Thank you for your interest in The Snuggery. This page will give you an
overview of what to expect before, during and after a Snuggery delivery.
Simply click on any of the topics below, or scroll down the page to read the
entire overview.
Preparing
for a Snuggery
Delivery
Choosing Your Doctor
Choosing Your Baby's Doctor
Pre-Registration
Tours
Your Arrival
Parking
Check-In
During Labor
Your Delivery
Safety and Security
During Your Stay
Feedings
Visiting Hours
Quiet Time For Moms &
Babies
Meals for Moms
Food for Family and Friends
Photographs
Smoking
Going Home
Car Seat Safety
At Home
Questions?
Choosing Your Doctor
A list of obstetricians who deliver babies at The
Snuggery can be found by using the
Physician Directory.
Choosing your Baby’s Doctor
We hope you will have chosen -- and met with -- a
pediatrician or family practice doctor for your baby prior to the birth. If
you will be using a
pediatrician outside of the immediate Glens Falls area, or if you are
still undecided about your choice of
pediatrician
at the time of your delivery, your baby will be cared for by the
pediatrician who is on-call during your stay. A list of
pediatricians practicing at The Snuggery can be found by using the
Physician
Directory.
Pre-Registration
Pre-registration forms and your personal Birth Plan form are included in the Snuggery packets that you receive at your doctor’s office. You should complete
these forms and send them to The Snuggery by the beginning of your eighth month of pregnancy. A self-addressed stamped envelope is included in the packet. Your doctor or midwife will assist you in preparing your Birth Plan.
Tours
Expectant parents and siblings are encouraged to
tour The Snuggery prior to your due date. To schedule a tour, please call
926-6095.
Parking
When you arrive at the Hospital, enter Parking Lot
"A" and look for the two expectant mother parking spaces in the front row.
They’re marked by a sign adorned with a stork; there is also a stork painted
on the blacktop. Please note that these spots are only for use by women who
are in labor. Once the soon-to-be-mom is settled in her room, the vehicle
should be moved to a regular parking space.
Check-in
You and your partner or coach can use Entrance "A"
and come directly to The Snuggery, located on the second floor. If you
arrive at the Hospital between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., the front doors are locked
as a security precaution. Simply push the call button at Entrance A and
state that you are going to The Snuggery.
Once at The Snuggery, you will be greeted at the
front desk and a nurse will take you to your room for a preliminary
examination and to assess your progress. If your doctor has not yet been
notified, we will do so at this time. Please remember to provide us with a
copy of your Birth Plan at this time.
You will be admitted to a private room, where you
will remain for your delivery and throughout your entire Hospital stay.
Please note that, on rare occasions, the large number of women giving birth
on a
 given day may necessitate that you share a room following your
delivery. Should this happen, we will make every effort to return you to a
private room as soon as possible. You may choose to labor in The Snuggery’s
newly refurbished Birthing Tub Room, provided it is not already in use.
The Snuggery rooms are spacious and you will have
the freedom to be up and walking around during labor. A nurse will continue
to assess you regularly and keep your doctor or midwife apprised of your
progress. Please feel free to ask questions at any time. We are open to any
type of pain control options that are available. During early labor, we
encourage showering, walking, rocking in our glider chair, utilizing
breathing techniques, and resting. Pain medication, anesthetic blocks and
tub laboring are available, following discussion with your health care
provider, once your labor has progressed and you are in an active pattern.
Epidural anesthesia is available at The Snuggery 24 hours per day.
While you are in labor, we suggest that you limit
your support people to
three for
safety and privacy reasons. Support people age 14 and younger must first
attend our "Sibling Attended Birth"
class.
In preparation for your delivery, all necessary
equipment will be brought into your room. A nurse will attend to your needs,
and assist you and your doctor or midwife in delivering your baby.
Photography and videotaping are not permitted
during your delivery, during anesthetic procedures or in the Operating Room.
In the first hour after delivery, visitors are
asked to remain in the waiting area to facilitate a recovery and bonding
time for your new family.
The Snuggery announces each new baby’s arrival with
a special chime played throughout the Hospital.
Safety and Security
Immediately after your baby is born, the nursing
staff will place two identification bands and a security
"HUGS" tag on the baby’s ankles. A matching
baby band will be placed on your wrist. Our security system will be fully
explained to you upon your admittance to The Snuggery. All Snuggery staff
members wear special nametags. Please look for that tag before giving your
baby to ANYONE.
For safety reasons, please do not carry your baby
in the hallway. When transporting your baby around The Snuggery, please use
the rolling crib at all times.
The special Snuggery experience doesn’t end with
the birth of your baby. You’ll especially appreciate our special
family-centered environment during your post-partum days.
After delivery your baby may stay with you in your
room unless there is an unusual condition that requires
special care
for you or your infant. A nurse will be available to care for you both as a
family. Together, you’ll develop a care plan that’s sensitive to the
individual needs of you and your baby.
Your baby’s father is welcome at The Snuggery at
any time and may spend the night in the foldout chair/bed that is available
in each room. Siblings are welcome to visit during general visiting hours,
provided they are accompanied by an adult.
During your stay, you’ll have the opportunity to
view educational films and talk one-on-one with our nurse specialists about
such things as breastfeeding, bottle feeding, bathing, diapering and any
concerns you may have about caring for your baby. The Snuggery is also
pleased to offer The Newborn Channel, a free in-room television service
providing programming on baby care and post-partum topics 24 hours a day.
When you leave The Snuggery, you’ll be well on your
way to feeling confident in your ability to meet your baby’s needs. If you
ever have questions, of course, you can feel free to call The Snuggery any
time, day or night, at (518) 926-6090.
Feedings
Breast feeding and bottle feeding are given equal
attention and priority at The Snuggery. We offer the services of a lactation
(breast feeding) consultant and we provide a variety of formulas to meet
your infant’s needs. If you require the services of WIC, a federal program
that provides women, infants and children who meet annual income
requirements with nutritional foods, your nurse will be happy to assist you
with the necessary applications.
Visiting Hours
Family and friends age 12 and older are invited to
visit you and your baby in your room from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 8
.p.m. If your baby requires a stay in our Special-Care Nursery, we ask that
you limit visitors to close family members. Anyone with respiratory or
gastrointestinal symptoms, or contagious illnesses of any kind, should
refrain from visiting. All guests are encouraged to wash their hands
thoroughly before handling your baby. Flowers and Mylar (shiny) balloons are
welcome in The Snuggery, but rubber-latex balloons are not allowed due to
the fact that some people have serious latex allergies.
Quiet
Time For Moms & Babies
The period from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. each day is designated as QUIET TIME for Moms. This is a time for you to rest without fear of being interrupted by visitors, nurses or anyone dropping in. We believe you need time to get to know your baby, breast feed, or just nap. This is your time out from the hectic routine of hospital. Your nurse will, of course, be available for any assistance you need.
Meals for Moms
Meals are served three times per day. You can order
your own meals from your Snuggery room by calling extension
2614 before 9 a.m.
for lunch and before 2 p.m. for dinner. Nutritional services will assist you
with your choices. A variety of juices, milk and soft drinks are available
at all times by asking your nurse. Special snack packs with fruit, crackers
and juice will be brought to your room soon after you deliver.
Food For Family and Friends
We invite your family and visitors to enjoy meals
and refreshments from The Bistro in the lobby of the Northwest Tower or from
the Hospital Cafeteria in the Lower Lobby. Feel free to ask a nurse for
directions.
Photographs
Videotaping and photographs are acceptable before
and after -- but not during -- your delivery. Please limit your photography
and videography to your baby and family only. After your baby is born, our
staff will provide you with a "Going Home" photo form. Simply complete the
form and place it in the top drawer of your baby’s crib. We will take a
digital photo of your baby when you are ready to go home, and you will be
given the opportunity to purchase them according to our photo vendor’s
policies. The photos will be delivered to you, and will also be viewable on
The Snuggery page at glensfallshospital.org.
Smoking
Glens Falls Hospital is a Tobacco-Free Environment. Smoking is prohibited virtually everywhere. Visitors may smoke ONLY in the gazebos located at the end of the "B" Visitors Parking Lot and just outside the Emergency Room.
The average Snuggery stay for women having a
vaginal delivery is 36-48 hours. For women having cesarean section, the
average stay is four days. You may choose to leave the Hospital
earlier if you prefer. You will want to talk with your physician or midwife
about an early discharge.
When you are ready to go home, you will be
discharged directly from The Snuggery. A Snuggery staff member will
accompany you to the main lobby and assist you with placing your baby in
your car seat.
Car Seat Safety
State law requires that all infants be secured in
an approved car safety seat. Please have your baby’s seat in your room at
the time of discharge. If you do not have a safety seat, please notify your
nurse as early as possible.
To make the discharge process as prompt as
possible, we ask that you become familiar with your car seat before your
baby’s arrival. Due to the differences in babies’ sizes, as well as car seat
sizes, you may want to include a couple of extra blankets or an insert in
the safety seat so that your baby is as snug and secure as possible.
Remember, newborns must ride in the rear seat, in the middle, facing the
rear of the car. Never place your child in a car seat in front of an airbag.
If your baby is born at 37 weeks or less, you will
need to bring your safety seat to The Snuggery to be checked before your
baby is discharged.
We will ask that the person driving you home
bring the car to the Main Lobby ramp. We will escort your new family to the
car and stay with you until your baby is safely secured in the car safety
seat. (Please note, the proper placement and safety of the child in the seat
are not the responsibility of Glens Falls Hospital.)
After you have returned home, The Snuggery staff
will still be available to assist you. If you have a question, concern or
just need reassurance about how to care for yourself or your baby, you can
call The Snuggery any time, day or night, at (518) 926-6090.
For women who are breastfeeding, special support
and information are available through our lactation clinic and our telephone
consult line at (518) 926-6104.
We hope this
information has been helpful. Please remember if you have any other concerns
or questions that were not addressed above, call 926-6090 any time.
We look forward
to meeting you and your family and hope that your birthing experience is one
that you will treasure for years to come.
Sincerely,
The Snuggery Staff
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