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| Frequently Asked Questions
Valet parking is available for patients Monday through Friday, 6 am to 10 pm. At other times, pull your car to the side of the circular driveway, lock it and check in with the uniformed security guard just inside the building. For other family members and visitors, valet parking is available Monday-Friday only, from 6 am to 10 pm. There is also a large parking lot (always open) on the southwest corner of Fort Washington Avenue and 165th Street. The entrance to this lot is on Fort Washington Avenue. Should I bring any clothes for my baby to wear? While in the hospital, your baby will be clothed in hospital garments. You will only need clothes for your baby to wear home; an undershirt, a "stretchy" or two-piece outfit, a hat and a blanket. In cold weather, you may also need a sweater and/or heavier "snowsuit" type outfit. Some extra disposable diapers will be provided. What is an LDR? LDR is short for "Labor, Delivery and Recovery", also known as a birthing room. This is a private room where you will stay throughout your childbirth experience and for about two hours following your baby's birth. Our LDRs include private baths with showers, closet space, an infant warmer, fetal monitor and more. What if I want to play music during my delivery? Feel free to bring your own music. Our LDRs do not include CD players, so bring your own CD player as well. We also recommend that your CD player include speakers rather than headphones, as headphones may become uncomfortable during delivery. What is a birth plan? Many couples today discuss certain options with their caregiver in advance of the baby's birth. Using language that reflects flexibility and cooperation, a list can be made of procedures to discuss with your doctor or midwife. For example:
How and when is anesthesia available during delivery? At least one anesthesiologist with a specialty in obstetrics is on the labor and delivery floor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. He or she will be available to speak with you about your anesthesia options at any point in your delivery. What if I want to explore alternative forms of pain relief? Express in your birth plan, and discuss with your physician, exactly which forms of pain relief you'd like to use during labor. If your preference includes having a midwife or massage therapist present, this person will be treated as a member of your labor support. What happens to my baby when he/she is born? An umbilical cord clamp is placed and the cord is cut (by your partner if you wish). Your baby is then dried and wrapped warmly. An Apgar score is done at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. A brief examination by the health team is performed. Identification bands are put on and footprints are taken (mom and her support partner both get matching ID bands as well). An injection of Vitamin K is given and your baby is weighed. A breastfeeding "practice session" is offered within the hour. Once your baby is admitted to the postpartum floor, antibiotic eye ointment is given. Does my baby get a pediatrician? Healthy newborns will be examined by a pediatrician within 24 hours of birth and followed by that pediatrician throughout his or her hospital stay. What kind of specialized pediatric care does the hospital offer? We have a Level III neonatal center – the best there is. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, we have neonatologists, respiratory therapists and neonatal RNs available to attend your delivery or care for your newborn. We also have a NICU satellite on the labor and delivery floor for any immediate attention your baby needs. With so many neonatal specialists at our facility, your baby would never need to be transferred to another hospital for care. How long after birth am I taken to my postpartum room? Assuming all is well, you and your baby will stay together in the birthing room for about two hours after birth. Emergency care is on call during this time should you or your baby require immediate attention. Following this two-hour window, you and your baby will be taken to the postpartum floor and will each be admitted. What kind of security is offered to prevent my baby from being switched or taken? Your baby will have two bracelets put on shortly after birth. One will be a bracelet to confirm your baby's identity. You will have a matching one on as well. A third bracelet will be put on your baby's ankle to ensure security. With that bracelet on, your baby can only be taken off the floor that he or she is currently admitted to when the appropriate hospital staff member enters the security system on the computer and temporarily de-activates the bracelet for the short period of time that it would take to transport your baby to another floor. After his/her transport, the same hospital staff member then must re-activate the bracelet. Any missed steps in this process would result in the sounding of an alarm. Similarly, only hospital staff with the appropriate identification can get to the floor where your baby is staying and even fewer hospital staff members (those with pictures of teddy bears on their identification) can have direct contact with your baby. But don't forget that the best form of security for your baby is you! Feel free to question anyone who handles your baby in the nursery or your postpartum room. Qualified personnel will be happy to answer any questions or show you their identification. Can my baby stay with me in the postpartum room? Absolutely! You are encouraged to have your baby stay with you as much as you'd like. If at any time you'd like to get some rest, our staff would be happy to take your baby to the nursery for care by the hospital staff. How do I get a single room? When can friends and family visit me in the hospital? How long can they stay? General visiting hours on the postpartum floors are noon to 8 pm. Please limit visitors to 2 or 3 people. The baby's father (or your main support person) may stay from 8 am until 10 pm in a semi-private room or at all times in a private room. The new baby's siblings may visit in your room during general visiting hours (noon to 8 pm). Siblings should:
The health of your children who visit is important to safeguard the health of your new baby as well as that of other mothers and newborns. When do I get discharged? Hospital stays generally range from two to six days. Once you're cleared to go home, discharge time is 10 am. Wheelchairs are also available. Is there anything I need to know about taking my baby home? You must have a car seat installed properly in your vehicle before taking your baby home. It's highly recommended that after purchasing a car seat, you take it to a professional to either install or check your installation of the car seat; 90% of them throughout the country are not installed properly. Who should I call with any questions? Contact your obstetrician directly for any further information.
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