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                    After the birth

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                    Understand what to expect in the moments and days after your baby is born.

                    Skin-to-skin

                    If you and your baby are fine after the birth, we will encourage you to hold your baby against your skin. 

                    We encourage parents to do skin-to-skin immediately after birth and throughout the hospital stay. This helps the baby to adjust to being out of the womb, and helps with breastfeeding and bonding.

                    Rooming in

                    Once you and your baby are stable, you both will move to the maternal/newborn unit. You and your baby will stay together in the same room until you go home unless there is a medical problem.

                    We encourage visitors to wait until you and your baby are settled on the unit.

                    Normally your baby will be with you at all times. Nursing staff will help you with your care and your baby’s care.

                    Neonatal intensive care unit

                    Some babies need to go to the neonatal intensive care unit. If this is the case, you will see your baby there. Parents can be with their baby anytime.

                    Breastfeeding

                    We will help you make an informed choice about how you want to feed your baby.

                    Nursing staff will help you with breastfeeding as soon as your baby wants to feed. We will show you the signs of effective breastfeeding, how to express your breastmilk and how to recognize your baby’s hunger cues. We will also give you information to read once you are home.

                    Healthy babies do not need to drink anything other than breastmilk for their first six months. If there is a reason your baby needs another type of feeding while in the hospital, the nursing staff will discuss this with you.

                    A mother breastfeeds her newborn with her partner at her side.

                    Staying in the hospital

                    Most moms and babies stay 24 to 36 hours after a vaginal birth, or two to three days after a C-section. You may stay longer if there are any concerns with you and/or the baby.

                    Room types

                    There is no cost to stay in labour and delivery rooms. The room you will go to after your delivery will be chosen at the time of delivery. Room types are subject to availability.

                    Semiprivate rooms 

                    You and your baby will share the room with another new mom and baby. There are two single hospital beds and one bathroom.

                    Private rooms 

                    You and your baby will have the room to yourselves. There is one single hospital bed and one bathroom.

                    There is an extra charge for this room, but your insurance may cover the cost. It is a good idea to check your coverage before coming to the hospital.

                    Birth registration

                    Staff will give you information about registering your baby’s birth. We encourage you to complete and submit the forms online before you go home. We can help you if needed.

                    Visiting

                    Please review this information about visitors during your stay with us. 

                    Labour and delivery

                    You should decide in advance who you want to visit you while you are in labour. It is most helpful for you if your visitors have some idea of the labour process.

                    A designated support person may be limited to one and this is subject to change due to Public Health restrictions. Contact your specific site for further information.

                    The primary support person will get a baby ID bracelet at the time of the baby’s birth. Staff may ask to check it while your baby is in the hospital.

                    C-section births

                    If you have a C-section, one person can be with you in the operating room if you are awake during surgery.

                    After the surgery, the person who came with you into the operating room can stay with you and your baby in the recovery room. You will be in the operating room/recovery room for at least two hours. We will help you to start skin-to-skin with your baby during this time.

                    Neonatal intensive care unit

                    If your baby is admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the NICU team will give you more information.

                    Maternal and newborn units (postpartum)

                    We recommend that most family and friends wait to visit once you are home. This gives you time to recover and get to know your baby while in the hospital. 

                    We have guidelines to keep you, your baby and your visitors safe.

                    • Check with the hospital to confirm visiting hours.
                    • Children are not allowed to stay overnight due to fire and safety regulations. 
                    • Limit the number of visitors at one time for your comfort and the comfort of your roommate if you are in a semi-private room.
                    • It is up to you to decide who may hold your baby, but all visitors must wash their hands before holding your baby.
                    • Anyone with a cold, flu or any illness that can be spread to your baby or others should not visit.

                    If you do not want to have visitors, ask the staff to put a sign on your door.

                    Photos, videos and recordings

                    Ask before filming, recording or taking photos of your health care providers. They are focused on providing quality care and being filmed or recorded can be distracting.

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                    We acknowledge that what we refer to as Alberta is the traditional ancestral territory of a diversity of Indigenous peoples and home to Treaty 6, 7 and 8. We recognize and give thanks to the many First Nations, Métis and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations, all who continue to grace these lands and all future generations. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude.

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