Last year Saint Vincent Hospital delivered over 2000 babies and we consider every one of them special. Our nurses provide family-centered care, which means we consider the whole family to be our patients. The Center for Women and Infants has a highly skilled team of obstetricians, certified nurse midwives, obstetrical and postpartum nurses, as well as expert neonatologists, pediatricians, and nursery nurses who attend high-risk deliveries and care for your baby.
Special Care Nursery
Most babies are born healthy and full term. But for those who need special care and support, Saint Vincent Hospital offers a Special Care Nursery. A baby in the Special Care Nursery is typically connected to a variety of medical monitors that allow the staff to know exactly what he or she needs at all times. The Special Care Nursery staff is comprised of registered nurses specializing in the care of premature and sick infants and they will explain the purpose of every monitor, tube, and test used for your baby.
Childbirth Education and Pregnancy Planner:
Please use our Pregnancy Planner to learn more about what is happening to you and what is happening to your baby during each of the three trimesters.
As specialized care givers, the Center for Women and Infants offers a variety of classes to prepare you for the birth of your new baby. Classes include:
- Childbirth Preparation
(5 week series) - One-Day Childbirth Preparation Class
(Saturday or Sunday) - Childbirth Refresher
(Review of Childbirth Preparation for those who have previously given birth) - Breastfeeding
- Newborn Care
- Newborn CPR and Safety
- Sibling Preparation
- Dad’s Class
- Maternity Tour
All childbirth classes are scheduled according to your due date. To ensure satisfactory placement, please register no later than your fifth month of pregnancy.
Childbirth Education Office 508-363-9112 or email the childbirth education department at svh-childbirthed@stvincenthospital.com.
Labor and Delivery
Labor and Delivery is comprised of 10 Labor & Delivery Rooms. This warm and comfortable setting allows you to deliver and recover in the same room, yet still offers the latest technological innovations used in childbirth. In preparation for the birth, patients will also need to consider anesthesia options. Some women with uncomplicated pregnancies want to have their babies with little or no anesthesia, while others want every available means of pain relief. The different types and choices of pain relief available for delivery are important for the mother’s safety, comfort, and the baby’s well-being. Options should be discussed with your provider prior to your due date to decide which method is the most appropriate. Medications may be given by intramuscular injection or intravenously. They will diminish the intensity of pain, but will not take it away entirely. Often this will be enough to take the edge off contractions. Epidural analgesia is a common form of anesthesia used during labor and delivery at Saint Vincent Hospital. Epidural anesthesia may be used for a vaginal or planned Cesarean delivery. Epidurals are administered by physician anesthesiologists who pride themselves on providing comfort as well as maintaining patient safety.
Our mother-baby unit boasts all private rooms for new mothers and her partner to learn about and enjoy their newest family member. The postpartum nurses provide couplet-care, which means the same nurse will care for both mom and baby during her shift. Our goals for you before your discharge from the hospital are to provide the education and physical care that you require. This will enable you to take care of yourself and your baby at home. Because maternity patients today have such brief hospital stays, we encourage you to make the most of your hospital experience by learning as much as possible. We accomplish this by providing individual teaching and group classes on childbirth and parenting, as well as a closed-circuit television network, videos and reading materials. Both you and your partner should participate as fully as possible in the care of the baby. This will enable you to practice what you have learned, ask questions of the medical and nursing staff, and better make the transition from hospital to home. We encourage you to keep the baby with you in your room (room-in) with you for your entire stay. Rooming-in enhances family bonding by encouraging all members of the family to take an active role in the care of the infant. Whenever your baby is not in your room, he / she will be cared for in the newborn nursery within the Center for Women and Infants.
Your Baby's Care and Safety
Healthy term babies may stay with their mothers after delivery and stay warm using skin-to-skin contact. This is when the baby, wearing a diaper only, is placed directly on the mother's chest with a blanket over them. Some babies may also be placed on a warmer after delivery to stabilize and maintain body temperature. Newborn babies are extremely susceptible to infection. Therefore, for the health of your baby and other babies on your hospital unit, it is essential that everyone handling the baby wash their hands well.
If you leave your room or are unable to attend to your baby for any reason (such as showering), bring the baby back to the nursery in his or her crib. Do not allow anyone without a proper hospital identification badge to remove your baby from the room. Call on your nurse if you have any questions about the hospital routine.
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