All mothers, whether new or experienced, need plenty of rest and time for recuperation following delivery. After giving birth, a mother’s organs will slowly return to their pre-pregnancy state during a period known as puerperium. This is a critical time, which is why the first month immediately following childbirth is considered the golden period for recovery. Hong Kong Adventist Hospital – Tsuen Wan’s (HKAH – TW) Postpartum Care Service provides personalized, compassionate care to both mother and baby during the postnatal period, and aims to minimize the mother’s physical and mental stress to facilitate a full and healthy recovery.
24-Hour One-Stop Medical Services
New mothers may experience pain in the wound area, or breast pain as a result of mastitis. The Postnatal Care Program includes consultations with a designated obstetrician and pediatrician, who conduct health examinations for mother and baby, and monitor wound healing and uterine contractions. Mothers are welcome to ask the doctors any postpartum questions they may have or enquire about infant care. Furthermore, nurses or midwives make daily rounds, during which they check on the condition of the mother’s wound and breasts, assess her physical and mental health, and provide counseling. To facilitate a full recovery, our medical team is on hand to provide comprehensive support to new mothers through round-the-clock nursing services (available at the touch of a button), and access to diagnostic imaging and pharmacy services if needed.
Attentive Infant Care
In addition to recovering from childbirth, new mothers also need to take care of their baby – something they may not be proficient at, especially during the early days. If they choose to room-in with their baby, the Adventist medical team is on hand to guide and support them; mothers may also choose to have their baby stay in the nursery to receive 24-hour nursing care, as well as basic services such as bathing, umbilical cord care, ear and nose cleaning, jaundice monitoring, laundry, bottle sterilizing (once per day), feeding and burping, diaper changing, and formula provision (if needed).
Lactation Counseling
Most hospitals provide breastfeeding support to new mothers during their hospital stay. However, every mother is different, and some experience delayed milk production after childbirth, meaning they may not have a chance to learn proper breastfeeding techniques before being discharged. Under the Postpartum Care Service, every mother is entitled to free coaching on feeding techniques. Members of nursing staff are on hand to teach new mothers the proper positions and techniques for breastfeeding or bottle feeding, help ease milk ducts, and set them up for a successful breastfeeding journey. Each room is also equipped with a refrigerator to allow for convenient storage of breast milk.
Postnatal Exercise Course
Appropriate postnatal exercise facilitates recovery and helps new mothers gradually return to their pre-pregnancy selves. Our postnatal exercise course includes postpartum exercise session or Pilates class(s) led by a physiotherapist, and through functional training and corrective exercises, aims to provide support to new mothers in terms of coping with postpartum challenges and understanding physiological and anatomical changes.
Postpartum Meal
During pregnancy, women tend to lose relatively more calcium and protein to meet the demands of the growing fetus and their own organs. Sufficient protein is also needed to facilitate postpartum healing, so it is important for new mothers to ensure adequate intake of calcium and protein. Furthermore, due to blood loss during the delivery process, mothers also need to replenish their iron stores to prevent iron deficiency anemia. To cater to different dietary needs, HKAH – TW offers a selection of healthy, nutritionist-designed meal plans, each of which comprise four meals per day to ensure new mothers enjoy a nutritious and balanced diet during the critical postpartum period.
Nutrition Consultation Services
The package includes consultation session(s) with a nutritionist, who will provide personalized diet and nutrition advice to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian new mothers.
Designated Visitor Center
A new mother not only needs to take care of her newborn, but also requires ample time to rest and recuperate. New fathers are welcome to stay alongside their wives to provide care and support, but to ensure optimal privacy and a restful environment for mothers, other visitors are not permitted in the ward and only doctors and medical staff are allowed. For family members and friends looking to visit, HKAH – TW’s designated visitor center is designed as a comfortable space to host visitors at specified times during the day.
Comfortable Environment and Thoughtful Amenities
Rooms are fully equipped with an infant cot, changing pad, bottle warmer, electric breast pump, and microwave (deluxe rooms only). Bed sheets are changed on a daily basis while bathrooms are also cleaned every day. Hot and cold drinking water may be replenished on demand, and pack of postnatal tea and Dried Ginger Peel will be provided daily if needed.
Single-Room Ventilation System
A 24-hour individualized ventilation system is installed in each room to protect the health of both mother and baby.