Our staff wants you to be as confident and comfortable as possible about caring for yourself and your new baby even before returning home.  We urge you to read the helpful booklet, Becoming a Family: You and your baby at home.

First of all, we know this is probably a time of great joy and celebration for you and your family, so we encourage you to spend as much time with your baby as you like and to receive visits from your loved ones.

We provide a wide range of services to help you get started with your baby:

• Baby Security and Safety - A comprehensive system of infant security is in place to ensure the safety and security of all infants in our unit. All staff who are approved to transport infants wear distinctive identification badges (with peach colored background) unlike any others in the hospital. The registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are responsible for educating parents about the electronic surveillance system and the entire security plan in place to prevent infant abduction. Educational messages to the patient and family regarding security are posted in English and Spanish in each patient room.

• Breastfeeding Support - Extensive medical research indicates that breastfeeding has many benefits for both babies and mothers.  Even if you are able to do it for only a short time, your baby's immune system can benefit from breast milk.

   

  Benefits for Babies

  • Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants.  It has just the right amount of nutrients needed for a baby's growth and development.  Also, most babies find breast milk easier to digest than formula.
  • Breastfed infants grow exactly the way they should and tend to gain less unnecessary weight, both as infants and later in life.
  • Breastfed babies score slightly higher on IQ tests, especially babies who were born prematurely.

   

  Benefits for Mothers

  • Nursing uses up extra calories, making it easier to lose the poounds of pregnancy and get the uterus back to its original size.
  • Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and possibly the risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause.
  • Breastfeeding can help a mother to bond with her baby.  Physical contact is important to newborns and can help them feel more secure, warm and comforted.

   

  Our Registered Nurses and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants offer complete breastfeeding support for expectant couples and breastfeeding families.  

   

  Services include:

  •   Prenatal Breastfeeding Class Part 1
  •   Post Delivery Assistance
  •   Support for Mothers at Home
  •   Outpatient Services
  •   Gathering for Breastfeeding Moms and Babies
  •   Breastfeeding Class Part 2
  •   Multiples Breastfeeding Class
  •   Breastfeeding Products Retail/Pump Rental Services

   

  For more information, call Baystate Health Link at 413-794-BABY (2229).

   

  For more information about all aspects of breastfeeding, visit the National Women's Health Information Center Breastfeeding website or lalecheleague.org

   

   

• Nurse Homecoming Visits - Specially trained maternal-child health nurses provide support for postpartum mothers and their newborn infants.

   

  Baystate Health makes every effort to provide a home visit to healthy mothers and infants following early discharge (less than 48 hours after vaginal delivery and less than 96 hours after cesarean delivery) from Baystate Medical Center, Franklin Medical Center, or Mary Lane Hospital.  These services, provided by BVNAH and other local visiting nurse agencies are provided without regard for the patient' insurance coverage to support a healthy start for both mothers and newborns.

   

  Specialized services are also available for infants requiring medical services throughout the first year of life. Treatment of serious medical complications and education of parents and family caregivers is at the heart of this service.