Congratulations on your newborn baby, and welcome to the Maternity Unit at Herlev Hospital.
With this information, we hope to make you feel settled and comfortable during your stay. In this brochure you will find information about the first days with your newborn child, as well as practical information about the Maternity Unit.
Midwives and nurses will be present in the Maternity Unit at all hours of the day. We expect you to let us know if you need assistance. Use the red button to call us to your room.
The excepted length of your stay with us will depend on your birth. Generally, we offer a stay of one night for first time-families after a birth without complications.
Skin-to-skin contact
The best way for a baby to adapt to the new conditions of life is by being held skin-to-skin on the mother’s (or father’s) chest, wearing nothing but a nappy/diaper. However, do ensure that the baby is covered by a blanket or duvet.
When a baby is skin-to-skin its temperature, breathing, blood-sugar and pulse will become stabilized.
In addition to this, the baby will have more energy to suck, which will help to enable successful breastfeeding.
Remember to put the rails up on each side of the bed, whilst lying with your baby, and remember that the baby needs to have clothes on whenever it is not lying skin-to-skin. Otherwise the baby risks getting too cold.
Baby-led breastfeeding
Baby-led breastfeeding means letting the baby suckle on the breast for as long and as often as possible. Baby should have a minimum of 8 feedings a day, and most babies will ask for a lot more.The baby should have free access to the breast. Allow the baby to suck as soon as it shows the early signs of wanting to feed. These signs include rapid eye-movements under the eyelids, sucking, moving of arms and legs, searching for the breast, putting its fingers near its mouth.
Crying is a late sign.
Breastfeeding – the first 3 days
- Skin to skin - primarily mother
- Free access to the breast – frequent feedings
- Good positions – preferably laid back
- Shared project – partner most important factor
The first day
Breastfeeding
Baby-led breastfeeding. Allow the baby free access to the breast. Be sure to give the baby lots of skin-to-skin contact – primarily with the mother. Keep in mind, that breastfeeding is a shared project, and that the partner is the most important factor. Good positions for breastfeeding are also of great importance – try the laid back position.
Sleep
Most newborns are awake for 2-3 hours after delivery. Afterwards, some babies sleep for a long period of time whilst others are awake and feed frequently. Newborns that don’t wake up by themselves, should then be held skin-to-skin. If the baby has not breastfed 12 hours after delivery, the baby should be stimulated to feed by the mother expressing a bit of colostrum by hand and giving it to the baby. Colostrum is the first milk produced in the breasts during the pregnancy. Colostrum has a high fat content and is designed to keep the baby’s blood sugar balanced. It has a lot of antibodies that are very important for the baby.
Urination
Usually, the baby will urinate for the first time within the first 24 hours of delivery. Sometimes you will see orange spots in the urine which is completely normal.
Stool
Most newborns will pass black-coloured stool a few times during the first day after delivery. If the baby has not passed stool 48 hours at the latest after delivery, you should contact a nurse or a midwife.
The second day
Breastfeeding
Continue baby-led breastfeeding and 24 hour access to the breast. The baby should, however, feed a minimum of 8 times a day. Yet 10-12 times during the second day after delivery is not uncommon.
It is normal that the baby will not have a regular feeding pattern.
Sleep
By now most babies are more awake, especially during the night. However, it is normal for newborns to sleep 14-20 hours during the day. If the baby does not wake up after having slept for four hours in a row, you should wake the baby, put it skin-to-skin and offer the baby to be fed – also during the night.
Urination
The baby urinates two times or more during the day. When the milk has come in, the baby will have 5-6 wet nappies/diapers every day. See the brochure ”Tjek bleen” for more information.
Stool
The baby will still pass black-coloured stool. However, it will start to change both colour and consistency within the first 2-3 days. If the baby does not pass stool every day, you should consult the staff.
Well-being
In some cases, a baby who is not doing well, can be very tired and difficult to wake. Usually they will cry frequently, they will seem inattentive and uneasy, and have very little appetite.
Signs of a baby who is doing well:
- Shows interest in feeding and breastfeeds a minimum of 8 times a day
- Is awake and attentive
- Seems at ease and content most of the time
- Does not constantly seem uneasy and does not seem tired most of the time
- Passes a stool in accordance with age
- Has wet nappies/diapers in accordance with age
- Has a normal skin colour. Not pale or greyish.
Practical information
Visiting hours
We encourage limiting visitors to the period from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
It is not prohibited to have visitors at other times, but in the time immediately after childbirth, it is important for all admitted families to have as much peace as possible both in the ward and in the individual rooms. Therefore, be mindful of minimizing movement in the corridors during visits and limit visits to the room, common room, or waiting area.
Food and drink
All meals are ordered on the tablet in the room. It is a good idea to order multiple meals in advance. Relatives can order food through the guest ordering on the tablet for a fee. The food is picked up in the common room, located between rooms 3.68 and 3.70. In the common room, you can also get beverages and items like yogurt, oatmeal, and crispbread. It is important to adhere to the deadlines:
The deadline for ordering food is:
- Breakfast: order by 6:00 AM
- Lunch: order by 9:00 AM
- Dinner: order by 3:00 PM
There is no possibility to order food after the deadline.
The deadline for picking up food is:
- Breakfast: pick up from 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM
- Lunch: pick up from 11:45 AM to 12:15 PM
- Dinner: pick up from 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM
After that, the food is cleared away.
Hygiene
It is necessary to wash and sanitize your hands several times a day when you are in the maternity unit. We kindly ask you to use hand sanitizers, when you are in the common room and when collecting linen or pads from the cabinets.
Common room
In the common room you will find a microwave oven and hot tops which you can use, if you need to heat up food. If you put food-items in the fridge, please remember to label them with your room number, date and time.
In the freezer you can find iced pads that can be used for relief if you have a vaginal tear. Please wrap the pad in a stocking or a cloth before use.
Mobile phones
You can charge your mobile phone and your computer in the transformer in your room. Do not, however, use the transformer to plug in your hairdryer or shaver.
Internet
Wireless internet is available in the Maternity Unit. Please select the network named ”RegHGaest”, go to the internet browser, type your e-mail address and log on to the network. The access is valid for 7 days.
Cleaning
Your room and toilet are cleaned when needed by service-assistants. However, we expect you to change your towels and bed linen yourself, should the need arise. We kindly ask that you clean up after yourself in all of the common areas, so that we can keep the maternity unit tidy at all times.
Upon discharge
When you go home, please make sure that all waste is placed in the black garbage bag, and all linen is placed in the white and blue laundry bag. The garbage bag and laundry bag should be thrown into the chutes in the utility room between rooms 3.67 and 3.71. Pillows and duvets stay in the room.