Overview

What to Expect After Delivery

Expect to spend about two hours in your Labor and Delivery Unit room after delivery. Your nurse will be with you during this time to care for you and your baby, checking vital signs, evaluating bleeding, assisting with pain management and administering any medications. You and an identified support person will be given ID bands that match those placed on the baby’s ankles.

As long as your baby is healthy and well, they will stay in the room with you during this time. All patients are encouraged and assisted to do skin-to-skin bonding with their newborns right after birth. If you wish to breastfeed, your nurse will help you start breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery.

You can expect your nurse to check you often during this time. Once you are recovered and ready, you will be transferred to the mother-baby unit (Postpartum Unit) on a different floor.

Postpartum Unit

When you are admitted to the postpartum unit, your nurse will check you in, introduce you to the unit and review care and teaching goals that are to be met during your stay.

Postpartum Unit

Visitors in the Postpartum Unit

We encourage ample time for mothers to rest and bond with the new baby but welcome patients to have visitors during their stay in the Postpartum Unit.

Visitors in the Postpartum Unit

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

If your newborn is admitted to the NICU following delivery, you will have 24-hour access to your newborn and will be provided information about breastfeeding, caring for your newborn, and more.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Infant Security

Northwestern Medicine puts a high priority on your and your baby’s safety. Our nurses will review our security and safety protocols with you.

Infant Security

Birth Certificate and Social Security Number

A Northwestern Medicine staff member will help new mothers to complete the birth certificate paperwork and to apply for your baby's Social Security number.

Birth Certificate and Social Security Number

Going Home

Learn about the discharge process and what you'll need to do before leaving the hospital.

Going Home

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