Maternity

If you’re in your second or third trimester of pregnancy, your “to-do” list before your baby arrives may be growing by the day. You’ll want to add these tasks to your list and check them off soon, so you can concentrate on bonding and spending time with your baby once he or she is born.

1. Check Your Insurance Information. Now is the time to make sure you know what healthcare services your insurance plan covers. You need to make sure your plan covers the doctor you choose for your baby. You should also take note that many insurance companies will cover a breast pump, so you can contact them now to check for coverage.
2. Choose a Pediatrician for Your Baby. Don’t wait until after your baby is born to select a pediatrician. You will take your baby for a check-up just a few days after you leave the hospital, so you want to have everything prepared.
   
   As you consider your options, check your insurance plan to make sure the doctor is in-network and ask if you can take a tour of the pediatrician’s office and meet the staff before your baby is born. Search for a pediatrician who is currently accepting new patients.
3. Take a Prenatal Education Class and Tour. Get ready for your baby’s arrival by signing up for prenatal and parent education classes. Check out our class offerings for more information.
4. Pack Your Hospital Bag. Don’t put this task off until the last minute – when you’re in labor and in a rush to get to the hospital to meet your baby. View our hospital essentials list below, for a comprehensive guide on what you should pack for you, your support person and your baby.

It’s natural to focus on (or obsess over) the topic of sleep when there’s a newborn in the house. You know sleep is important to their health and development. And, of course, you want them to sleep so you can catch up on your sleep too.

But did you know that how and where your baby sleeps is more important than when they sleep? Every year in the U.S., around 3,500 infants die from sleep-related causes.

Even though this statistic is alarming, many of these deaths are preventable. Decades of research have shown that parents who create a safe sleep environment significantly reduce their babies’ risk of death from sudden unexpected infant death. This is a broad term that includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), accidental suffocation or strangulation and other trauma.

Five Simple Steps for Safe Sleeping

Follow these five easy guidelines until your baby turns 1 year old. Not only will you keep him or her safe, the extra peace of mind may help YOU sleep a little more soundly.

1. Always lay your baby to sleep on his or her back. Whether it’s naptime or bedtime, lay your baby on his or her back – never on the stomach or side. This is the single most important thing you can do to reduce the risk of SIDS. Babies who sleep on their stomachs may breathe in less oxygen and may be more likely to overheat. And infants placed on their side are more likely to roll onto their tummy while they’re sleeping.
2. Lay baby on a firm, flat surface. Your baby should only sleep on a firm mattress that is covered with a tight-fitted sheet, inside a crib or bassinet. It’s tempting to let your little one sleep on the couch after a feeding. But cushions (and the gaps between them) pose suffocation risks. And whenever possible, avoid letting your baby sleep in his or her car seat, bouncer or swing. Young infants have weak neck muscles, causing their heads to fall forward during sleep and restrict their breathing.
3. Don’t put anything in the crib or bassinet except your baby. Do not let your baby sleep with pillows, blankets, stuffed animals or bumper pads. Bedding and soft objects pose suffocation or strangulation risks, or may cause your baby to overheat. If you’re concerned that your child is cold, dress him or her in an extra layer of clothing or a sleep sack.
4. Share your bedroom – NOT your bed. Doctors recommend babies sleep in the same room as their parents for the first year of life. However, they should sleep in their own crib or bassinet. It’s hard to resist snuggling with your baby in bed. But the risk of suffocation from pillows and blankets – or a sleeping adult rolling on top of them – is too high.
5. Trust your doctor. It’s normal to seek parenting advice from your own parent, grandparent or friends. But if you’re looking for guidance, rely first on your pediatrician or family physician. Doctors are required to stay up to date on the latest health and safety guidelines. They’re also the first to know about new research findings. Don’t hesitate to call your doctor’s office whenever you have a question. And don’t hesitate to remind anyone who helps watch your child – including daycare providers and family members – to follow the latest sleep safety practices.

Stick to the Facts

Parents are often overwhelmed with information about how to raise their child. It can be difficult to recognize outdated advice, or separate fact from fiction.

To help, we’ve cleared up two of the most common myths about infant sleep safety:

1. Your baby will not choke while sleeping on their back. Babies spit up. A lot. They spit up after feeding, during play and at rest. Some people mistakenly believe that stomach-sleeping prevents choking. Stomach-sleeping only increases your baby’s risk of death. No matter how frequently your baby spits up, back-sleeping is still safest.
2. Older babies love to roll, but should still start on their backs. Babies eventually grow strong enough to roll on their own. At that point, they may flip onto their stomachs while they’re sleeping. If your baby rolls onto his or her stomach during sleep, you don’t have to turn them back over (and risk waking them up). But you should continue placing your baby on his or her back at naptime and bedtime for the first 12 months of life.

If you have questions about how and where to safely put your baby to sleep, talk to your child’s doctor. Our physicians are accustomed to answering questions from anxious parents. They care about your child’s well-being and are happy to help put your mind at ease.

As your delivery date approaches, you will want to prepare the items that are necessary for your hospital stay at Spartanburg Medical Center.

Items We Provide for You

• A hospital gown
• Disposable undergarments and personal hygiene supplies
• Basic toiletry items

We also provide the following items for your baby:

• Shirts and a hat
• Swaddling blankets
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Any other medically necessary items

Checklist: During Labor

Don’t forget these essential items you and your support person will need while you’re in labor at the hospital:

• Important documents: Bring your picture ID, health insurance card, any hospital paperwork and your birth plan (if you’ve written one).
• Labor and delivery clothes: Our hospital will provide you with a gown to use during and after labor, but you may also wear your own. If you’d like, pack a comfortable bathrobe, a loose nightgown (with an opening in the front for breastfeeding), slippers or flip flops, and socks.
• Necessities for your support person/spouse: Pack a toothbrush, pillow, snacks and a change of clothes for the person who is accompanying you to the hospital. If you're in labor for a long time, they won't be able to go home either!
• Cellphone and charger: You’ll likely want to stay in contact with loved ones before and after delivery — or at least enable your support person to let people know when baby has made his or her debut.
• Comfort items: This can include a pillow, glasses, iPod, a good book, a personal DVD player, camera, hair ties, lip moisturizer and any other items that will help you relax.
• Cash: It's easy to forget your wallet during the chaos of getting to the hospital in a hurry. Put some spare change and cash in your hospital bag, you'll be covered if you need a snack from the vending machine, to visit our gift shop or anything else.
• Baby book: If you would like the nurses to get your baby’s footprints in a special book that you have been using to track your pregnancy, be sure to have it with you at delivery.

Checklist: After Delivery

You should bring these items for you and baby after delivery:

• An approved and installed car seat: Call our Safe Kids Coordinator at 864-560-6845 if you need assistance with car seat installation before your delivery.
• A change of clothes: You should bring a change of loose, comfortable clothes if you choose not to wear our hospital gown. A fresh nightgown, socks and slippers will help you feel refreshed during your hospital stay.
• Clothing for baby: You may want to bring one or two sleepers for your baby, along with a swaddler.
• Breastfeeding supplies: If you are planning to breastfeed, you may want to bring a nursing pillow, nursing pads and/or a nursing bra.
• “Going home outfits”: Pack an outfit each for you and your baby. Remember that you will not fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes right away, so maternity clothes are the best choice for your “going home” outfit.
• Snacks: After labor, you'll probably be hungry – and you don’t want to rely on the cafeteria being open or waiting on food service. Bring healthy, filling snacks such as crackers, fruit, nuts or granola bars.
• Toiletries: Pack a few personal items, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, a toothbrush, toothpaste, lip balm, deodorant, a hairbrush, a headband or hair tie.