You're Expecting!
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YOU’RE Happy Birthing Day! EXPECTING! What You Need to Know About Thank you for considering Lee Health for Your Stay: your maternity care. We have birthing suites We recommend that at Cape Coral Hospital, HealthPark Medical anyone who is ill or Center, and Gulf Coast Medical Center. For recently ill should NOT more information about our birthing suites, visit. In the interest of go to LeeHealth.org/womenservices/ob-gyn/ protecting your baby obstetricshome.asp from communicable diseases, we Cape Coral Hospital recommend that no 636 Del Prado Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33990 children, except brothers or sisters of your baby, Gulf Coast Medical Center visit while you are here. 13681 Doctor’s Way, Fort Myers, FL 33912 We make every effort to accommodate your What is Skin-to-skin Contact? Holding your naked baby next to your bare HealthPark Medical Center visitors; however some restrictions may apply 9981 S. HealthPark Dr., Fort Myers, FL 33908 based on your medical condition and unit chest is called skin-to-skin contact. You are accommodations. encouraged to do this during the Golden Hour Be sure to have all people who are going to and during the first hours and days of life. YOU’RE Welcome to Our Family hold or touch your baby wash their hands with Have your baby wear only a diaper. Place your soap and water. baby next to your bare chest. Then cover with At Lee Health, we understand that mothers a blanket and enjoy! Skin-to-skin contact has EXPECTING! and their babies need extra special care and We aim to provide the best, evidenced-based, many benefits for you and your baby: attention. That is where our talented Obstetric family-centered maternity care with emphasis • Helps establish breastfeeding and promotes and Pediatric departments come in. on mother-baby bonding and safe infant milk production Our highly skilled team will make This is a momentous time in your life, and feeding practices. we honor that. From the first days of your We strive to uphold the Ten Steps to Successful • Promotes bonding and closeness between sure that you receive the best you and your baby pregnancy until you are ready to take your Breastfeeding as endorsed by the UNICEF/ possible care for the health and bundle—or bundles—of joy home, our highly World Health Organization Baby Friendly • Helps your baby stabilize sooner and skilled team will make sure that you receive the Hospital initiative. achieve a normal body temperature, heart well-being of you and your baby. best possible care. We recognize breastfeeding as the preferred rate, blood pressure and blood sugar Our obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians, infant feeding method because breast milk has • Decreases how much your baby cries pediatric nurse practitioners, nurses, lactation life-long benefits for both mother and baby. consultants and technicians will ensure that you • Decreases the amount of pain your baby We support safe infant feeding practices for experiences are comfortable and well informed throughout mothers who are not able to or who chose not every step of your pregnancy, your labor and to breastfeed. • Helps you stabilize sooner after delivery delivery, as well as any care that you receive afterward. Childbearing is a family event. With our family- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American centered approach to care, you and your loved Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies have only breast milk for the first six months of life to achieve ones can start caring for your baby right away optimal growth, development and health. with the guidance of our skilled team. Babies can be formula-fed when breast milk is not Please don’t hesitate to ask questions! It is our available, when moms are unable to breastfeed, when pleasure to make sure that you know what is moms have made an informed decision not to breastfeed, LeeHealth.org going to happen and why it is necessary for the or when breastfeeding is not appropriate. health and well-being of you and your baby. 6500.32 5-17 10 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL If you or your baby has a medical concern, begin and used after breastfeeding is well established, Benefits of hand expressing breastmilk or using a breast usually about 3 to 4 weeks after birth.” Your BREASTFEEDING pump. finger or your baby’s own fist are good Breastfeeding: Research supports that when hospitals apply substitutes. Sucking on a pacifier, like an artificial 6. Give infants no food or drink other than breast- the following steps, you will get the information, nipple, is different than suckling at the breast and For Baby milk, unless medically indicated. confidence and skills necessary to successfully may interfere with establishing breastfeeding and • Easy to digest and the When babies are breastfeeding often and well, breastfeed (for more information go to http:// establishing a good milk supply. composition meets the babyfriendlyusa.org). Learn how you can work supplements of formula are not necessary. Ask baby’s needs in the with your health care team to ensure your your nurse to check if feedings are going well. 10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding first months. support groups and refer mothers to them at success. You may not feel like you have any milk in your discharge from the hospital. • Protects from many breasts for the baby during the first few days. You We offer breastfeeding clubs to help support illnesses such as ear 1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is do! The concentrated nutrition your baby gets at you after you are discharged. Ask you nurse infections, respiratory routinely communicated to all health care the breast for the first few days is colostrum, or about breastfeeding support in your community. infections, diarrhea, staff. “first milk” or “liquid gold.” It is creamy and yellow For more information go to: LeeHealth.org/ pneumonia and Ask you nurse if you can see a copy of the in color. Although it is a small amount, a single birthed/ meningitis. policy. drop to one teaspoon, it is important because of • Less likely to develop allergies, asthma, 2. Train all health care staff in the skills its infection fighting, laxative benefits, disease- Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers also diabetes, eczema / dermatitis, inflammatory necessary to implement this policy. prevention and brain development benefits. uphold the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes by offering parents bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid Lee Health staff have received breastfeeding 7. Practice rooming in - allow mothers and infants support, education, and educational materials arthritis and childhood cancers, childhood and education so they can support you during your to remain together 24 hours a day. that promote the use of human milk rather than adult obesity, and sudden infant death (SIDS) stay. Keep your baby with you in your room at all times other infant food or drinks. These facilities also and you are encouraged to do this after you get • Higher IQ. 3. Inform all pregnant women about the refuse to accept or distribute free or subsidized home. benefits and management of breastfeeding. supplies of breastmilk substitutes, nipples, and • Protects the gut of preterm babies from We recommend you and your partner attend 8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand. other feeding devices. gastrointestinal disease. a breastfeeding class so you know what to Breastfeed your baby when s/he is hungry. While expect. To register for a class go to: www. For Mom the baby is in skin-to-skin contact, you should The Golden Hour leehealth.org/birthed/ breastfeed 8 or more times within each 24 hours, • Reduces blood loss after delivery and helps the We refer to the first hour after the birth as the including nights. uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size. 4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within Golden Hour because it is a critical time of one hour of birth. 9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to adjustment for you and your baby. Immediately • Helps to lose weight after delivery. If your baby is stable at birth, the health care breastfeeding infants. after birth, your baby needs time to adjust to his • Promotes bonding and attachment. team will immediately (within 5 minutes) place Don’t put anything in your baby’s mouth that might or her new environment and all the new things your baby directly on your chest to begin skin- interfere with breastfeeding, such as bottle nipples around him or her. We strongly recommend you • Lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, to-skin contact. We will support you in keeping and pacifiers. limit any visitors during this time and keep your postpartum depression. May also reduce the your baby in skin-to-skin contact until your baby in skin-to-skin contact. Infant bathing, weight risk of osteoporosis. Pacifiers are not recommended until breastfeeding baby has breastfed for the first time. This early and length measurements should be delayed to is well-established. The American Academy of • Less expensive (saves approximately $1,500/ skin-to-skin contact has many benefits for you allow this bonding to occur. and your baby. Pediatrics recommends “pacifier use is best year in formula costs). avoided during the initiation of breastfeeding 5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to No Rush to Bathe! For the Community maintain lactation, even if they are separated Your baby should be stable for several hours • Reduces healthcare costs due to all the mom from their infants. before having a first bath. Talk with your nurse and baby benefits listed above. Please do not hesitate to ask for help with about when it is appropriate for your baby to • Breastfeeding reduces pollution- no fossil fuel breastfeeding.