Labor and Delivery Services at UPMC Magee-Womens in Central Pa.

At UPMC Magee-Womens in Central Pa., you and your family are our top priorities. From the moment you arrive to give birth, you can count on our physicians, nurses, specialists and educators to provide the region's best family-centered care.

Labor and delivery services are provided by our caring staff in our comfortable, state-of-the-art birthing suites at UPMC Magee-Womens. Our staff will work with you to create a customized birthing experience that meets your wants and needs. From developing a birth plan to involving you in the care of your newborn, we will support your growing family every step of the way.

In the Delivery Room

The staff at UPMC Magee-Womens in Central Pa. understand that the first few hours after birth are an important time for you and your partner to begin bonding with your baby. That's why our physicians and nurses do everything possible to make sure that your baby's adjustment to life after birth is smooth and healthy.

After your baby's umbilical cord is cut and clamped, you will have an immediate opportunity to hold your baby skin-to-skin. Skin-to-skin contact has been scientifically proven to help your baby adjust to the transition from your womb to the outside world. As your baby's breathing, heartbeat, blood sugar and body temperature adjust, you will have the opportunity to provide lots of snuggles and initiate breastfeeding for the first time.

During this time, your nurse will administer tests and take measurements to provide the most comprehensive care to your newborn baby.

Some of your nurse's activities may include:

• Assessing your baby’s transition to life after delivery
• Assigning an Apgar score, which is an assessment of your baby’s physical condition
• Weighing and measuring your baby
• Helping you initiate breastfeeding
• Testing your baby’s blood sugar, if needed

In the Postpartum Unit

We believe that your participation in your baby's care in the hospital is the best way to encourage bonding, build parenting confidence and learn proper infant care techniques. We recommend as much skin-to-skin contact with your baby as possible during rest, feeding and assessments.

To achieve our goal of providing baby-friendly, family-centered care, UPMC in Central Pa. encourages the practice of "rooming-in," meaning that your baby will be with you in your hospital room during most of your hospital stay. Whenever possible, newborn care services will be provided in your hospital room, including:

• Newborn assessment
• Monitoring of vital signs and adaptation to life after delivery
• Promotion and support of breastfeeding
• Baths, after your baby’s temperature is stable and you’ve had at least one successful breastfeeding session
• Continued skin-to-skin contact with your baby after bathing to help keep him or her warm
• Blood sugar monitoring, if necessary
• Newborn blood tests and other specimen collection

Rooming In

To make rooming-in (PDF) a wonderful experience for your entire family and to allow you to get the rest you need, you may want to consider the following suggestions:

• Limit visitors or set your own visiting hours. We understand that having a baby is a special experience that you want to share with your extended family. Although we offer generous visiting hours, consider telling your family and friends that you have limited visiting hours and pick the times that work best for you.
• Take advantage of quiet time. UPMC Magee-Womens in Central Pa. offers quiet time in the postpartum unit from 1 to 3 p.m. We encourage you to use this time to nap or snuggle with your newborn without any unnecessary interruptions.
• Get the support you need. Having a friend or family member help you with your baby is essential to getting the rest you need as a new parent. It may be helpful for you to have two support people one person during the day and another at night.

Related Resources

• Maternity Patient Pre-Registration
• Online Maternity Patient Pre-Registration Form (PDF)
• More Information About Rooming In - English (PDF)
• More Information About Rooming In - Spanish (PDF)

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