[ Music ]
>> Healthy.
That's your hope for your new baby.
But medical issues can arise.
So it's good to know there is one place in the region where mother and child can face
any challenges under one roof without separation and receive care and counseling that are second
to none from delivery to homecoming.
Welcome to the Perinatal Program at Penn State Children's Hospital.
[ Music ]
Your journey starts with labor and delivery.
Our focus is on your comfort and preparing for your baby's unique needs from the start.
>> Hi, I'm Allison Irvin.
I'm the Perinatal Coordinator at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
When you come to the medical center through the main entrance, when you first walk in
there is a help desk.
So if you have any questions there are people who can direct you at that area.
You'll walk straight down the main hallway and eventually you'll see the lion statue
in the rotunda area.
There's our main cafeteria there with many options for food, for yourself and your family.
And there are the rotunda elevators you'll notice, and you'll take those to the third
floor, which is labor and delivery.
When you exit the elevator the first think you'll see is the check in desk with a secretary
who can help you sign in and out when you're visiting and provide you with a visitor badge
so you can have access to all the labor and delivery and postpartum units.
You'll also notice to your right hand said a family waiting lounge and that's provided
so that you have a comfortable area for family while you're laboring.
They can wait outside if you would like less people in the room and when you're ready they
can come and visit you.
There are a few different types of rooms that you may be staying in while you're delivering.
The first would be the labor and delivery area.
There are five rooms.
They are quite large to provide you privacy and comfort while you're laboring.
And if you do for any reason need a cesarean section, there are two rooms directly on the
floor so that you wouldn't have to travel to another floor.
In that same area there are some triage rooms.
Those rooms are used if you may be in labor or if you need to be sent over from the clinic
for extended testing for the baby.
Those rooms are also private, as well as all of the postpartum rooms are private and have
attached bathrooms and an area for your support person to stay with you overnight.
[ Music ]
>> Compassion for your newborn and passion for providing the best treatment.
They come together in our neonatal intensive care unit where small miracles happen everyday.
>> To visit out NICU when you start in the rotunda where the lion statue is you would
take the south hallway about halfway down on your left hand side will be the south elevators
and you'll take those to the seventh floor.
When you come off the elevator the first thing you'll see is the Ronald McDonald waiting
area.
We provide you two spaces where you can relax with your family, an area for eating, if you
bring in your lunch, checking your email and another area where you can sit and there are
some toys for your children.
You can also relax with a nap if you need to.
To gain access to the NICU, you'll find that the doors are locked for security of your
baby.
There's a phone on the right side of the hallway.
You'll just pick that up.
Someone will answer you'll give your baby's last name, as well as the unique four digit
code that we give you for your baby.
At Hershey Medical Center it's our highest priority to keep your baby safe and healthy.
And we recognize that the best way to do that is good hand hygiene for all visitors including
medical staff to our NICU.
So when you first enter the NICU on the left hand side you'll see the scrub room.
We just ask that you wash your hands from fingertips to elbows for two minutes to ensure
the safety and health of your newborn.
We understand that every mother has unique preferences for feeding her baby.
If you would like to breastfeed we provide a hospital grade pump in your room while you're
in the hospital after you've given birth.
We also have a private pumping room with two stalls in the NICU that provides a lot of
privacy and comfort.
Or if you prefer you can pump at the bedside next to your baby.
The feeding journey for each mother and baby is individual regardless of if the baby needs
to be in the NICU or not.
But on top of that individual feeding journey, the babies who are in the NICU have extra
diagnoses that require special care and treatment to support you in your breastfeeding journey
and so you feel that you're going home and can be successful in supporting your baby,
we have a dedicated lactation consultant that can provide care for you three days a week
in the NICU and a group of expert nurses who are wonderful at helping you problem solve
and feel confident in breastfeeding.
The continuing care nursery is a step down unit staffed by the NICU nurses and doctors,
the same ones who care for them in the intensive care unit.
When your baby is doing better with feeding and growing and preparing to go home, it provides
you a space where you can stay overnight and learn all aspect of their care so that you
feel confident when you take your baby home.
>> Some issues call for long-term care and baby steps to complete recovery.
Our pediatric intensive care unit has a team of dedicated specialists with the experience
and expertise to deliver the best outcomes and the environment to nurture your baby at
ever step.
>> All visitors who come to the children's hospital will stop at the check-in desk to
receive a picture badge for security of all the children in the hospital.
It's important to have a visitor badge on at all times when you're visiting your child
in the Children's Hospital as you will pass by a security officer who will allow you entrance
to the elevator that will take you to the fourth floor which is where the pediatric
ICU is housed.
When you first exit the elevator you'll notice the Ronald McDonald waiting area, which will
provide a space where you can take a break from the unit or bring in lunch if you'd like
to eat there, and a sitting area for family when you're having people come and visit.
For your convenience, right outside of the pediatric ICU are free laundry services that
are provided to all families of Children's Hospital patients.
This is to be sure that you can be with your child as much as you'd like and that you don't
have to go home to pick up clean clothes or have to do your laundry.
Like all pediatric floors at the Hershey Medical Center the PICU is a locked unit for your
child's safety.
There's a phone outside the entrance that you just need to pick up and say your child's
last name and who you are and the staff inside the unit will let you in to visit your child.
Being the parent of a child in the hospital can be stressful and overwhelming.
Your child will be given their own room to enhance the healing process and ensure that
you are as comfortable as possible during your stay.
>> Care for you entire family.
Who cares for you and your family?
Your clinical counselor, an expert to count on and an advocate for your complete well
being.
>> Hi I'm Jennifer Stoner.
I'm the clinical counselor for the Perinatal Program.
As the clinical counselor I offer emotional support to our patients that come in to our
program.
It's a whole holistic care approach for these patients because they are at a time in their
lives where they are very high anxiety.
And they're learning new information about their baby in utero.
When parents come to me and their anxiety is high and they're frustrated with maybe
the diagnoses that they have been given, they also think about their other children and
how are they going to explain to their children that are thinking this baby is going to come
home from the hospital right away, how do they explain that diagnoses to them?
So I have been able to meet with these families, give them a tour of where the baby will be
staying so that their younger children can see a little bit more about what is expected
when they come, when they come to visit their brother or sister mostly in the NICU and then
I also offer a session with the families to be able to describe that.
The medical care I offer books and resources to the child to be able to help them.
We're always looking for new ways to improve the patient experience and in listening to
the feedback from our patients we created this role that I'm now in to be able to provide
that emotional support in holistic care for our families.
In the perinatal program we are the only one in the region that provides this unique service
that takes care of both the baby and the mother in one facility.
[ Music ]
>> Thank you for taking our virtual tour.
We welcome you to visit us in person.
Please call to schedule an appointment or visit our website first for more information.