Family-Centered Maternity Care

Family Centered Maternity Care is baby friendly and features mother-baby nursing. New Beginning Birth Suites has earned national recognition for exemplary programs and services in Family Centered Maternity Care. Following an intensive on-site evaluation, Hill-Rom, an industry leader in patient care, announced The Good Samaritan Hospital as a top 3 finalist for the 2005 Family Centered Maternity Care Award. 

New Beginning Birth Suites' mission and philosophy of care guide our family friendly nursing staff in helping you with the new relationships and responsibilities of a growing family. 

What Is Family-Centered Maternity Care?
The birth of your baby represents the birth of a family as well. You and the people who are important to you are forming a new relationship with new responsibilities to each other, to your baby, and to society as a whole. 

Family-centered care may be defined as care that recognizes the importance of these new relationships and responsibilities. The goal of family-centered care is to obtain the best possible healthy outcome for all members of the family, both individually and as a group. (Definition: The International Childbirth Education Association Board of Directors, 1986.)

Family-centered care does not expect you to care for your infant alone when your baby is with you. Instead, a family-oriented nurse will care for both you and your baby, nurturing the bonding and attachment process; in fact, caring for your whole family. Whoever you call family will be included. Your mother-baby nurse will be sensitive to provide care that is flexible for your individual family needs. 

What Is Mother-Baby Nursing?
Mother-baby nursing is part of family-centered care. 

The Good Samaritan Health System understands that your baby belongs to you, to your family, and not to the hospital. We are committed to giving each of you the education and support your family needs to welcome your new baby into your lives and your routines. 

Mother-baby care is not the same as rooming-in, where you are expected to care for your baby by yourself. Instead, the same nurse cares for both mother and baby in the comfort and convenience of your room. 

By caring for your baby at your bedside, mother-baby nurses promote bonding and attachment. As a result, babies are happy and you, as new parents, will leave the hospital more confident in your parenting skills. 

What Are the Benefits of Family-Centered Maternity Care and Mother-Baby Nursing?
There is better communication between healthcare providers, including obstetricians and pediatricians who work with one nurse instead of two. 

1. Your questions are answered quickly because your nurse cares for you and your baby. 
2. You and your nurse have a closer relationship because you spend more time with your nurse while she cares for you and your baby. 
3. You receive better education as your mother-baby nurse demonstrates baby care at your bedside. She will also teach you how to best care for yourself. 
4. You don't miss special moments with your baby. Because the baby care takes place in your room, you share in the special moments and have more quiet time getting to know your baby. 
5. There is increased security. Although no one likes to think about it, there are fewer opportunities for abduction to occur if infants are not traveling between mother's room and a nursery. 
6. Babies cry less. Studies have shown that babies actually cry much less when they are close to their mothers. 
7. There is less chance of infection. Because your baby is not routinely exposed to other infants in a nursery, the possibility of getting an infection from another baby is reduced. 
8. Feeding is convenient. You can feed your baby whenever your little one is hungry. If your baby is in a nursery, there could be a delay before a nurse brings the hungry baby to you, especially if several babies become hungry at the same time. 
9. Breastfeeding is likely to be more successful. If babies are fed on demand, breastfeeding is more likely to get off to a good start. Since breastfeeding works on supply and demand, the more your baby nurses, the more your breasts are stimulated to produce milk. 
10. Family bonding is promoted, and babies begin to learn to sleep during the night. Your baby will begin to learn routines right from the start, and you will learn your baby's needs. 

Studies Show
A baby in mother's room will: 

• Cry much less
• Seldom startle 
• Stay warm and stable
• Encourage mother's mature breast milk to 
  "come in" sooner

Why?
Because parents are nearby to closely nurture and answer cries. 

New Beginning Birth Suites Mission Statement: New Beginning Birth Suites is totally committed to help maintain and when possible maximize the health of the childbearing woman, her infant and her family. The patient's family (as defined by her) is considered an integral part of her care and is encouraged to remain with her throughout the birthing process. Teaching will be instituted to promote active participation in the patient's health care.

This unit exists to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the antepartal, intrapartal, and immediate postpartum patient.

New Beginning Birth Suites Philosophy of Care: It is our belief that each family is special in its' own way. Our goals are:

• to make your birth experience a joyous occasion
• to offer the best care available
• to provide education needed to support you as you adjust to the growth of your family
• to respect your beliefs while helping to make the most of your expectations