Postpartum Recovery and Bonding
The moments after your child's birth are a time for bonding and healing. Our private postpartum suites provide an optimal environment to support both.
After delivery, you and your spouse, co-parent or support person may prefer to spend time alone with your newborn. Or you may choose to invite siblings, grandparents, friends or other loved ones. Our visitor policies prioritize safety first, while welcoming your family members and friends.
Bonding With Your Newborn
The bonding experience starts as soon as possible for parents and newborns at the Family Birth Centers. We routinely follow evidence-based practices to encourage immediate bonding with your newborn and offer breastfeeding support.
Our staff remains close by and attentive as you and your baby adjust to physical and emotional changes, leaving as much personal space as we can to respect your family's need for privacy.
Routine Practices During Your First Moments with Your Newborn
While immediate bonding is a priority, safety is always our highest priority.
When there is a concern that bonding could interfere with care for the baby or the birthing parent, we support bonding practices at the first safe opportunity. Be assured that any delay in bonding will only occur with your family's overall best interest in mind.
Family and Guest Accommodations
Our team welcomes your team. We offer convenient accommodations for spouses, partners, co-parents, intended parents, children and doulas, as well as other family members and guests supporting your childbirth experience. If their presence is important to you, it's important to us, too.
Visitor access may be restricted for safety, infection control, or other health-related reasons. It's important that your loved ones thoroughly review our visitation guidelines before planning their visit so they’ll know when and how many visitors are allowed.
Taking Your Newborn Home
When possible, our team may facilitate an early discharge, allowing your family to continue bonding in the comfort of your own home. Before you leave, we can also help you to connect with a pediatrician for the first time or plan for your newborn’s first pediatrician visit.
Two Chicagoland Birth Centers: Hyde Park and Harvey
With birth centers at our Hyde Park campus and at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial in Harvey, the University of Chicago Medicine also offers personalized prenatal care in several convenient locations for Chicagoland families. Learn more about the specialists on our care teams, available locations for prenatal care, and the remarkable care you'll experience when you choose our Hyde Park or Harvey birth centers.
