Happy In Hospital

It can be an intimidating place to welcome your new baby in, so here’s how to enjoy your stay and make the most of it,

- Shanda Luyt

A HOSPITAL WILL never be as comfy and cosy as your own home, yet most moms prefer to welcome their babies there for peace of mind and safety’s sake.

Despite the often clinical environment, the first meeting with your little one remains very special. But after those first ecstatic moments, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed by the foreign environment and routine. If you know what to expect in hospital, you can use this time to prepare yourself so that you can take care of baby at home with less pressure. Here’s what you should know.

AFTER THE BIRTH

Procedures around the first few hours after baby’s birth vary dramatically from hospital to hospital. At some hospitals it’s standard procedure to separate mom and baby directly after birth, so that the little one can be examined (dad usually tags along), and mom can get a breather and recuperate. During the examination baby gets a bracelet to identify him.

In other facilities, baby will be put to mom’s breast for a little while straight after birth in order to stimulate breastfeeding, before being taken to the nursery until it’s time for the first feed.

The rising trend at private hospitals is for babies to be examined and weighed there and then in the maternity ward under mom’s watchful eye, and straight afterwards, if baby is healthy, he’ll be passed to mom for the first nursing session. Skin-to-skin contact is always recommended. So mom, dad and baby can be together and are given some alone time to bond with baby.

Then the family officially moves to the postnatal ward. Mom is usually encouraged to take a bath or shower while baby’s in the maternity unit’s nursery or with dad. Mom gets something to eat or drink, depending on the time of day.