In addition to your pediatrician who will see your baby daily, our mother/baby staff will provide your baby with the very best of care. All of our professional nursing staff is here to assist you and your family in caring for your new baby. If you have chosen a pediatrician who is not on staff at Huntington Hospital you will need to choose one from our attending or pediatric hospitalist staff while you are here.

In our efforts to promote family centered maternity care, Huntington Hospital practices 24-hour rooming-in for all mothers and babies. This means that you are encouraged to have your baby remain with you in your hospital room throughout the duration of your stay. Be assured that the nursing staff is available to provide support and instruction as needed.

Please remember to never leave your baby unattended.

Nurses offer ongoing education to ensure that new mothers are well prepared to take care of their babies. During your stay in the hospital, mother's postpartum and newborn care classes are offered, either in groups or on a one-to-one basis at the bedside. You will be advised of the times of these classes on the Maternity Unit so that you may arrange to attend if you wish.

Every newborn at Huntington Hospital receives the following health screening tests:

• Hearing
• New York State Newborn Screening Program (blood specimen)

Huntington Hospital is home to a state-designated Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the treatment of premature and distressed infants. A member of our staff of Board-certified neonatologists is on site 24 hours a day and attends all Cesarean and high-risk deliveries, provides consultation to the Labor Unit and well-newborn services, and provides direct care to all patients in our NICU. The NICU at Huntington Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility designed to handle complex care for premature and high-risk infants and those with congenital problems. And because Huntington Hospital is part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, the resources of the world-renowned Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Hospital are available to you and your baby should the need arise for neonatal surgery or other specialized care.

When your baby is born, his/her footprints and your index fingerprint will be recorded. This, together with special I.D. bands for you, your baby, and your significant other, assures positive identification. Huntington Hospital has a state-of-the-art radio-frequency infant security system in place.

TV Service
The "Newborn Channel," our special Maternity Education channel, is offered free to our patients and broadcasts programming in both Spanish and English 24 hours a day. Additional television service, including a movie channel, is available in your room for a nominal fee. Please call extension 2379 to make the necessary arrangement.

Social Services
Our Department of Social Services is available to assist you if you have a special need that can't be addressed by your physician or nurse. For more information, please call (631) 351-2227.