GETTING PREGNANT: UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS WITH NEWBORN

If problems develop after the birth, you'll need to have a plan for these events.

Premature or Sick Newborn

Contact with baby

- Parents visit baby in special care nursery as desired

- If baby is transferred to different hospital than mother, partner goes with baby

- Kangaroo care for premature baby

- Parents feed and care for baby as much as possible

Feeding when baby can swallow food

- Mother breastfeeds baby, if possible

- Mother pumps breast milk and feeds baby by tube or bottle

- Formula-feeding by parents or nurse

Medications and procedures

- Parent involvement in decision-making and procedures

- Availability of staff for updates to parents

Contact with support group

- Initiated by parents, nurses, or support group

- No contact desired

Stillbirth or Neonatal Death

Medication for mother before, during, or after childbirth

- None

- At mother's request

- At caregiver's suggestion

Mother's participation

- Use of labor-coping techniques (with or without pain medication)

- Involvement in decision-making

- Labor management left to hospital staff

Mother's recovery and support

- Recovery on maternity unit

- Recovery away from maternity unit

- Early discharge

- Spiritual and grief counseling

- Later contact with parent support group

- Amount of supportive care from outside sources

Contact with baby after death

- See and hold baby after death

- No contact with stillborn baby

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WOMEN'S HEALTH