Your Stay at the Hospital
Don’t forget to bring a small bag of your personal things for your stay at the hospital. Most new mothers are more comfortable in their own pajamas or gowns, slippers and robes. Remember to bring baby clothes, blankets and approved car seat for your baby’s trip home, as well as a camera to record the event.
All of our Mother/Baby rooms are private so you and your newborn can get fully acquainted. Your room will feature a television, telephone, bed for your adult labor partner, and private bathroom and shower.
Other family members and special friends are welcome to visit and to hold your newborn.
You and your partner will have the opportunity to learn about your baby’s feeding, bathing and general care, and your own personal care as a new mother, through individual teaching from our skilled maternity staff, lactation consultant and dietician.
You may want to bring something special for your baby to wear because we will take a color photo of him or her, and prints will be mailed directly to your home.
Baby Safety
The safety and security of you and your baby are our highest concern. When you and your newborn move to the Mother / Baby unit after delivery, your bundle of joy will be fitted with small tamper-proof electronic identification security band as part of our infant protection program.
The system safeguards against abduction by sounding an alarm and automatically locking down the unit if the baby comes within a certain distance of the exits.
Routine Newborn Screening
Every newborn at Alaska Regional has non-invasive monitoring of their bilirubin levels via Transcutaneous Bili monitor, at 12 and 24 hours of age. By monitoring these levels, we have been able to identify infants at high risk for Hyperbilirubinemia (Jaundice). Early treatment of newborns with this diagnosis can avoid the emotional aspects of readmission to the hospital and any long term effects associated with this condition.
Newborns are also monitored for their oxygenation level in an effort to detect silent cardiac defects. This condition can be properly addressed and treated if found at an early age. In addition, your baby will have hearing and metabolic screening, which can help detect hidden disorders. 
Web Babies
The first thing new parents want to do is share the news of their child’s birth with family and friends around the world. Web Babies, a free service from Alaska Regional, makes it easy to immediately share photos, birth statistics and the details of your new baby via the Internet.
Your baby’s personal web page is posted on the hospital’s web site and will include:
Lactation Consultant Services
We believe it is our role to assist you in learning how to safely feed your newborn. We are very supportive of the parents right to choose the method of feeding their new baby. Whether you decide to bottle or breastfeed your infant, our staff can teach you the techniques that will make your choice successful.
We have a Board Certified Lactation Consultant on-site who is available to assist mothers in working out any problems that may arise. The Lactation Consultant provides assistance to mothers in the NICU and the Mother/Baby unit. If requested, the Lactation Consultant will visit mothers in the Pediatric Unit who need nursing assistance.
There is never a fee for your Lactation Consultant service, and you may call to speak with her anytime after your discharge home. Most breastfeeding problems can be dealt with over the phone. You may also set up an appointment to meet with the Lactation Consultant at the hospital, by appointment only, please. Please call our Lactation Consultant, Martha Olson, RN, IBCLC, at (907) 264-1773 with any questions about nursing your baby. You can email her at martha.olson@hcahealthcare.com 
