As part of our commitment to transparency and high-quality care, Adirondack Health is providing you with important information about our maternity services, in accordance with New York State Public Health Law §2803-j (Chapter 464 of the Laws of 2024).
We conduct regular safety drills that simulate obstetric emergencies, including postpartum hemorrhage and emergency cesarean sections. These drills help ensure our team is prepared to respond quickly and effectively to urgent situations.
Adirondack Health continuously evaluates and improves our care through an internal Quality Improvement Program. Maternal and newborn safety measures are reviewed regularly by clinical leaders and reported to our Board of Trustees.
If you or your baby require care that cannot be provided at our facility, we have a formal transfer policy in place. We partner with Albany Medical Center, a designated Regional Perinatal Center, to ensure timely access to higher levels of care when needed.
We are committed to addressing the health needs of our community. Our Community Health Needs Assessment, which identifies local gaps and disparities, is available to download here. This helps guide our planning for maternity and women's health services.
In the tragic event of a stillbirth or third-trimester pregnancy loss, we are here to support you. We offer bereavement resources including counseling, keepsake items, and referrals to grief support services. If an autopsy is desired, we will help facilitate this through one of our partnering facilities.
Our maternity care team includes obstetricians, midwives, nurses, and support staff, all working together to ensure a safe and positive experience for you and your family. We encourage you to ask questions and take an active role in your care.
New York State’s Maternity Information Law requires each hospital to provide the following information about its childbirth practices and procedures. This information can help you better understand what you can expect, learn more about your childbirth choices, and plan for your baby’s birth.
Most of the information is given in percentages of all deliveries occurring in the hospital during a given year. For example, if 20 births out of 100 are by C-section, the C-section rate will be 20%. If external fetal monitoring is used in 50 out of 100 births, or one-half of all births, the rate will be 50%.
This information, alone, doesn’t tell you that one hospital is better than another for you. If a hospital has fewer than 200 births per year, the use of special procedures in just a few births could change its rates.
The types of births could affect the rates as well. Some hospitals offer specialized services to women who are expected to have complicated or high-risk births, or whose babies are not expected to develop normally. These hospitals can be expected to have higher rates of the special procedures than hospitals that do not offer these services.
This information also does not tell you about your doctor’s or licensed midwife’s practice. However, the information can be used when discussing your wishes with your doctor or licensed midwife, and to find out if his or her use of special procedures is similar to or different from that of the hospital.
You should play an active role in making your childbirth the kind of experience you want. To do so, you need information. Take part in childbirth preparation classes and read books about childbirth. Ask questions and discuss your choices and wishes with your doctor or licensed midwife. Information about things you can do to have a healthy baby is available at: www.health.ny.gov/community/adults/women/
Each health care insurer in New York State is required to provide inpatient hospital coverage for a mother and her newborn for at least 48 hours after childbirth for vaginal delivery and at least 96 hours after a C-section. In addition, each hospital must provide parent education, assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding, and any necessary maternal or newborn clinical assessments.
If you choose to leave the hospital earlier, your inpatient coverage will be extended to include at least one home care visit. The home care visit will provide parent education, assistance and training in breast or bottle feeding, and any necessary maternal or newborn clinical assessments. This visit will be in addition to any home care coverage available under your insurance policy.
Check with your insurance company for more details on your maternity coverage.
Breastfeeding is one of the best things that you can do for your baby. It is an important health choice for you and your baby. More than 85% of all new mothers in New York choose to breastfeed their babies.
Breast milk has nutrients that are easy to digest and antibodies that protect infants from illness. Breast milk provides many advantages throughout a child’s life such as reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), ear infections, diabetes, obesity and certain childhood cancers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends only breastfeeding for the first six months of your baby’s life. The longer a mother breastfeeds, the greater the health benefits to her infant. Breastfed babies are not sick as often which can lower medical bills.
Mothers who breastfeed recover more quickly from childbirth, return more rapidly to pre-pregnancy weight and are less likely to develop certain breast and ovarian cancers. New York supports breastfeeding mothers with laws that protect their right to breastfeed in the hospital, child day care facilities, public places and at work. For more information see www.breastfeedingpartners.org
After you give birth, you may feel tired and a little overwhelmed by the huge task of caring for your baby. Your hormone levels have also gone through some major changes. For a few days or weeks, you may have the “baby blues” which can include feelings of sadness, mood swings, anger, anxiety and low self-esteem. The baby blues are very common and will pass in time. Your doctor can suggest some ways to help you feel better.
Less common is maternal depression. The symptoms of maternal depression are severe. They can include feelings of hopelessness, high anxiety, eating problems, feeling “out of control,” and thoughts of harming yourself or the baby. Maternal depression is not a sign of weakness. It’s not something you can just “snap out of” but it can be treated. Call your doctor or licensed midwife if you think you have maternal depression. If you feel like you might hurt yourself or your baby, call your doctor immediately.
A baby who will not stop crying can be upsetting, but becoming angry will not help you or your baby. A baby may cry because he or she is hungry, lonely, has gas or is sick. You can attempt to calm your baby by offering your breast or a bottle, changing your baby’s diaper, or checking to see if your baby is too hot or too cold. You may also try slowly rocking your baby, playing soft music, or singing or humming to your baby.
If you cannot calm your baby, place your baby in a safe place, such as a crib or playpen, and take a break. Take a deep breath and count to 10 or call a friend for support. Never hold or pick up your baby when you feel angry, and no matter how impatient or angry you feel, never shake your baby. Hard shaking can cause brain injury, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, learning and behavior problems, seizures, paralysis, and death.
Be sure that everyone who cares for your child knows not to shake a baby. If you think your baby has been shaken, seek medical care immediately. Prompt medical attention can save your baby’s life.
For help in finding prenatal care services, call the New York State Department of Health’s “Growing Up Healthy” Hotline 1-800-522-5006 (toll-free).
Take part in parenting classes or talk with your doctor about parenting issues. Or, read Welcome to Parenthood: A Family Guide www.health.ny.gov/publications/2940.pdf
To report child abuse or maltreatment in New York State, call the New York State Child Abuse and Maltreatment Reporting Center at 1-800-342-3720.
For more information about breastfeeding your baby, go to www.health.ny.gov/community/pregnancy/breastfeeding/
For more information about Shaken Baby Syndrome, read Never, Ever Shake a Baby publication www.health.ny.gov/publications/3192.pdf.
For up-to-date product recall safety news on items relating to child products and toys, sign up to be placed on the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Recall Subscription List: www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx or call 800-638-2722 (TTY 301-595-7054).
Find quality and safety information about all New York state hospitals by clicking here.
