After Delivery Services
A dedicated team of nurses will care for both you and your baby, keep you comfortable and answer all your questions. Our postpartum care includes:
- Rooming-in with your baby. After delivery, you and your baby will stay together in a private room. It lets you rest and start fresh with your routine together. It helps you spend quiet time with each other, develop a strong connection, and sleep better.
- Baby care education. Our nurses show you how to care for your newborn, including feeding, bathing, and breastfeeding. At Reading Hospital, you can watch on-demand education videos from the comfort of your room.
- Newborn screenings. We check your baby’s breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, and other vital signs to ensure they’re healthy. We use a blood test to check your baby for health problems that aren’t noticeable. These problems include genetic, hormonal, blood, or metabolic disorders as part of a statewide newborn screening program.
- Postpartum depression screening. Birth is exciting but can also be overwhelming. We check in with you about your emotional health and refer you to our behavioral health team if you need extra support. Phoenixville Hospital also offers a Postpartum Adjustment Group.
- The circumcision decision. If you have a son, you will need to decide whether to have him circumcised before leaving the hospital. Your baby’s doctor will explain the procedure, recommendations, benefits, risks, and complications before you decide. Additionally, you should check if your health insurance covers this procedure.
- Hug your baby "skin-to-skin". After delivery, we place all healthy babies "skin-to-skin" according to the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This "birthday hug" lasts until the first feeding is finished and has many benefits. Skin-to-skin contact promotes breastfeeding and bonding as well as keeping your baby warm and calm, while stabilizing body temperature and blood sugar. It is sometimes necessary for babies to spend some time in a warmer after delivery to support their health and safety. If this happens, your nurse will offer skin-to-skin contact as soon as it is safe. We also encourage your birth partner to offer skin-to-skin contact. We look forward to seeing you give your baby their first birthday hug!
