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Welcome to Labor and Delivery
Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Through the pediatric alliance between Connecticut Children’s and Nuvance Health®, your baby’s care is in the hands of nationally-recognized pediatric experts who will care for them, right here in the Hudson Valley. We’re proud to collaborate with New York Children’s Medical Provider Services, P.C., a specialist group associated with Connecticut Children’s, to provide care to our littlest patients at Vassar Brothers Medical Center.
Our alliance brings you local access to a pioneer in pediatric care: Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut 100% dedicated to kids. We have joined forces to provide accessible, leading-edge pediatric care in your community. During your baby’s stay, they will be cared for by pediatricians from New York Children’s Medical Provider Services, P.C., part of Connecticut Children’s.
Explore each section below:
Our labor and delivery team
A team of knowledgeable specialists takes care of you and your baby, staying in regular contact with each other. We are responsive to you and your baby’s needs, so you can both go home as soon as it’s medically appropriate. These specialists may be involved in your care:
Obstetricians or certified nurse midwives
Oversee your recovery from childbirth.
Maternal-fetal medicine physicians
Obstetricians who care for high-risk pregnancies. These physicians may check on mothers prior to delivery.
Neonatologists
Specialize in caring for sick and premature babies. These physicians may check on babies who have experienced complications during childbirth or shortly after.
Pediatric hospitalists
Physicians who specialize in caring for well babies, along with infants and children who are sick but do not require intensive care. They are experts in the care of children of all ages in the hospital and collaborate and communicate with your child’s pediatrician upon discharge.
Pediatricians
Physicians who care for children, both in the hospital and in the office setting.
Pediatric or neonatal nurse practitioners and physician assistants
Work under the direction of neonatologists and pediatric hospitalists.
Registered nurses
Provide bedside care and frequently check in on you and your baby.
Lactation consultants
Aid families who wish to breastfeed. If you are unsure about breastfeeding, they provide information that may help you decide whether it’s right for you.
Social workers
Assess support needs and connect you with community resources that may include food pantries, postpartum depression programs and others.
Your Inpatient Stay
The care you receive following your baby’s birth ensures your recovery progresses as expected. Nurses deliver most of these services. An obstetrician is responsible for your care from admission to discharge. Recovering from childbirth often involves:
Heavy bleeding (lochia): There will be bleeding from the vagina — even if you had a C-section.
Contractions: Your uterus continues contracting after birth, helping it return to its usual size.
Pain relief: We use a variety of techniques, including medications, ice packs and warm compresses, to help you stay comfortable.
Movement: Getting up and taking short walks, like to a chair in your room, can aid your recovery. It also lowers the risk of dangerous blood clots.
Vaginal birth recovery
After a vaginal birth, we assess your vagina and perineum (area between the vagina and anus) or scrapes, tears and bruising. If there is a large tear, we use stitches. We also make sure your body delivers the placenta. This temporary organ develops during pregnancy and provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby. In most cases, it passes through the vagina shortly after delivery. Sometimes, a procedure is necessary to remove the placenta, especially if parts of it remain in the uterus, which can cause heavy bleeding.
C-section recovery
After a C-section, your doctor removes the placenta and stitches up the incision. You may also experience:
Side effects of anesthesia, like shivering, mental fog and nausea
Severe gas that can make it feel difficult to take a deep breath
Tenderness at the incision site
Bonding With Your Baby
Babies need continuous care and attention, including a safe, comfortable environment to sleep in. When they are awake, there are diaper changes, feedings, bonding and soothing.
It’s a lot to keep track of. But learning how to manage baby care during your inpatient stay can make the transition back home a little easier. If you’re not sure what to do, we’re here to help. The nurse will provide education on what to expect and how to care for your baby.
Rooming in
Unless there are medical issues requiring immediate care, you can expect your baby to stay in your hospital room. All of our rooms are private, with an attached bathroom. There’s a bassinet (small crib) for your baby and space for a partner or loved one to stay.
This arrangement can reduce stress for you and your baby, making bonding easier. Your baby already recognizes your voice and smell, so being in close contact helps them feel comfortable in their new environment. It also lets you start learning how to manage your baby’s hunger cues and diapering needs.
Skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care)
Holding your baby against your bare chest helps you develop a good bond. Any loved one can provide kangaroo care. Placing a blanket over your baby’s back helps them stay warm.
Bonding through kangaroo care has benefits for both parents and babies. It supports a baby’s ability to regulate heartbeat, sleep better and gain weight. Skin-to-skin contact may also help your body produce milk if you breastfeed.
Feeding your baby
Whether you’ve decided to breastfeed, bottle-feed or aren’t sure, our maternity nurses can help get you started. They share helpful information and adjust your or your baby’s positioning for optimal feeding. They also teach you how to burp your baby to relieve gas. We offer specific help:
Breastfeeding: Breast milk is the ideal nutrition source because it contains proteins that boost your baby’s immune system. During your stay, one of our certified lactation consultants will visit you and spend extra time helping to ensure a proper latch. Lactation consultants can address any questions or challenges until you feel comfortable.
Bottle-feeding: If you wish to bottle-feed, we get your baby started on formula. We can talk about bottles and nipples and ensure that you are comfortable mixing formula.
Additional feeding options: If you cannot breastfeed or if your infant requires supplements for medical reasons, and you prefer your infant only receive breast milk, you have options. Some locations offer human donor milk from healthy mothers. It’s heat-treated (pasteurized), making it free of germs and bacteria, so it’s safe for your baby.
Fall prevention
Even if you feel steady on your feet, you may face a higher risk of falls during your hospital stay. Medications, exhaustion and physical changes after delivery can throw off your balance. You also might not be used to handling a baby. You can lower the risk of falls for you or your baby by:
Calling for help when getting out of bed or a chair, even if just going to the bathroom
Placing your baby in the bassinet if you need to go to the bathroom or wish to sleep
Never leaving your baby unattended
Transitional Infant Care
Care immediately after birth helps your baby adjust to life outside the womb. In healthy babies, we can delay some assessments so you can start bonding and breastfeeding.
Baby assessments and treatments
We weigh, clean and measure your baby. If they have fluid in their lungs, we suction it out. Nurses then check your baby’s reflexes, muscle tone and vital signs, like their heart rate.
A pediatrician or advanced practice provider will examine your baby within 24 hours of birth. They are also available on short notice should any urgent needs arise. They or a nurse will give your baby shots and medications such as:
Erythromycin: We apply this ointment to your baby’s eyes to prevent infections from germs in the birth canal.
Hepatitis B vaccine: Experts recommend that babies receive this vaccine shortly after birth for optimal protection.
Vitamin K: This medicine can protect your baby against life-threatening bleeding disorders.
Baby screenings
Baby screenings check for early signs of medical issues. We perform some tests immediately after birth and others in your baby’s first days of life.
Even if your baby appears healthy, screenings are an essential part of baby care. They can help us detect issues that can develop rapidly or require immediate care. We let you know the results and whether any additional testing or services are necessary. Screenings include:
Hearing screen: We use a tiny earphone and other equipment to determine whether your baby’s brain responds to sound as expected.
Newborn screen: In New York State, the Newborn Screening Program requires all newborn babies to have a blood test to screen for over 50 different types of disorders.
Jaundice evaluation: After 24 hours, nurses look for yellowing of the skin or eyes, a sign of a liver condition called jaundice.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) screen: Monitoring your baby’s oxygen levels can show early signs of a congenital (present at birth) heart or circulation issue.
Circumcision
If your baby is assigned male at birth, you may choose to have us circumcise them during their stay. Circumcision involves removing the foreskin of the penis. Circumcision is an optional (elective) procedure that may offer some medical benefits, such as:
Lowering the risk of urinary tract infections in the first two years of life
Reducing the likelihood of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections
Preventing penile cancer
You may have personal, cultural or religious reasons for wanting it done. The benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks. However, they are not great enough for the American Academy of Pediatrics to recommend routine circumcision for all male babies.
Information For Visitors
You and your baby are welcome to have visitors. It’s best when visits are short. You and your baby need as much time as possible to rest and get to know each other.
Visiting hours at Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Maternity patients: A maximum of two support persons. View the full visitor policy.
Visitor etiquette
We ask that all visitors:
Not visit if they are feeling unwell.
Wash hands upon entering the room and before holding the baby.
Be mindful of noise levels to avoid disturbing other patients.
Keep electronic devices close to you, preferably in a pocket. And set them to silent or vibrate mode.
Monitor young visitors’ behavior. If our staff find a child’s behavior disruptive, they will ask you to remove them
Infection control
Visitors must adhere to our infection control policies. These rules prevent the spread of germs to keep patients, other visitors and staff as healthy as possible. Infection control rules include:
Washing your hands when entering the patient room
Using gel hand sanitizer before touching your baby
Cleaning hands after diaper changes, handling electronic devices or any other items from home
Not touching your face, hair or skin while holding your baby
Catching coughs or sneezes in facial tissue, immediately disposing of it and washing your hands
Preparing For Discharge
Healthy babies from vaginal deliveries are typically ready to go home between 24 to 48 hours after birth. If you had a C-section, you and your baby may need to stay 48 to 72 hours.
Being solely responsible for a baby’s care is often exciting and a little worrisome for families. We give you the information you need to feel prepared.
Parent education
We provide comprehensive information about caring for your baby and the role of your pediatric team. Learning as much as possible during your hospital stay can help you and your baby thrive in this next chapter.
If you’d like more information, Nuvance Health offers helpful classes on topics such as baby care basics and postpartum life. Learn more.
Basic baby safety
You can keep your baby safe by:
Having all baby changing supplies near your baby’s changing area so you never have to leave your infant unattended
Minimizing visitors in the first two months of life to reduce the risk of illness
Making sure the sides of collapsible playpens are always locked
Securely fastening your baby into their stroller, baby swing, etc.
Supporting your infant’s head and neck while holding them
Using a high-quality, unexpired infant car seat and installing it correctly in your vehicle
Safe sleeping practices for babies
Your baby will spend a lot of time sleeping. Ensuring a safe environment can lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Even if your baby is taking a short nap, it’s important to keep these safe sleeping practices in mind:
Always lay your baby on their back.
Remove choking hazards from the crib, like stuffed animals, pillows and loose bedding.
Transfer your baby from their swing or bouncy seat if they fall asleep there.
Do not let your baby continue sleeping in their car seat if you have reached your destination.
Put your baby in a separate sleep area, such as a bassinet, instead of sharing a bed with them.
Basic infant care
Follow these basic rules when caring for your baby:
Keep the umbilical cord stump clean and dry until it falls off on its own.
Use only a washcloth to bathe your infant until the umbilical cord falls off. After the umbilical cord falls off, you can begin to bathe your baby using gentle soap every few days in a small tub of warm (not hot) water.
Learn how to diaper and prevent diaper rash.
Establish a daily routine that focuses on consistent feedings and plenty of sleep.
Learn your baby’s feeding cues so you know how often your baby may wish to nurse or have a bottle.
Care for a circumcised penis as directed until it has healed completely.
Taking care of yourself
Taking care of your own needs when you have a baby is important for your physical and mental health. Feeling calm and rested makes it a little easier to give your baby the care and attention that parents provide. You can take care of yourself by:
Doing relaxation exercises: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths a few times a day. Try to clear your mind of all your worries and to-do’s.
Keeping up with daily self-care: Even if you’re not leaving the house, taking a shower and brushing your teeth can help you feel refreshed even when you’re exhausted.
Taking breaks: Ask if a loved one or trusted neighbor can keep an eye on your baby so you can focus on your needs for a short time.
Eating a balanced diet: Try to eat nutrient-dense foods, including plenty of leafy greens and iron-rich foods, like chicken, beans and red meat.
Another essential self-care item to keep track of is your mental health. Postpartum depression is common and treatable. Contact a healthcare provider if you experience these postpartum depression signs:
Anxiety
Crying
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Feeling overwhelmed or irritable
Mood swings
Discharge Planning
We provide information that helps your baby and family transition smoothly from inpatient care to home. These discussions also include detecting the early signs of complications and what to do if you need help.
Your baby’s medical needs
We help you plan for your baby’s future medical needs by:
Ensuring you have a pediatrician and knowing when to make your baby’s first appointment
Sending your pediatrician a copy of your baby’s medical record
Discussing any of your baby’s medical concerns
Reviewing care instructions for your baby prior to discharge
Coordinating screening tests for hearing and other concerns
Signs of illness
Contact your baby’s pediatrician if you notice signs of illness. If you are worried the problem could be life-threatening, dial 911.Signs of complications include:
Fever greater than 100.4°
Blue or grey skin color
Difficulty breathing, gasping for air or nostril-flaring
Not feeding and fewer wet or soiled diapers than expected
Being very fussy without reason
Difficulty waking for feeding
Unusual tiredness (lethargy)
Wheezing
At Vassar Brothers Medical Center, we hope your stay is as comfortable as possible. You’ll find a supportive environment designed to provide comfort to your baby and growing family. Through an alliance with New York Children’s Medical Provider Services, P.C., an affiliate of the nationally-ranked health system, Connecticut Children’s , your newborn will be cared for by a team of pediatric specialists in the wellborn nursery.
Should you have any questions throughout your time with us, please contact a care team member.