Before You Arrive | What to Bring | Labor & Delivery | Visitation Guides | After Delivery
The Ferdinand Sauer, M.D. Family BirthPlace at The Hospital of Central Connecticut strives to make each birthing experience as comfortable as possible by offering expert medical care and TLC in a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility.
The Family BirthPlace is staffed by board-certified obstetricians, with specialists ready if needed 24 hours a day, including, on-site, board-certified anesthesiologists for pain control and perinatologists for high-risk pregnancies.
Before You Arrive
Here are things we would like our new moms (and families) to have in place or be aware of before coming to the hospital.
Things to consider before you come to the hospital:
Pediatrician
Please bring the name and address of the pediatrician who will care for your baby once you are discharged from the hospital.
Preregistration
Please preregister to deliver at the Family BirthPlace by your sixth month of pregnancy. You may obtain the registration form from your OB provider’s office.
Infant Car Seat
Please install and have a working knowledge of your car seat before you come to the hospital for delivery of your baby. More information about infant car seats is at www.CTSafeKids.org.
Childcare for Siblings
Please have a plan in place for your older children’s care while you are at the hospital.
Vaccinations
Please have a clear understanding of vaccine recommendations for you, your newborn and your family members from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics and American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Home Help
You may consider arranging for assistance during the first two weeks you are home with your baby, whether from your partner, family member or private service.
Cord Blood Kit
If you are making arrangements to preserve cord blood you must bring an approved cord blood banking kit to the hospital when you arrive for delivery. For a list of such companies please contact your physician. For more information please download this brochure.
Pre- and Post-Natal Programs
It’s never too early to consider one of our classes or services, including prenatal tours, childbirth preparation or yoga classes. Early registration is encouraged. View Programs & Classes
Pacifiers
The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend the use of pacifiers until breastfeeding is well established after a few weeks of life. We discourage the use of pacifiers while mom is learning baby’s feeding cues in the hospital.
Visiting Hours & Quiet Time
Rest is an important part of healing. New mothers and babies need their rest. Share the suggested visiting hours schedule (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.) with your family and friends before you come to deliver. The Family BirthPlace has also developed an initiative called Quiet Time, designed to provide mothers time for needed rest required after delivery. With Quiet Time, mothers have the option to defer visits from 1:30 to 4 p.m., so they can nap, be with family and newborn, or receive education.
Baby Blues and Post-Partum Depression
For more information please download our brochure.
Back to Top
What to Bring
You will need some personal items during your hospital stay.
Consider packing the following items:
- Nightgowns (including one for nursing if you plan to breastfeed), robe, socks, and slippers
- Toiletries and cosmetics; shampoo and hairdryer
- Supportive nursing bras and nursing pads
- Writing and reading material
- Internet access device such as laptop, iPad or smartphone
- Cameras
- The clothes you wear to the hospital may not be the ones you would choose to wear home. Before discharge, make sure you have a clean change of clothing for your departure. Ask your family to bring any items you might need, such as undergarments, proper foot covering, and a jacket or sweater if necessary. Anticipate that staff will ask you to remove all clothing, including bras, as well as body piercings and contact lenses.
- Nursing will review any medications you bring from home upon arrival.
Also important to bring for the baby:
- Keep in mind weather conditions on discharge day. If you need a sweater or jacket, your baby will, too.
- Plan for the baby to wear an undershirt, socks, a hat, the outfit of your choice, and a sweater or jacket, if appropriate.
- Bring along a heavyweight blanket for extra warmth. Remember, your baby’s outfit should accommodate the infant car seat belt strap that fastens snugly between the legs.
Back to Top
Labor & Delivery
You will have a private, beautiful birthing room for your labor, delivery and recovery. Your personal birthing room has a homelike atmosphere, filled with soft colors, artwork, a comfortable rocking chair, and large, expansive windows with a beautiful view.
Your room also has a private bathroom with a shower (some rooms have whirlpool baths) and is fully equipped with everything you may need for delivery, including an advanced monitoring system that allows you the freedom to walk around during labor.
Epidural anesthesia also is available at the Family BirthPlace 24 hours a day by a board-certified anesthesiologist. If a Cesarean section is necessary, it can be performed in one of the unit’s large surgical rooms.
A unique feature of the Family BirthPlace is our patient-controlled pain medication system. If pain medication is required after a Cesarean delivery, you can control and dispense exactly what you need when you need it with a touch of a button.
Labor Setting
Support Persons
You may choose to have your partner, family members and/or close friends assist you during labor and delivery, limiting the number of support people to three. Support persons are encouraged to provide physical and emotional support. You should consider including individuals who are nurturing and will support your needs.
Care Providers
Your care will be provided by your OB/GYN provider, OB/GYN residents and Labor and Delivery nurses. You may be asked to have medical and nursing students present to observe and assist in your care.
Personal Items
Items such as photos or other focal points, familiar music, pillows from home, lip balm, toothbrush, toothpaste or mouthwash. You may use these items for relaxation, comfort or mouth care.
Lighting
Dim or low lighting during labor and delivery. Low lighting can be soothing and promote relaxation.
Activity
Position Changes
Walking, rocking, rhythmic movements, squatting, sitting-up or side-lying in bed. Frequent position changes improve over-all comfort and circulation. Walking may also speed up your labor. Link to position changes in labor http://www.lamaze.org/laborpositions
Shower or Tub
Taking a shower or bath during labor. Warm water may help relax and comfort you.
Emptying your Bladder
Frequent trips to the bathroom are encouraged. When your bladder is empty, your contractions may feel less painful. In addition, it will allow your baby’s head to drop lower into your pelvis
Nutrition
Diet
Easily digestible foods such as pasta, rice, crackers, toast or soup. While at home in early labor, this food will provide energy. Since your digestion will slow during active labor, avoid foods such as meat, dairy or protein.
Fluids
During labor, you will be limited to ice pops and ice chips. After anesthesia, you may still have ice chips and ice pops at your doctor's discretion.
IV
An intravenous site and/or fluids, typically a heparin lock, may be placed at the time of obtaining routine blood. An IV site will be necessary to administer pain medications or in an emergency. Intravenous fluids may be given to avoid dehydration during active labor and birth. Required before an epidural.
Comfort Measures
Relaxation and Breathing
Concentrated relaxation and patterned breathing methods. Relaxation and breathing techniques help you to concentrate and relax during contractions. These techniques may be learned through childbirth preparation and should be practiced with your partner regularly.
Massage
Massage by your partner or self, counter pressure against lower back. Massaging your arms, legs, shoulders and back helps relax tense muscles. A technique of light, circular massage to your abdomen, called effleurage, may also be helpful.
Cold or Heat
An ice pack or warm pack against back or lower abdomen. Hot or cold therapy may help relax muscles and alleviate pain or tension.
IV Narcotics
Intravenous pain medications. These medications reduce or dull the pain of contractions and help you cope with labor. They may temporarily make you and your baby feel drowsy.
Anesthesia
Epidural
Epidural anesthesia is given through a small catheter (tube) threaded through a guiding needle. It is placed in your lower back by an anesthesiologist. Epidural anesthesia relieves pain from the waist down. It can be given throughout labor and adjusted for your needs and is usually adequate anesthesia if a Caesarean section is necessary. An epidural may slow your labor if given too early, or may interfere with your urge to push. You will remain in bed after the epidural is in place, and your bladder may need to be emptied using a catheter.
Spinal
Spinal anesthesia is given by an anesthesiologist through an injection into your lower back. A spinal can be used for a scheduled Caesarean section delivery. It usually lasts about an hour.
Pudendal Block
A pudendal block is a local anesthetic given by your physician just before delivery. A pudendal block is injected through the vagina into the pudendal nerve. It may help to numb the vagina, rectum and the area between them.
Monitoring
External Monitors
A monitor is placed on your abdomen to detect your baby’s heartbeat and your contractions. Monitoring may be continuous or intermittent, determined by your wishes, activity and your baby’s well-being. You may want to ask about a telemetry unit, which allows you to be monitored while out of bed or walking.
Internal Monitors
A fetal monitor placed on your baby’s scalp for continuous tracing of your baby’s heartbeat.
A uterine monitor inserted through the vagina is placed inside your uterus for continuous tracing of your contractions. Internal monitoring may be used after your water is broken for a more accurate monitor tracing. Babies who are difficult to monitor or show signs of distress may be monitored internally.
Internal uterine monitoring may be used after your water is broken for a more accurate measurement of contraction strength. It may be used if you have had a previous cesarean birth or if labor is not progressing.
Enhancing Labor
Walking/Out of Bed
Walking in your birthing room or in the hallways may enhance your labor. Walking increases your body’s circulation of the hormone oxytocin. This may help increase the strength and frequency of contractions. Being upright allows gravity to work with you in bringing your baby down into the birth canal.
Stress Reduction
Controlling your environment to decrease stress and anxiety. Bringing items from home such as pictures or other focal points; listening to quiet music; and dim lighting may help you relax.
Rupture of Membranes
Your provider may break your water Artificial rupture of membranes may be used to speed up or induce labor. May be necessary for internal monitoring.
Pitocin
Pitocin is a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin that causes uterine contractions, and is administered through an intravenous line. Pitocin may be used to induce your labor or give your natural labor a boost by increasing the strength and frequency of contractions if labor is not progressing.
Prostaglandins
These substances may be placed in the vagina to prepare the cervix for induction of labor.
Back to Top
Visitation Guidelines
To ensure the safety of the patient and newborn your cooperation is required in the Operating Room (OR).
- Only one person is allowed in the OR areas as directed by the nurse.
- All other family members must wait in the Family BirthPlace waiting room.
- The support person may sit at the head of the patient only, or as directed by anesthesia or the nurse.
- Please remain seated at all times.
- No standing, touching drapes, leaning over drapes during surgery.
- Pictures of the baby may be taken after delivery only. No video allowed until the infant is stable after delivery. .
- In the event the patient needs general anesthesia you will be asked to leave and wait outside the room in the Recovery Room area.
Back to Top
After Delivery
Skin-to-Skin
Your baby will be placed on your chest following birth. Skin-to-skin provides numerous health benefits for your baby such as stabilizing body temperature, heart rate, and breathing. Skin-to-skin also helps you bond with your baby and start the first feeding.
Rooming in
Your baby will stay in your room with you following birth. This will allow you to learn your baby's needs and give your baby warmth, comfort and security. The staff is here to answer your questions and teach you about caring for your baby.
After the Golden Hour*
After recovery you will be moved to a nearby private postpartum room with a private bathroom and shower. You and your family can celebrate in your room or in the family lounge. Throughout your stay, you will be well cared for by our experienced nurses, who will help you learn to care for your baby. Healthy moms and babies room in together 24 hours a day to facilitate feeding and learning your new baby’s behaviors.
* The first hour after delivery when infant is especially alert
Celebration and Rest
To help you celebrate the birth of your baby, you are invited to choose from our special selection dinner menu. The menu includes a variety of gourmet entrees available only to Family Birthing Center guests. You and your spouse/birthing partner may select from this menu once during your stay. Bon appetit!
Back to Top