A few hours after delivery of your baby, you may be transferred to a private room on the Mother/Baby Unit. To promote family bonding, we care for the mother and infant in the same room unless there is a need for the infant to go to the nursery for special care. If you are breastfeeding we encourage you to nurse whenever the baby wants to eat, at a minimum of every two to three hours. We have a certified lactation consultant to ensure that each mom feels comfortable breastfeeding her infant before being discharged.

Newborn Announcements

Maternal/Child Services plays the Brahm's lullaby over the hospital's public address system each time a baby is born. This is intended to be a moment for all to stop and smile when they hear the familiar tune and celebrate the miracle of birth.

Getting Out of Bed

After delivery, you will be excited but also tired. Labor is hard work, and you probably will do a lot of sleeping. If you have had a normal delivery, you will be encouraged to get out of bed and walk around the first day. This will help speed your recovery.

Length of Stay

How long you stay in the hospital depends on the kind of delivery you have and how you are healing. Average hospital stay:

• Vaginal delivery: 1-2 days
• Cesarean section: 3-4 days

If you are experiencing a medical problem, you may have to stay in the hospital longer than expected.

Visitors

Shands AGH has visiting hours that allow people other than family to see you. It is wise to tell relatives and friends not to visit you in the hospital if they have a cold or are not feeling well. You also may restrict visitation access to a certain number of people or to specific friends and family members. Please inform your nurse of any restrictions.

Getting Back to Normal

Although your uterus is no longer carrying the baby, you will notice that your abdomen is not as flat as it was before pregnancy. It takes about six weeks for your uterus to return to its previous size. You can begin light exercises at home. Regular exercises to tighten the abdominal muscles should wait until you are checked at your postpartum visit. Consider a mom/baby exercise class to help you get back to pre-pregnancy weight and interact with other new moms.

If you had an episiotomy, you will receive special care for the stitches. For the first few days, an analgesic spray may be prescribed. A nurse will show you how to wash yourself properly around the stitches. Later, in the hospital and at home, you may take warm-water baths.

Your Diet

You will probably be hungry after the work of labor. You can usually eat a regular diet in the hospital and when you go home. Keep up the good food habits that you established during pregnancy. If you are breastfeeding your baby, you will need more calories and specific nutrients than a woman who is not breastfeeding. You can get these calories and nutrients by drinking two extra glasses of milk, eating an additional serving of meat or dried beans and whole grains, and eating another fruit or vegetable each day.

Bathing

You will notice that you perspire more than usual after your baby is born. Some doctors suggest that you shower until the episiotomy is healed. Others feel that you can take a tub bath immediately. Ask your medical team for their recommendation. You may wash your hair whenever you want.

Safety and Security

To offer patients and visitors a safe and secure environment, Shands AGH provides security services 24 hours a day. Security is on the minds of many new parents, and the protection of children is important to Shands AGH. Advanced measures are taken to provide the utmost security in all Maternal/Child Services areas and throughout the hospital. We have the latest technology in infant security:

• Our HUGS security system is designed to inform us where your infant is at all times. A small electronic tag is placed on infants at the time of birth to make this possible.
• We ID infants with two bands at birth that match the mother’s ID band.
• We have security cameras in all hallways and stairwells, and Security is monitoring our units at all times.
• As recommended by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we take a digital photo of every infant at birth to be maintained in their medical record until discharged.

Information

For more information about Maternal/Child Services at Shands AGH, please call 352.733.0165.

News

SHANDS HEALTHCARE WINS 2008 GOVERNOR'S STERLING AWARD

SHANDS’ FACILITIES EARN ‘MAGNET’ REDESIGNATION; SHANDS VISTA ADDED AS NEWEST HONOREE

SHANDS AT UF OPENS NORTHEAST FLORIDA’S FIRST DEDICATED NEURO INTENSIVE CARE UNIT