the same room as parents/caregivers, but they
should never share a bed, couch or armchair with adults or other children.
If you bring the baby into bed to breastfeed, put them back in their crib
when finished.
Leave nothing in the crib with your baby. Keep soft objects, such as stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, quilts
or crib bumpers out of the crib. To keep baby warm, consider using a sleep
sack. These wearable blankets replace loose blankets in the crib that
can cover your baby’s face and interfere with breathing. Sleep sacks
are available for purchase in the
Altru Alliance Gift Shop.
SIDS
Our nurses can offer critical information about reducing your baby’s
risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) with safe sleep habits. A
sudden, unexplained death of an infant under 1 year of age, SIDS is a
leading cause of death among infants ages 1 month to 1 year.
Research shows that placing infants on their backs to sleep significantly
lowers SIDS risk. Stomach sleeping can increase the risk nearly two to
13 times, compared with babies who sleep on their backs.
Other factors that can increase your baby’s risk for SIDS include:
Allowing them to sleep on soft surfaces, such as couches and soft mattresses
Sharing a bed
Smoking during or after pregnancy
Managing Postpartum Depression
Undergoing a significant change like having a new baby can cause uncomfortable
feelings. But if you experience significant anxiety, loneliness or sadness
for longer than two weeks after having your baby or if you are having
a hard time connecting with your new addition, you may be experiencing
postpartum depression.
Our team of nurses and physicians can help you manage postpartum depression
with a tailored treatment plan, which may include medication and counseling.
Social Work Services
Experienced in the concerns and needs of today’s young families,
Altru’s Family Birthing Center has licensed social workers who provide
families with a variety of resources and information every day, including:
Financial assistance
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
These resources can help to eliminate stress and make the experience of
welcoming a new baby wonderful.
.jpg)
