Mother and Baby Care

From the moment you step into the VIA Maternity Center, our supportive mother-baby nursing staff will provide you with personalized care. The philosophy of the VIA Maternity Center is to care for mothers and babies together and provide all care at the bedside. 

Breastfeeding Support Services

We offer support and guidance for mothers who choose to breastfeed.

Introduction

Studies have shown breastfed infants tend to have fewer illnesses, are less likely to develop allergies and have lower incidence of diabetes and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There are advantages for the mother as well, including reduced risk of breast cancer and heart disease, and cost savings compared to formula feeding. Breast milk is nature’s perfect food with nutrients and cells that boost immunity. For these reasons and more, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommends that infants are breastfed for the first year of life.

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it is easy. Many moms find it challenging in the first few weeks while you and your baby are learning this new skill. Breastfeeding is a journey, so no matter how long you plan to nurse your baby, we want to help you meet your goals. We have pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) for parents who choose exclusive breastfeeding and supplementation is medically necessary.

Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs)

We are a proud recipient of the IBCLC Care Award in recognition of staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) certification and for providing an evidence-based lactation program that is available to support breastfeeding families.

Our highly skilled and compassionate lactation consultants are committed to helping mothers and babies reach their breastfeeding goals and are available 7 days a week, including holidays, to provide optimal care and education. When you are in the hospital, don’t be afraid to ask for extra help if you need it. All of our nurses are here to help with breastfeeding.

Pump Rentals

We have hospital-grade breast pumps (Medela Symphony) available for rental. These pumps are helpful for mothers who have a premature/ICN baby or any mom that needs extra stimulation to help increase their milk supply.

Call 215.345.2200 ext.4637 for more information about our pump rentals.

Personal breast pumps are typically covered by health insurance according to the ACA (Affordable Care Act), so contact your insurance provider for more information.

At Home Support

Breastfeeding Mothers’ Group

Join us for an opportunity to meet other breastfeeding mothers, share experiences and get your baby weighed. Facilitated by an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, we can answer your questions and provide assistance with positioning, latching, pumping and more.

For more information, contact Jean Krauss, RN, BSN, IBCLC at jkrauss3@dh.org or 215.345.2679

Clinical Outpatient Lactation Care (unaffiliated with Doylestown Health)

Board-certified lactation consultants are available for home or office consults on a fee-for-service basis. Your insurance may cover the cost of the consult, so contact them ahead of time.

  • Pro-LC: Pennsylvania resource organization for lactation consultants
  • USLCA: Find a lactation consultant

Breastfeeding Support Services

We offer support and guidance for mothers who choose to breastfeed.

Studies have shown breastfed infants tend to have fewer illnesses, are less likely to develop allergies and have lower incidence of diabetes and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). There are advantages for the mother as well, including reduced risk of breast cancer and heart disease, and cost savings compared to formula feeding. Breast milk is nature’s perfect food with nutrients and cells that boost immunity. For these reasons and more, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommends that infants are breastfed for the first year of life.

Breastfeeding is natural, but that doesn’t mean it is easy. Many moms find it challenging in the first few weeks while you and your baby are learning this new skill. Breastfeeding is a journey, so no matter how long you plan to nurse your baby, we want to help you meet your goals. We have pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) for parents who choose exclusive breastfeeding and supplementation is medically necessary.

We are a proud recipient of the IBCLC Care Award in recognition of staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) certification and for providing an evidence-based lactation program that is available to support breastfeeding families.

Our highly skilled and compassionate lactation consultants are committed to helping mothers and babies reach their breastfeeding goals and are available 7 days a week, including holidays, to provide optimal care and education. When you are in the hospital, don’t be afraid to ask for extra help if you need it. All of our nurses are here to help with breastfeeding.

We have hospital-grade breast pumps (Medela Symphony) available for rental. These pumps are helpful for mothers who have a premature/ICN baby or any mom that needs extra stimulation to help increase their milk supply.

Call 215.345.2200 ext.4637 for more information about our pump rentals.

Personal breast pumps are typically covered by health insurance according to the ACA (Affordable Care Act), so contact your insurance provider for more information.

Breastfeeding Mothers’ Group

Join us for an opportunity to meet other breastfeeding mothers, share experiences and get your baby weighed. Facilitated by an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, we can answer your questions and provide assistance with positioning, latching, pumping and more.

For more information, contact Jean Krauss, RN, BSN, IBCLC at jkrauss3@dh.org or 215.345.2679

Clinical Outpatient Lactation Care (unaffiliated with Doylestown Health)

Board-certified lactation consultants are available for home or office consults on a fee-for-service basis. Your insurance may cover the cost of the consult, so contact them ahead of time.

  • Pro-LC: Pennsylvania resource organization for lactation consultants
  • USLCA: Find a lactation consultant

Information

Skin to Skin

The first hour after birth, sometimes called the “Golden Hour,” is when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn. It is an important time for the transition of the baby to life outside the womb. We recommend staying skin-to-skin for at least one hour or until after the first feeding. Some babies will actually crawl to find the breast and latch on their own. Skin-to-skin benefits all mothers and babies whether you are planning to breastfeed or not.

Skin-to-skin contact is not just for the hour after birth. When establishing breastfeeding in the early days, it is the first step to help babies learn to nurse. Partners can bond skin-to-skin with their babies as well. 

Keeping Parents and Baby Together

Mothers and babies belong together as much as possible, and our family-centered care model helps you learn to care for your baby. Research shows that rooming-in helps you connect with your baby, facilitates skin-to-skin contact, and provides opportunities to learn normal newborn behavior and feeding cues.

At our VIA Maternity Center, new parents are taught safe sleep practices that you will be encouraged to continue at home. By participating in your baby’s care from diapering to soothing, you build confidence as you get ready to go home with your newborn. 

Well Baby Care

Before moving to your postpartum room, a nurse will perform a total assessment of baby including—weight, length and administration of routine newborn medications. Your baby will be properly identified with the use of bracelets that will match yours and you will receive a souvenir copy of the baby’s footprints. Rooming-in with your baby is encouraged, but there are times when a baby requires well-baby nursery care.

We will utilize the nursery when a procedure is necessary and based on the individual needs of the parents. Before leaving the hospital, it will be necessary to have selected a care provider for baby. Follow up care with your baby’s doctor will be recommended upon discharge.

Around the Clock Support

From birth to discharge your new baby will receive care from pediatricians and neonatologists affiliated with the premier Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Our CHOP doctors are on site around the clock. They are not only available to provide routine care and assessments, but their expertise is called upon for parent consultations, to be present for births and to handle the unexpected emergent situations that may arise. 

Pediatrics

Our Doylestown Health Carol and Louis Della Penna Pediatric Center is committed to providing family-centered children’s services to the community. We are dedicated to making children well and helping them stay well too!

Pediatric services at Doylestown Health includes our inpatient unit where infants, children and teens will receive expert care by board certified pediatricians and a highly experienced team of pediatric nurses. Our team specializes in the caring for the unique needs of children. If highly specialized care is necessary, our team expedites access to regional children’s hospitals.

We offer the following pediatric services at Doylestown Health:

  • Emergency care
  • Maternity and neonatal care with on-site CHOP neonatologists
  • Orthopedic care, including sports medicine
  • Child-friendly advanced imaging and diagnostic services
  • Children’s Village, our award-winning early childhood education program
  • Pediatric Outreach offers extensive programing in the community and also works collaboratively with the Central Bucks School District and CB Cares

Information

The first hour after birth, sometimes called the “Golden Hour,” is when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn. It is an important time for the transition of the baby to life outside the womb. We recommend staying skin-to-skin for at least one hour or until after the first feeding. Some babies will actually crawl to find the breast and latch on their own. Skin-to-skin benefits all mothers and babies whether you are planning to breastfeed or not.

Skin-to-skin contact is not just for the hour after birth. When establishing breastfeeding in the early days, it is the first step to help babies learn to nurse. Partners can bond skin-to-skin with their babies as well. 

Mothers and babies belong together as much as possible, and our family-centered care model helps you learn to care for your baby. Research shows that rooming-in helps you connect with your baby, facilitates skin-to-skin contact, and provides opportunities to learn normal newborn behavior and feeding cues.

At our VIA Maternity Center, new parents are taught safe sleep practices that you will be encouraged to continue at home. By participating in your baby’s care from diapering to soothing, you build confidence as you get ready to go home with your newborn. 

Before moving to your postpartum room, a nurse will perform a total assessment of baby including—weight, length and administration of routine newborn medications. Your baby will be properly identified with the use of bracelets that will match yours and you will receive a souvenir copy of the baby’s footprints. Rooming-in with your baby is encouraged, but there are times when a baby requires well-baby nursery care.

We will utilize the nursery when a procedure is necessary and based on the individual needs of the parents. Before leaving the hospital, it will be necessary to have selected a care provider for baby. Follow up care with your baby’s doctor will be recommended upon discharge.

From birth to discharge your new baby will receive care from pediatricians and neonatologists affiliated with the premier Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Our CHOP doctors are on site around the clock. They are not only available to provide routine care and assessments, but their expertise is called upon for parent consultations, to be present for births and to handle the unexpected emergent situations that may arise. 

Our Doylestown Health Carol and Louis Della Penna Pediatric Center is committed to providing family-centered children’s services to the community. We are dedicated to making children well and helping them stay well too!

Pediatric services at Doylestown Health includes our inpatient unit where infants, children and teens will receive expert care by board certified pediatricians and a highly experienced team of pediatric nurses. Our team specializes in the caring for the unique needs of children. If highly specialized care is necessary, our team expedites access to regional children’s hospitals.

We offer the following pediatric services at Doylestown Health:

  • Emergency care
  • Maternity and neonatal care with on-site CHOP neonatologists
  • Orthopedic care, including sports medicine
  • Child-friendly advanced imaging and diagnostic services
  • Children’s Village, our award-winning early childhood education program
  • Pediatric Outreach offers extensive programing in the community and also works collaboratively with the Central Bucks School District and CB Cares

Level II IntensiveCare Nursery (ICN)

Level II IntensiveCare Nursery (ICN)

If your baby requires a higher level of care due to a premature birth or having a medical complication that involves keen observation and treatment, our Level II Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) has a reputation in the community of providing exceptional care for babies and parents. Our littlest patients have access to state-of-the-art equipment that will be used to help provide them with the best care.

Our ICN is staffed around the clock by CHOP neonatologists and specially trained neonatal nurses. Our neonatologists and nurses have extensive experience in caring for the premature, high-risk, or sick newborn and our small nurse to patient ratio allows for superb, individualized care. Our CHOP physicians have a direct link to all resources and specialists that the CHOP network has to offer.

The ICN staff understands how therapeutic skin-to-skin care can be for the healing of both baby and parents, so this will become part of each parent visit as soon as it is possible. It is most important to our staff to engage parents in the care of their baby, this includes providing ongoing education and support as they prepare for taking baby home.

Our ICN nurses are skilled in supporting breastfeeding mothers and lactation services are available on a daily basis. If needed, pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) is available.

Angel Eye Camera System

When a baby requires care in the ICN and parents are unable to be present, we offer the Angel Eye Camera System. The Angel Eye System is a secure, HIPAA compliant, internet-based video solution where a camera is placed at the baby's bedside in the ICN, and a live feed is available for family and loved ones. There is peace of mind knowing they are logging into a secure account from a laptop, tablet or smart phone.

This program was designed to facilitate bonding even when parents, family, and friends are unable to be present in the ICN. Some of our ICN babies remain in the hospital for weeks and parents spend time at home often anxious and concerned about their baby. With the use of Angel Eye, parents are reassured that in their absence the baby is being well cared for.

The cameras enable an opportunity for virtual rounding by the ICN staff, creating continuity in communication with families when they cannot be present during routine care of their baby. Parents will receive their child's camera login information from our ICN staff. Login information may be shared by the parents to family and friends if they so desire. The central account manager will be the parents and they can manage their family and friends' accounts.

This service is made possible through generous contributions to the Doylestown Health Foundation.

Find more about the Angel Eye Camera System

Login to Angel Eye Camera System

Level II IntensiveCare Nursery (ICN)

If your baby requires a higher level of care due to a premature birth or having a medical complication that involves keen observation and treatment, our Level II Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) has a reputation in the community of providing exceptional care for babies and parents. Our littlest patients have access to state-of-the-art equipment that will be used to help provide them with the best care.

Our ICN is staffed around the clock by CHOP neonatologists and specially trained neonatal nurses. Our neonatologists and nurses have extensive experience in caring for the premature, high-risk, or sick newborn and our small nurse to patient ratio allows for superb, individualized care. Our CHOP physicians have a direct link to all resources and specialists that the CHOP network has to offer.

The ICN staff understands how therapeutic skin-to-skin care can be for the healing of both baby and parents, so this will become part of each parent visit as soon as it is possible. It is most important to our staff to engage parents in the care of their baby, this includes providing ongoing education and support as they prepare for taking baby home.

Our ICN nurses are skilled in supporting breastfeeding mothers and lactation services are available on a daily basis. If needed, pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) is available.

When a baby requires care in the ICN and parents are unable to be present, we offer the Angel Eye Camera System. The Angel Eye System is a secure, HIPAA compliant, internet-based video solution where a camera is placed at the baby's bedside in the ICN, and a live feed is available for family and loved ones. There is peace of mind knowing they are logging into a secure account from a laptop, tablet or smart phone.

This program was designed to facilitate bonding even when parents, family, and friends are unable to be present in the ICN. Some of our ICN babies remain in the hospital for weeks and parents spend time at home often anxious and concerned about their baby. With the use of Angel Eye, parents are reassured that in their absence the baby is being well cared for.

The cameras enable an opportunity for virtual rounding by the ICN staff, creating continuity in communication with families when they cannot be present during routine care of their baby. Parents will receive their child's camera login information from our ICN staff. Login information may be shared by the parents to family and friends if they so desire. The central account manager will be the parents and they can manage their family and friends' accounts.

This service is made possible through generous contributions to the Doylestown Health Foundation.

Find more about the Angel Eye Camera System

Login to Angel Eye Camera System