Christiana Care Maternity

Maternity

Maternity

After Delivery

After delivery, you will experience family-centered care that puts your baby at your bedside, 24 hours a day. Your partner or designated support person can stay with you and your baby for as long as you are in the hospital.

Visiting hours are flexible, too. Review our visitor guidelines to find out more.

We help you to build the bonds of family

At Christiana Care, you get more time with your baby, who sleeps, eats and gets bathed in your room. This helps you to more quickly learn the cues that your baby uses to express basic needs. It reduces the likelihood of breastfeeding problems. And it helps you to adjust to the rhythms and needs of your child before you go home.

Your baby benefits, too. By staying close to you and your support person, your baby is likely to cry less, because you can provide the comfort of your soothing voice and mother's touch that can't be duplicated in a traditional nursery. Your baby will more readily organize his sleep/wake cycles in a darkened room with you, instead of in a brightly lit nursery.

Nurses who are ready with an experienced, helping hand

At all times, your nurse will be available for you to provide you with care, support and education. Our method of care enables our maternity nurses to spend more time in your room when you need coaching, encouragement or advice. Even experienced mothers appreciate this opportunity to learn—or relearn—the finer points of newborn care within the secure environment of the hospital.

Nurses will come to your bedside to help with breast or bottle feeding, diaper changing, bathing, umbilical-cord and circumcision care, and other essential skills. Maternity nurses are also trained lactation nurses, which means that they can provide you with bedside breastfeeding help. Certified lactation consultants are also available if you have additional needs.

All of the routine newborn tests, like blood sugar and temperature, are done in the room with you so that you can observe and ask questions. Pediatricians are encouraged to perform your baby's exams in your room. Even a baby with jaundice can stay in the room with mom while resting under special lights to lower the bilirubin levels in the blood.

Remember, at Christiana Care, you have the most experienced labor and delivery team in Delaware ready to help you with needs large or small. We are honored to be your partners in care on your special day—and for a lifetime.

To learn more about our maternity services, call 302-733-2408.