After Delivery

After your baby is born, you will stay on the Mother Baby Unit until your doctor or midwife and the baby's doctor say it is time to go home.

The Maternity Center has specially trained nurses to care for the needs of both you as a new mother, and your new baby. They will help you get to know your baby so you can begin to feel comfortable caring for him/her by the time you go home.

Can the baby stay in my room?
Absolutely! Rooming-in is encouraged here at Providence both day and night. Spending this time with your new baby will really help you get to know your baby's signals. Also, mothers and babies rest better when they are close. Maternity Center staff are available to watch your baby for short periods of time should you so desire.

What kind of security does the Maternity Center have for my baby?
The Maternity Center takes the security of your new baby very seriously. The following measures have been put in place to protect your newborn.

Maternity Center staff all wear pink name badges to distinguish themselves from other staff. Only these people may transport your baby to and from the nursery.
After birth, your baby will receive a HUGS tag to be placed on his/her ankle. All Maternity Center doors lock down if a HUGS tag approaches an exit. If anyone attempts to remove the HUGS tag from the baby, the doors lock down as well.
You, your partner and your baby will all receive a numbered ID band. Should you be separated from your baby, you will be asked to recite the ID number on your band each time you are reunited with your baby.
All babies must be in their cribs when in the hallways. This is to protect against falls and as a security measure.

Bed Sharing Safety Checklist

Recommendations that apply to both cribs and adult beds

Use a firm mattress
Bedding should fit tightly around the mattress
Avoid strings or ties on all nightclothes (both baby's and parents')
Avoid soft bedding and other items, including comforters, pillows, featherbeds, stuffed animals, etc.
Keep baby's face uncovered to allow ventilation
Put baby on her back to sleep
Adults should avoid smoking
Avoid overheating the room in which baby sleeps.

Additional recommendations for bed-sharing

There should be no gaps between the headboard/footboard and the mattress
A mother's very long hair should be pulled back and fastened
Adults with significant obesity should not bed-share
Adults using alcohol or other drugs should not bed-share
Adults taking over-the-counter or prescription medications that may cause them to sleep too soundly should not bed-share
Head/foot board railings should have spaces no bigger than are allowed in safety approved cribs
Refrain from using bedrails with infants less than one year
Refrain from allowing additional siblings in bed with infant less than 6 months of age
Do not bed-share in a waterbed
Do not sleep with baby on sofas or overstuffed chairs
Do not put baby to sleep alone in an adult bed

While safety-approved cribs come ready-made, parents who choose to bed-share with their infants must be proactive. They themselves must make their sleep environment as safe as possible for their baby. Both parents need to feel comfortable with the decision to place the baby in the environment that is chosen--crib or adult bed--as well as be committed to following the above safety precautions for either environment. No single sleep environment can guarantee that a baby wil be risk-free, but there are ways of reducing risk in both cribs and adult beds.

Hearing Screening Test

All newborns in Alaska receive a hearing screening test. This painless procedure takes about one half hour and parents receive the results immediately. For more information regarding screening tests, check out the State of Alaska's Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program Web site.

Newborn Metabolic Screening Test

The newborn metabolic screening test involves a blood test. A small prick to your baby's heel produces a few drops of blood which is all the lab needs to screen your baby for 30 different metabolic disorders! Your baby will be tested once before you leave the hospital and then again around two weeks of age. Your baby's doctor will discuss any abnormal results with you. For more information regarding screening tests, check out the State of Alaska's Universal Newborn Metabolic Screening Program Web site.

Circumcision

Circumcison is the removal of the foreskin covering the head of the penis. If you decide to have your baby circumcised, be sure to discuss the procedure, fees and timing with your doctor in advance. Cicumcision is often performed in the hospital just before you and your baby go home. Your baby's doctor may also perform the circumcision in the doctor's office during the first few weeks after going home.

A circumcised penis may require special attention, depending on the type of equipment used. Ask your baby's doctor if they use the "Plastibell" or "Gomco" set up. The plastibell will usually fall off in 5-8 days. Your baby can be bathed and diapered normally in the meantime. With the "Gomco" method, your baby will have lots of petroleum or vaseline on his penis. For two days after the procedure, apply petroleum jelly to the raw area of the penis with every diaper change to prevent his diaper from sticking to it. If you notice bleeding, excessive drainage or a foul ordor, or if your baby is unable to urinate within 8 hours after his circumcision, notify your baby's doctor.

Vitamin K Shot

Sometime within the first 1-2 hours of birth, your baby will be given an injection of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is a naturally occurring vitamin that helps in the blood-clotting process. Once feeding is well established, your baby's body will produce enough Vitamin K on its own.

Hepatitis B Shot

Hepatis B is virus that can cause short term illnesses that lead to:

loss of appetite
tiredness
pain in muscles, joints, and stomach
diarrhea and vomiting
jaundice (yellow skin or eyes)

Hepatitis B can also cause long term illnesses that lead to:

liver damage
liver cancer
death

About 1.25 million people in the U.S. have hepatitis infections.

Wtih the signed consent of their parents, babies are given a Hapatitis B vaccination within 12 hours of birth. As part of a worldwide effort to eliminate the disease, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that all newborns be immunized against it. Second and third vaccinations will be given by your baby's doctor at 1 - 2 months and between 6-18 months.

What are the risks from the Hepatitis B vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of hepatitis B vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small.

Getting hepatitis B vaccine is much safter than getting hepatitis B disease. Most people do not have any problems with the vaccine.

soreness where the shot was given, lasting a day or two
mild to moderate fever
serious allergic reaction (very rare)

Download the current Childhood Immunization Schedule here. Or for more information about this and other childhood immunizations, check out the Center for Disease Control web site.

Eye Ointment

An ointment called erythromycin will be placed in your baby's eyes within an hour or two after birth to prevent infection and possible blindness that might result following exposure to certain bacteria during the birth process.

Car Seat Safety - Providence Car Seat Guidelines
Alaska state law requires that all infants ride in a safety approved car seat. Did you know that more children die each year in motor vehicle crashes than all childhood illnesses combined? It's true. The Maternity Center at Providence wants you and your children to be as safe as possible every time you ride in a car. That's why after the birth of your baby we will check your car seat to make sure it isn't recalled, that it is newer than 6 years old, and that it fits your baby properly.

The Maternity Center staff will not check the fit of your car seat in your vehicle. Four out of every five car seats are used incorrectly! For this reason, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment with the Alaska Injury Prevention Center to have their certified staff check the installation of your car seat in your car. This is a free service and only takes about 1/2 hour. You can also call your local fire station to find out when they can check your car seat as well.