Arriving at the Hospital for Delivery
Baby Portraits
Birthing Options
Cafeteria Hours
Car Seat
Coffee Cafe
Gift Shop
Hearing-Impaired/Foreign Language Services
HIV Testing Information
Important Crouse Hospital Phone Numbers
Mom's Place
Map
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
No-Smoking Policy
Philosophy of Care
Prenatal Education
Spiritual Care Center
Telephone
Television Service
Visitors During Labor & Delivery
Visitors After Delivery
What to Bring to the Hospital
Return to top of page.
Arriving at the Hospital for Delivery
When your doctor tells you to come to the hospital, check in at the Memorial entrance. (See map.)
Weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. you will be greeted by a valet parking attendant who will park your car in the Crouse Hospital garage. (For your convenience, parking garage fees are waived during labor & delivery and discharge.)
After 8:30 p.m., use the intercom outside of the Memorial entrance to gain access to the building. You may park your car in the Memorial entrance circle.
On weekends, park your car in the Memorial entrance circle.
In an extreme emergency, enter through Emergency Room
Inside the hospital an admitting clerk will direct you to the Kienzle Family Maternity Center (you will be going to the 8th floor of the Irving Unit). It is helpful if you have completed your Pre-Admission paperwork in the back of this book and mailed it to the hospital ahead of time. If you have any questions about the PreAdmission paperwork, ask your doctor or call the hospital admitting office at 315/470-7361.
Once you have been admitted, your condition will be evaluated. If appropriate, during your labor you will be able to walk around as appropriate, and have access to free telephone, television, beverages, a shower and/or bathtub and whirlpool hydrotherapy.
Return to top of page.
Baby Portraits
As a patient service, a company Crouse contracts with called Growing Families photographs all babies born at the hospital and keeps the negatives on file for one year. Parents may order photographs of their baby from Growing Families by signing an order form within the year. (No photographs are printed without a parent's written consent.) The baby portraits program is a project of the Crouse Hospital Auxiliary, a not-for-profit organization that supports the hospital through volunteerism and fund-raising. A representative is available daily to take photos and distribute order forms.
Return to top of page.
Birthing Options
Whatever plan you and your doctor decide upon, we can accommodate it with all of the comforts of home and all of the advantages and peace of mind that come from the latest technology and specialized on-site staff.
When you come to Crouse to have your baby, you and your coach will be welcomed and escorted to a private room. From there, you will labor, deliver and recover all in the same room. During labor you'll have access to round-the-clock pain management, private bathrooms and use of a whirlpool tub (if appropriate).
If you wish to participate in and meet the medical criteria for our 24-36 hour short-stay Family Birth Program, you will stay in the same room from labor until discharge. The philosophy of this program allows you, your partner and your baby to stay together during your hospital visit. This option must be discussed with both your OB and pediatric providers because certain medical criteria must be met in order to participate in the program. Each of these medical providers must approve you and your baby as short-stay candidates. You need to plan to go home from the hospital within 24 to 36 hours after birth. A nurse will visit you at home within one to three days after discharge.
If you have not chosen the Family Birth Program option, after recovery you and your baby will be transferred to our Mother-Baby Unit on 7 Irving.
Of course, if it becomes necessary, we have state-of-the-art surgical suites for Cesarean sections. Once you have recovered, you and your baby also will be transferred to our Mother-Baby Unit.
Unless a medical problem makes it impossible, your baby will stay in your room with you at all times with one nurse caring for both of you. This philosophy of care promotes attachment within the new family. It also provides you with the opportunity to ask your nurse questions and allows her to help you gain the knowledge you need to care for your new baby.
In addition, the hospital offers the Newborn Channel and we have certified breast-feeding consultants who can counsel you on any lactation problems you may encounter. Return visits to the hospital to see a breastfeeding consultant if necessary, and phone counseling also is available.
Return to top of page.
Cafeteria Hours
The hospital's cafeteria, located in the basement of the Memorial Unit, is open to visitors daily from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hot meals are available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Some hot food and snacks are available 24 hours a day in vending machines at the cafeteria exit.
Return to top of page.
Car Seat
New York State law requires that all newborn infants be brought home in car seats. If your car does not have a car seat for the baby's trip home, staff will request the mother and baby to sit in the back seat. If you need a car seat, the Onondaga County Health Department sponsors a car-seat rental program. There is a small fee, and rentals can be arranged for up to six months. It is important to call several weeks ahead to reserve a car seat. Call 315/435-8485 for more information.
A helpful hint: try out the car seat before you get to the hospital - they are sometimes difficult to install!
Return to top of page.
Lindsey's Coffee Café
Located in the hospital's Irving lobby, Lindsey's is open weekdays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. A variety of coffees, assorted beverages and homemade desserts are available.
Return to top of page.
Gift Shop
The Crouse Hospital Auxiliary gift shop is located in the hospital's Irving lobby and is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to gifts, cards, candy and flowers, the gift shop has some personal hygiene products.
Return to top of page.
Hearing-Impaired/Foreign Language Services
If you are hearing impaired or need a language interpreter, please notify the Admitting Office at 315/470-7361 as soon as possible. We will be happy to make arrangements for you. Also, it is very important to have an interpreter upon discharge and at follow-up appointments. Our TDD line is 470-7914.
Return to top of page.
HIV Testing Information
The New York State Commissioner is mandating that all mothers be advised to have HIV testing during each pregnancy. It is known that HIV positive mothers who are treated with special medications during pregnancy and during the birth process have a much lower chance of passing HIV to their baby.
If you refuse to be tested during your pregnancy, you will be counseled upon admission to the Kienzle Family Maternity Center. If you refuse testing for yourself at this time, the New York State Health Department has mandated that your baby be tested at the time of delivery.
If your baby needs the special treatment, you won't know until the tests results are back. Your baby's care provider may decide to delay your breastfeeding from the time of the baby's delivery until the time the test results are back. The sooner the baby gets the medications the better the chances are that an HIV positive mother will not pass HIV to her baby.
Return to top of page.
Important Crouse Hospital Phone Numbers
Breastfeeding Consultants 315/470-7179
Admitting Office 315/470-7361
Valet Parking 315/470-2995
Patient Information 315/470-7511
Security 315/470-7826
Return to top of page.
Mom's Place
Sometimes babies need to stay in the hospital a little longer than their mothers. Our Mom's Place program can accommodate that need in our Mother-Baby Unit. Ask your nurse for details.
Return to top of page.
Walter R. G. Baker Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
If your baby requires a high-level of medical attention, you can rest assured that the best resources in the region are here in our Walter R. G. Baker Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Our team of experts, including a neonatal specialist on site around-the-clock, works together to ensure the safety of your baby. The New York State Department of Health designates Crouse as the only hospital in Central New York that serves 15 counties as a regional referral center for neonatal and perinatal care for babies and moms who need special services.
Return to top of page.
No-Smoking Policy
For the health and safety of our patients, employees and your new baby, Crouse Hospital has a no-smoking policy for patients, visitors and staff. An outdoor-designated smoking area is located north of the Irving Avenue entrance on the same side. We appreciate your cooperation.
Return to top of page.
Philosophy of Care
Crouse Hospital's Kienzle Family Maternity Center supports the role of women in promoting their own health and wellness and that of their families. Our philosophy of care provides a structure for a collaborative relationship between the healthcare providers and the family.
- We believe:
- Women's healthcare needs are unique and change throughout the life cycle;
Birth is a normal, healthy life event, which may require medical assistance in assuring a healthy outcome; and
Women need to be informed in order to participate in their healthcare planning and decision making.- We value and respect:
- Each woman's right to identify her support system;
Diversity in family structure and cultural background; and
A woman's right to privacy and confidentiality.- We promote:
- Mother-baby care as a unified approach that nurtures attachment within the new family, and comprehensive, wellness-oriented education for all families, hospital staff and our community.
Return to top of page.
Prenatal Education
Crouse Hospital offers a variety of educational services for you and your family to prepare for your birth experience. All programs are taught by professional registered nurses with clinical expertise in family centered maternity care and education. Classes are held in two locations: the Marley Education Center, at 765 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, diagonally across from Crouse Hospital, and at the Cicero YMCA.
For more information or to register for one of these programs, call 315/470-5716 weekdays from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or see our First Steps Brochure.
Unless otherwise noted, classes require a fee. Payment can be made by check, MasterCard, Visa or Discover.
Please call early in your pregnancy; classes fill quickly.Return to top of page.
Rosamond Gifford Spiritual Care Center and Bob Maher Memorial Chapel
Open 24 hours a day, our interfaith spiritual care center is located on the first floor of the hospital's West Tower, and is available to anyone seeking a quiet place for reflection. Plus, Catholic Mass is celebrated in the chapel at various times. Our spiritual care staff includes chaplains from Catholic, Jewish and Protestant faiths. They can be reached through the hospital operator.
Return to top of page.
Telephone
Local telephone service is available in your birthing suite at no charge. There is a nominal daily charge for unlimited local telephone service in the Mother-Baby Unit. Instructions for ordering telephone service are in each room. The fee is charged to your home telephone number or payable by credit card. Use of cellular phones also is permitted. Telephone service can only be obtained after you are admitted. Relatives and friends may obtain your telephone number by calling the hospital's patient information desk at 315/470-7511.
Return to top of page.
Television Service
Crouse Hospital provides educational, informational and religious television programming to patients at no charge. Television service can be ordered 24 hours a day by dialing ext. 8700 from the phone that corresponds to the patient's bed. Charges will be added to your home telephone bill. For information regarding channel options, levels of service and pricing, please refer to the Crouse Television Services brochure in your room. For additional information, please dial ext. 7473 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to speak with a Time Warner television service representative.
Return to top of page.
Visitors During Labor & Delivery
During your labor and birth, supportive family and/or friends of your choosing are welcome to be with you. (Exceptions may be necessary in emergency and surgical cases). All other visitors will be asked to wait in the visitors' lounge on 7 Irving. If you choose to have your other children present for your birth, a siblings at birth class is required, and another adult besides your partner must accompany the children throughout their stay. Depending upon the age and number of children, more than one additional adult may be necessary. Before you come to the hospital, it is necessary to discuss with your OB provider the people you want to be present at the birth.
Return to top of page.
Visitors After Delivery
Visiting hours are 11 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
If space allows, one adult (preferably the same person throughout your stay) may be with the mom at all times for support. The support person's role is to help mom and participate in the care of the baby. The support person may use the other bed in mom's room, or a sleeper chair in a single patient room. Again, this is only an option if mom is not in a double room - this option is not guaranteed. Please note, appropriate sleepwear for partners includes sweatpants and a t-shirt.
Also, during your stay, there is food located in the kitchens for moms. Unfortunately, we cannot also provide food for visitors. We ask visitors to obtain their food from the cafeteria or the vending machines outside the cafeteria.
Your cooperation in adhering to these guidelines is greatly appreciated.
Return to top of page.
What to Bring to the Hospital
When you are ready to go to the hospital, you might want to have these items packed:
- A bathrobe, slippers, nightgown or pajamas, extra undergarments, a firm-fitting bra and any personal toiletry items you choose;
- An outfit for your baby's trip home, as well as a diaper and undershirt; and
- Any special music you wish to play during labor and delivery.
- You may also want to bring a vase and a shopping bag for any flowers or gifts you receive while you're in the hospital. Please leave valuables at home.
Please note that videotaping of delivery is only allowed if all participating staff agrees to be on camera.
RETURN TO WOMEN'S HEALTH MAIN PAGE
[Who We Are] [Health Services] [Current Health Info] [Community Programs]
[Crouse News] [Human Resources] [School of Nursing]
[Help & Search] [Getting Here]
Contact our webmaster with any questions or comments regarding this web site.
DISCLAIMER: This Web site is intended to provide general health-related information only and is not intended
to be the source of specific healthcare advice. All visitors to this site are advised to consult with their own
physician regarding their specific healthcare questions and concerns, and to discuss any information provided
through this site with their physician before taking any action with regard to their own healthcare needs. All contents Copyright ©
Crouse Hospital, Syracuse, NY. All Rights Reserved.
