After your labour and delivery experience, you will be transferred to the postpartum unit on Kidd 5. While here, you will be cared for using a nursing approach called combined care. This means that you and your baby will have the same nurse and that your baby will remain in your hospital room at all times. This gives you and your partner time to bond with your baby.
During this time, we will also assist you with your learning needs in preparation for when you are discharged from the hospital. Education sessions are offered on issues such as postpartum care, newborn care and breastfeeding. The sessions are offered by staff from the unit with support from the KFLA Public Health Unit. Please ask you nurse about these sessions.
What the unit looks like
Once you arrive in your room, you will see a white message board at your bedside. We will update your board at every shift change so that you and your family will always have the latest information including your Doctor’s name, your nurse's name, changes to your diet and more. Your board also has a place for you and your family to leave messages and ask questions about your care. For more information on the types of rooms available, click here.
While you are on the unit you will have access to a kitchen which is located across from the nursing station. In the kitchen you and your family may access the fridge, ice machine, toaster and tea kettle. Please remember that food and drinks in the fridge are for patients only. A sun room also is available while you are on the unit. If you have a large number of family members visiting, this is an ideal spot for them to spend time. Please remember to transport your newborn in the bassinet while in the hallways. The sun room is also used for patient education sessions, so please check with your caregiver if it is available before using it.
If you would like more information about your experience as an inpatient, please visit our while you are here section of the website. This includes more information about food and shops in the hospital, wireless internet, and our patient care standards.
Family presence
Family and friends play an important role during this exciting time and that is why we no longer have set visiting hours. We encourage you to spend your short hospital stay sharing this special time with your newborn, partner and close family members.
While on the postpartum unit, you are encouraged to have one support person with you at all times to help with your care and the care of your new baby. However, due to limited space, if you are in a semi-private or ward room, we ask that you speak to the other patients in the room to make sure they are comfortable with your support person staying with you. If there are any concerns, your support person may stay in the sun room until you need their help. Also, please consider using the sun room when you have more than one visitor.
Postpartum Care
After your delivery, you may have many questions about your postpartum recovery. We encourage you to speak with the members of your health-care team, they are always happy to answer.
In some cases, you may need to undergo a procedure to remove tissue from your uterus after giving birth. You can find more information on this procedure here.
Bleeding
After your delivery, you may notice that you are bleeding as you may during menstruation. This bleeding should decrease on a daily basis. Bleeding, spotting and bloody discharges may continue for a few days to a few weeks after your baby's birth. If you notice that the amount of bleeding is increasing or lasts more than three or four weeks, please notify your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Sexual intercourse
It is recommended that you wait until your bleeding has stopped before you resume intercourse. It is important for you to recover and heal which may take four to six weeks. For more information speak to a member of your health-care team.
Contraception
Before leaving the hospital, please ask your care provider any questions on issues related to fertility and contraception.
Exercise
Exercising after delivery can be very beneficial, but give your body time to recover. Many women don’t try anything more active than going for a walk until six weeks after delivery. If you’ve had a caesarean section, we also recommend you wait six weeks before doing any heavy lifting.
Emotional adjustments
Having a new baby is an exciting time but, sometimes life with a new baby is not always what you expect. Many parents will go through a period of the ‘baby blues’ as they adjust to their new role. This can have a significant impact on the birth parent as their body adjusts to the hormonal surges of the postpartum period. This is not the same as postpartum depression and is a common and completely normal part of new parenthood. You may experience moodiness, irritability, a feeling of isolation, headaches and sleeplessness. If you feel that you can’t cope, or are overwhelmed, ask for help. It is important to manage your emotions so that you can meet the needs of your baby.
Postpartum depression is more serious. It is a condition that can occur anytime after delivery but typically appears in the first few weeks after birth. Symptoms can include feelings of hopelessness, extreme sadness and frustration. You may feel overwhelmed and have low self-esteem, reduced libido and problems sleeping or eating. You could experience increased anxiety or panic attacks and have little interest in your baby. If you are feeling this way, it is important that you receive help, so notify your caregiver as soon as possible. They will provide you with support and counselling services. Please click here for more information from KFL&A Public Health about perinatal mood disorders.