After Your Baby Arrives

From newborn screening tests to immunizations and breastfeeding, many things will happen after your baby arrives. Texas Children's Hospital has created a network of resources to help you through the joys and challenges that come with parenting a newborn.

Breastfeeding

We provide specially-trained registered nurses to offer support for breastfeeding right from the first moments of your baby's life. Your mother-baby nurse will help you with breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. Additionally, the Texas Children's Lactation Program provides the following services to help breastfeeding go smoothly:

• In-hospital consultation
• Outpatient clinic and follow-up
• Mother's Own Milk Bank, a state-of-the-art center that stores and prepares mother's milk for infants in Texas Children's Newborn Center
• Breast pump rentals and sales of breastfeeding equipment and supplies
• Breastfeeding classes
• Lactation consultants available 24 hours a day to offer the answers and encouragement you need

For more information, call 832-824-6120, e-mail breastfeeding@texaschildrens.org or visit the Texas Children's Lactation Program.

NICU

Texas Children's Newborn Center offers the highest level of neonatal intensive care available. U.S.News & World Report recently ranked Texas Children's #7 in the nation for neonatal care — making us top-ranked in Texas and the only hospital in Houston to be named to this list. Direct, immediate access to Texas Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is available if your baby needs this advanced level of care. And since St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital are adjacent to each other and share a common facility, your baby can be transferred to Texas Children's without even leaving the building.

Infant Security

Both Labor and Delivery and the Mother-Baby Unit are locked at all times so you can have peace of mind about your baby's safety. All visitors must show a photo ID and receive a visitor badge to receive access to the units. You and your baby will each receive a wristband with a unique identifier that matches you to your baby and will be used if you send your baby to the nursery. Other aspects of the security program will be discussed with you in Labor and Delivery and the Mother-Baby Unit.