Bonding With Your Baby  |  Feeding  |  Caring for Your Baby and Yourself  |  Visitors  |  Safety And Security  |  Financial Counseling

Bonding With Your Baby

The time in the hospital following the birth of your baby is especially important for you and your newborn. This is why we encourage you to have your baby with you in your room throughout your hospital stay. This time together is vital to bonding and learning to breastfeed, while our experienced staff is available to provide assistance at any time. Nursery care is always available at any time. Fathers are also invited to spend more time with their new daughter or son; overnight stays are possible under specific circumstances, primarily due to privacy and security of the mother and our other patients. Information about how to make the necessary arrangements is available from any of our maternity nurses.


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Feeding

If you want to breast-feed your baby, the first feeding may take place right after birth. We encourage a nursing mother to breastfeed her baby at least every three hours or “on demand.” The nurses can give you information about breastfeeding techniques and about breast and baby care.

If you have chose to bottle-feed your baby, the first feeding will be given in the nursery, within two hours of birth. Babies are usually fed every three to four hours, and you can begin giving your baby a bottle at the second feeding.


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Caring for Your Baby and Yourself

Eden’s inpatient parent education programs are designed to help parents care for their newborn by providing some basic information. Subjects include breast and bottle feeding, infant care and safety, normal infant behavior, recognition of the signs of illness and distress, elimination patterns and the use of thermometers and bulb syringes.

The maternity unit also has a library of videotapes that parents can use to learn about their baby’s care and development and about self-care for the postpartum mother. The nurses will make every effort to meet your wishes - just let them know your preferences.

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Visitors

Fathers or designated support persons are welcome in The Birthing Center at any time. For visits after 8:00 p.m., please inform the nurses so that they can make arrangements so as not to disturb the other patients and babies.

Visiting hours for friends and family are from 1 to 8 p.m. daily. Healthy brothers and sisters can visit their mother and the baby at any time but must always be accompanied by an adult.

Visitors must be free of any cold, the flu or any infections or illnesses. Smoking by visitors is not permitted anywhere in the hospital.

Please remind your visitors to be considerate of other patients and their families.


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Safety And Security

In the Hospital:

Be watchful over your newborn. Ask about hospital policies and procedures, including feeding, visiting hours, shift changes and security measures.

Never leave your infant unsupervised — even when you go to the bathroom or take a nap. If you are leaving your room or are planning to go to sleep, alert the nurses.

Do not give your infant to anyone without proper hospital identification. Be sure you know what additional or special identification is being worn by those hospital personnel who have the authority to handle your infant.

Become familiar with the hospital staff who work in The Birthing Center. Be sure you know the nurse assigned to you and your infant on every shift.

Question any unfamiliar person who enters your room or asks questions about your infant, even if he or she is in hospital attire or seems to have a reason for being there. Alert your nurse immediately.

Know where your infant will be taken for tests and how long the tests will take. Find out who has authorized such tests and who will be accompanying your baby.

At Home:

Prepare a written description of your infant, including hair and eye color, height, weight, date of birth, and specific physical characteristics. If possible, have at least one color photograph of your infant (full, front face view).

Consider any risks you may be taking when permitting your infant’s birth announcement to be published in the newspaper or when using outdoor decorations, such as balloons, floral wreaths, wooden storks and other lawn ornaments, to announce your baby’s arrival.

Never leave your infant unattended in a public place, even for an instant. Never allow any stranger, no matter how “safe” he or she appears, to hold or watch your infant for you.

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Financial Counseling

Eden Medical Center offers specialized financial counseling services to assist you in knowing exactly what your insurance coverage is and when and how to apply for insurance benefits. A few confidential minutes with our financial counselor may help relieve any concerns you have about private and government insurance coverage. The counselor may suggest a range of options to help you meet the financial obligations associated with the birth of your child.

We encourage you to see one of our financial counselors early in your pregnancy to reduce any worries you may have. Please call (510) 889-5069 for further information.


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