Welcome to the Jewish General Hospital Maternal-Child Health
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Welcome to the Jewish General Hospital Maternal-Child Health Division Dear parent(s), We are pleased to welcome you to the Maternal Child Health Division of the Jewish General Hospital, which includes the Family Birthing Center, the Postpartum Unit (5W), and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). We are giving you this booklet to explain the services you will receive during your hospital stay and to help you prepare for the birth of your baby. Having a baby is an important event. Whether it is your 1st or 8th baby, each one is special with his or her own personality. We hope to provide you with the best possible care during your stay with us, and to help you get to know your newborn baby. Prepared by: The Maternal-Child Division Health Care Team Jewish General Hospial 3755 Chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine Montreal, QC H3T 1E2 Reviewed by: Dr. Louise Miner jgh.ca Revised : August 2012 This information should not be considered as medical advice. It is not to be used in place of a visit with a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional. If you have questions about your individual medical situation, please consult with your healthcare professional. Pre-registration You can register for your stay in the hospital ahead of time, starting as early as your first pregnancy visit. This is done in the Admitting Office at H-173. You will get a copy of the Quebec Government book “From Tiny Tots to Toddlers” when you pre-register. This book is also available at http://www.inspq.qc.ca/tinytot/. What to bring to the hospital • Your valid Medicare card and hospital card. • Your prenatal record, and any blood results and ultrasound reports that come from a lab or clinic that is outside of the Jewish General Hospital. Your doctor will give you your prenatal record in the month before your expected due date. • The “From Tiny Tots to Toddlers” book that you were given. • Items that you may find helpful during labour: – Popsicles/clear juices/broth/hard candies – Extra pillows – Lip balm – Warm socks and slippers – A warm pack – Relaxing music CDs – Magazines – Lock – Anything else you might like to have • Items you will need after the birth that the Hospital does not provide: – Sanitary pads - extra absorbent (at least one full package) – Maternity bra and underwear – Diapers and wipes for your baby – Toiletries (tooth brush, tooth paste, soap, shampoo, Kleenex and anything else you might need) – Plastic shoes/sandals for taking a shower – Clothing for you and your baby (for the hospital stay) – Baby blanket (for taking your baby home) – Pyjama for support person (father) The baby blanket we lend you right after the birth belongs to the hospital and should not be taken home. – Baby car seat 1 When to come to the hospital If any of the following things happen to you, please contact your doctor or midwife and follow their instructions. If you cannot get in touch with your doctor or midwife, please call the Family Birthing Center at 514-340-8277 and follow the instructions of the doctor or nurse. When it is time for you to come to the hospital, you will go to the Family Birthing Center which is located in Pavilion B on the 5th Floor. Please remember that the following are general guidelines. If your doctor or midwife gives you specific instructions, then you should follow those. • If you think you are in labour and you are less than 37 weeks pregnant – The first signs of preterm labour (labour that starts before you are 37 weeks preg- nant) may begin slowly. You will not always feel pain. If it is caught soon enough, early delivery can often be stopped or delayed. This can give your baby extra time to grow inside you. If you have any of these signs and they are new for you, DON’T WAIT, call your doctor or midwife and then come to the Family Birthing Center. – Excessive pressure in your pelvis (lower belly between your hip bones) or lower belly; – Unusually strong or rhythmic pain in your lower back; – Cramps in your belly, with or without diarrhea; – Regular contractions or a feeling of tightness in your uterus more often than every 20 minutes; – Any change in the kind of discharge from your vagina (watery, mucous or bloody), or more discharge than before. • If you are more than 37 weeks pregnant and you have been having painful contractions every 5 minutes regularly for at least 1 hour. • If your water breaks (a slow leak or a sudden rapid flow) at any time in your pregnancy, even if you are not having any contractions. • If you have bleeding from your vagina – If your pregnancy is less than 20 weeks and you are bleeding, please go directly to the Emergency Room (ER). – If your pregnancy is greater than 20 weeks and you are bleeding, go directly to the Family Birthing Center. 2 • If you have headaches that last a long time and hurt a lot, blurred vision or sudden swelling of arms, legs, hands, feet and/or face. • If there is a change in your baby’s normal activity – Every baby is different and there will be times in the day when a baby is more active and times when he or she is less active. You will become used to the way your own baby moves during your pregnancy. After 28 weeks of pregnancy, if you notice a change in your baby’s regular activity pattern, you may count his/her movements. A movement may be a kick, a turn, a flip or a rub. – Have something to eat, and rest by lying on your left side; and – Try to relax and focus on your baby’s movements. If in 2 hours, you have not counted 6 movements, please call and then come to the Family Birthing Center right away. You should also go to the hospital RIGHT AWAY IF: – You feel NO baby movements in 8 hours, OR – You FALL, OR – You are in a CAR ACCIDENT, OR – You are HIT in the belly. Do not wait until the next day. You and your baby’s well-being depend on it! REMEMBER: If you are not sure if you should come to the hospital or if you have any worries about your health or the health of your baby and you cannot get in touch with your own doctor or mid- wife, you can call the Family Birthing Center at any time, day or night – at 514-340-8277 and ask to speak to a nurse. 3 Who will provide your care? There are several different members of the Maternal-Child Health Division Team that you may meet during your pregnancy and when you have your baby. Our team is made up of both male and female Health Care Professionals. Their goal is to work together to provide care for you and your baby. • Obstetricians – At the Jewish General Hospital, the Obstetricians work as a team. There is always an Obstetrician present in the hospital twenty-four hours a day. That doctor is said to be the “on-call staff doctor” and is responsible for all the pregnant women and postpartum mothers during his or her “shift”. Because of this system, the obstetrician you saw during your pregnancy may not be at your delivery unless he or she is on-call at that time. If you saw an Obstetrician during your pregnancy, your baby will be delivered by the on-call Obstetrician. • Family Medicine Physicians – The Family Medicine Group at the Jewish General Hospital delivers the babies of Family Medicine patients. They work apart from the Ob- stetricians, but if there is a complication or if you need a Caesarean section, the Family Medicine Group will consult with the Obstetricians. Your family doctor will discuss their availability for your delivery. Either your own Family Doctor or the on-call Family Doctor will deliver your baby. • Anesthetists – If you choose to have an epidural for pain relief while you are in labour, or if you are having a cesarean section, your pain control will be taken care of by the Anesthetist. He or she will answer any questions you might have about these procedures at that time. • Pediatrician / Neonatologist / Family Physician – This doctor examines all new- born babies on the first or second day after their birth. He or she may also be called to come to the delivery room when your baby is born, if needed. You will meet the NICU team only if your baby needs special care. If you already have a Pediatrician please inform your nurse. • Medical Students and Residents – The Jewish General Hospital is a McGill teaching hospital. This means that medical students who are working with the on-call staff doctor may be involved in your care. The on-call staff doctor will also be assisted by residents. Residents are not medical students. They are doctors who are doing special- ized training. They work in close contact with the on-call staff doctor (Obstetrician, Family Physician, Anesthetist or Neonatologist) and keep him or her fully informed about you and your baby’s condition. The on-call staff doctor will be called by the resident at the appropriate time for your delivery or when needed. The on-call staff doctor is always aware of your medical condition and is always close by. 4 • Nurses – You and your baby will receive care from nurses throughout your stay in the hospital. Nurses will be there to care for you and support you during your labour and delivery, as well as after your baby is born.