Bonding With Your Baby
At the Women's & Children's Centers, our model of care focuses on you, your newborn, and your family. We understand how important it is for you and your new baby to bond with one another. That’s why we prefer not to whisk your baby away from you immediately after delivery. Instead, we want you to spend as much time with your baby as possible.
If you are a first-time mother, your stay at the Women's & Children's Centers is a great opportunity to practice hands-on baby care with a group of medical experts close by to assist you as needed. No matter how many books you read before delivery, there’s no substitute for actual one-on-one time with your baby!
Skin-to-Skin
By sharing skin-to-skin closeness, your newborn’s body temperature and blood sugar gets properly adjusted, and you can get breastfeeding off to a good start. Researchers have found that babies who are held skin-to-skin and heart-to-heart adjust to their new environment more quickly. Your baby will smell you, hear you, feel you, and be calmed and loved by you.
At home, keep cuddling your baby skin-to-skin. Your baby will stay warm and comfortable on your chest, and the benefits of bonding, soothing and breastfeeding likely continue well after birth. And, if your baby needs vaccinations, heel sticks or other procedures, being skin-to-skin or breastfeeding 10 to 15 minutes before and after can help with pain, too.
Rooming In
By rooming in together, you and your baby can spend important time bonding. Studies show that when your infant rooms in with you, he or she cries less, stays warmer and calmer, and startles less frequently.
First Bath
As our caregivers support you through each diaper change, feeding and baby’s first bath, you become more confident and comfortable as a parent, so when it’s time to head home, you’ve got the basics down!
