Welcoming a new baby into the world is a joyful experience, but it can also be overwhelming, especially when you’re still recovering from childbirth. To help you navigate these early stages, we’ve gathered essential information to support you in keeping your baby healthy such as the benefits of rooming in, reccomended immunizations for new moms and what to do if your baby has jaundice.
ROOMING IN
Rooming in with your newborn after childbirth offers a unique opportunity for immediate bonding and is recommended for all new parents. By keeping your baby in the same room as you, you can begin to learn their feeding cues and respond to their needs more quickly. This also promotes more frequent skin-to-skin contact, which is beneficial for both you and your baby, supporting emotional bonding and physical development.
One of the key benefits of rooming in is its positive impact on breastfeeding. Mothers naturally produce more milk during the night, and babies tend to be hungriest during those hours. Babies who room in also tend to breastfeed more frequently, which supports healthy weight gain and reduces the risk of jaundice.
In addition to these health benefits, rooming in also contributes to better rest for both you and your baby. Babies who stay with their mothers tend to cry less and sleep more deeply, which leads to better sleep for new moms as well.
IMMUNIZATIONS
To safeguard your health, CentraState Medical Center provides several vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to new moms.
- Rubella
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Influenza
- H1N1 influenza (swine flu)
- Hepatitis B
For additional information about vaccines, please visit the National Immunization Program.
JAUNDICE
Jaundice is a common condition in newborns that causes a yellowing of the skin and eyes due to a buildup of bilirubin, a substance produced when red blood cells break down. It’s important to have your baby checked for jaundice by a doctor or nurse at three to five days of age.
Call your baby’s doctor if:
- You notice your baby’s skin has a more yellow tone, especially on the abdomen, arms or legs.
- The whites of your baby’s eyes appear yellow.
- Your baby seems harder to wake, is more fussy or isn’t feeding as well as usual.
Request More Information
To request more information about maternity services at CentraState or to ask any questions, please complete this form and we will be in touch shortly.