Welcoming Your Baby: A Guide to Birth at Bayhealth

Arrival & Admission
When it’s time for your delivery, you’ll head to the Center for Women and Children at either Bayhealth, Kent Campus or Bayhealth, Sussex Campus. Once you enter the lobby, a team member at the information desk will direct you.

After you sign in, a member of your care team will walk you to your room. They’ll apply fetal monitors on your belly to check your baby's heart rate and any contractions. At the same time, your care team will also be completing additional admission tasks.

Your Support Team
We encourage you to choose one main care partner who can stay with you throughout your labor and delivery. You may also have two support persons and a certified doula with you during labor if you choose. Please check with your care team for the current visitation guidelines.

Comfort & Pain Management
Every birth is unique, and your comfort matters. We offer a wide range of pain-control options from breathing and moving techniques to IV medications and epidurals. Because labor can change quickly, there’s no exact cutoff for when you can request an epidural.

We encourage you to talk through your preferences with your care team so you can make the choice that feels best for you and your baby.

What to Bring
Most moms find that packing light makes their stay easier. Consider bringing basic toiletries, comfortable clothing and your baby’s going-home outfit. Your care partner may want a cozy blanket, snacks and warm layers.

Scheduled Deliveries
If you’re scheduled for a C-section, you’ll receive a call after 3 p.m. the day before with instructions and your arrival time. Inductions sometimes experience delays when the unit is busy, and if that happens, we’ll keep you updated as soon as possible.

Photos & Video
You're welcome to capture memories of your baby’s arrival. Just let your care team know if you plan to take photos, record video or video chat loved ones, and they’ll help you ensure everything is safe and appropriate for the moment.

Food & Meals
What you’re able to eat depends on where you are in the labor process. During the induction stage, meals are allowed until active labor begins. Active labor usually means you are limited to ice chips and small sips of water. Scheduled C-sections will receive clear eating/drinking instructions the night before.

Immediate Care
Right after birth, we typically delay cord clamping for about one minute, unless your baby needs immediate attention. If you'd like a longer delay, your care team is happy to discuss that with you.

Newborn Medications
You'll have the option for your baby to receive erythromycin ointment, vitamin K and the Hepatitis B vaccine. Your care team will walk you through each medication and answer questions.

Your Hospital Stay
Most families stay around 48 hours after a vaginal birth and 72 hours after a C-section. At Kent Campus, you will move to a postpartum room a couple of hours after delivery. Family and friends may visit during this time. At Sussex Campus, you’ll remain in the same room for both delivery and recovery.

Bonding & Recovery
We encourage skin-to-skin contact during the first hour after birth when your baby is stable. It’s a wonderful time to bond and begin breastfeeding if that’s part of your plan.
Your baby’s footprints will be taken electronically and shared with you on paper and digitally.

Bathing & Circumcision
Your baby's first bath happens once their temperature has remained stable for several hours. If you choose circumcision, it’s typically completed after your baby is 24 hours old.

Rest & Personal Care
Your care team will group their visits to help you get as much rest as possible. Once your care team approves, you’ll be able to shower and settle into your recovery routine.

Food & Meals
After you and your baby are stable, you can order meals through our dietary services or bring food from home or local restaurants. Delivered meals can be picked up in the main lobby.

Safety & Security
For peace of mind, you and your baby will receive matching “Hugs and Kisses” security tags that stay in place until discharge.

Postpartum Bracelet
Before going home, you’ll receive a pink bracelet to wear for six weeks. This helps emergency and walk-in clinicians know you recently delivered and may need specialized postpartum care.

Cord Cutting
Your care partner is welcome to cut the umbilical cord during most vaginal births. For C-sections, the doctor makes the first cut, and your partner may trim the cord afterwards.

Birth Certificate & Social Security Card Documentation
During postpartum, you’ll complete the birth certificate and Social Security forms. After discharge, we will send everything to Medical Records office and to the Office of Vital Statistics.

Your baby’s Social Security card will be mailed automatically. The birth certificate may take up to six weeks to arrive.
If you’re not married, your care team will guide both parents through a short video and help complete the notarized form needed to add your partner to the birth certificate.

Food & Meals
Care partners can enjoy meals from the cafeteria or café, pick up delivered meals from the main lobby or leave the hospital to get food.