We encourage you to keep your baby with you in your room during your hospital stay. By being together, the two of you can get to know each other and you can gain confidence in caring for your baby. The nurse will assist you and your family to care for your baby in your room. If you are not well or unable to care for your baby, care can be provided in the Nursery.

For the safety of your baby we ask that you:

• Never leave your baby alone.
• Never leave your baby laying on the bed unattended.
• Never leave your baby with an unidentified caregiver or let them take your baby away.
• Always have a relative or nurse look after your baby if you leave the unit.

Please ensure that your visitors are free of infections, especially that there has been no contact with Varicella Zosster (Chickenpox).

If you leave the unit, always have a relative or nurse look after your baby. Never take your baby off the unit. Please sign yourself out at the nursing station to ensure staff know where you have gone and when you will return.

The average hospital stay is 48 hours after your baby is born. You may go home sooner if you wish, as long as you and your baby are healthy, and you have someone to help you at home. If you had a cesarean birth, you can expect to stay about 3 days.

Once you are home, a Public Health Nurse from the Maternity Visiting Program will visit you to provide follow-up care and support.

Discharge orders must be approved by both your doctor and your baby’s doctor before discharge.

If your baby needs to remain in the Neonatal Intensive care Unit (NICU) you will be discharged home before your baby.

Make sure you have baby clothes and an approved car seat to take your new baby home. By law, car seats must meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS). All children must be restrained in a care seat until they weigh 18kg (40 lb.)

Before you leave the hospital you must sign your discharge instructions with your nurse. Please check with your nurse before leaving.

All breast pumps, air rings, linen and housecoats are the property of the hospital and must be returned before discharge.

In support of family-centred maternal/newborn care, it is important to us that new moms have the support they need as they welcome their newest family member(s). To achieve this:

The Visitors policy for the Mother Baby Unit is as follows:

Welcome anytime:

• Spouse/partner and/or one designated support person

Welcome between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.:

• Additional family/support persons to a maximum of 4 (as named by the mother) PLUS
• Newborn's Siblings (accompanied by partner/spouse or named family/support person)

Extended family members, co-workers, or neighbours will be asked to delay their visit with the mother and baby until after they have been discharged home.

Mothers have told us limiting visitors for the short time they are in hospital can be helpful for the following reasons:

• It gives them more privacy and time alone with their partners and babies so you can get to know each other as a family.
• It allows them time to rest.
• More than 2 visitors at a time can be tiring and disruptive to mother and baby's care.

All visitors must use the public washrooms. They are located outside of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or past the nursing station, on the right of elevators 5 and 6. Please ask if you are unsure of their location.

Please ensure that your visitors are free of infections, especially that there has been no contact with Varicella Zosster (Chickenpox).

Kitchen

There is a small snack kitchen for the mothers use located just past the nursing station. The key to get into the room is located at the nursing station.

Telephones

Telephones are located at every bedside. There is a rental fee. To start your phone turn TV on and press the select button twice. The technician will collect funds before service is provided. You will be given your own direct phone number.

Pay phones are available on the Unit. There is a courtesy phone located across from nursing station.

Televisions

The Parent Channel (51) is a closed circuit teaching station that provides parenting information 24 hours a day. We encourage all parents to tune in to this valuable resource. A Program Guide is attached to your television.

Regular cable can be rented by pushing the select button twice. A technician will collect the funds before service is provided.