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Our priority is to provide a positive, compassionate, and safe birth experience for each and every family. As you prepare to welcome your newest family member—and begin your journey into parenthood—we are here to ensure that you feel safe, supported and confident during labor and in caring for your baby.
Informational Sessions Contact the Nurse Navigator Your Care Team
At the Middlesex Health Pregnancy & Birth Center, we feel privileged to be a part of each and every birth, and we are dedicated to providing the most advanced, compassionate care for every member of your family.
Our goal is to ensure a healthy birth experience by:
We pride ourselves on having state-of-the-art technology to support you during delivery. Plus, our expert physicians, nurses, lactation consultants and supportive care providers will be with you every step of the way to:
Like all Middlesex Health locations, the Pregnancy & Birth Center is open and providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in order to keep our families and our staff as safe as possible, we have made some changes to our guidelines and policies.
Key Messages
Additional Information
Choosing the Middlesex Health Pregnancy & Birth Center means choosing a highly-trained, passionate team of childbirth experts whose first priority is ensuring a safe and comfortable delivery for you and your baby.
Obstetricians-Gynecologists (OB-GYNs)
Inpatient Pediatric Care (Neonatology)
Lactation Specialists & Breastfeeding Support
Our Pregnancy & Birth Center at Middlesex Hospital is welcoming, relaxing and cozy—while fully equipped with everything we need to keep you and your baby safe during labor and delivery.
Each family has a private room, and this room is yours for your entire stay. Rooms are spacious and have many comforts of home, including:
This image shows your room set up for postpartum and recovery. It will look slightly different when you arrive, as we have additional equipment to support you during labor and delivery. Click the "For Moms" tab above to see images of both setups.
Our Pregnancy & Birth Nurse Navigator is dedicated to guiding you as you prepare for labor and delivery. She provides prenatal education classes, offers support as you complete your birth plan, and is available to answer questions you may have about giving birth at Middlesex.
Meet Our Nurse Navigator
Alyssa Glasow, MSN, RN-C, LCCE is the Nurse Navigator for the Middlesex Health Pregnancy & Birth Center. Alyssa works with expectant parents as they plan and prepare for labor and delivery at Middlesex.
We are proud to be designated as a Baby-Friendly® birthing center by Baby-Friendly® USA, Inc.
BFUSA is the U.S. authority for implementing the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund’s Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). Hospitals achieve accreditation from this body by demonstrating commitment to unparalleled care for breastfeeding moms and their babies.
At Middlesex Health, our priority is the health, safety, and comfort of moms and newborns. In some cases, this might mean that your baby needs extra support. If your child requires special medical attention after birth, our Neonatal Hospitalist Team provides expert one-on-one care in our Level II Special Care Nursery.
A Level II Special Care Nursery is a facility that can support infants who need a higher level of care—usually for a short period of time—because they were born prematurely or have a mild to moderate illness. The inpatient infant care team at Middlesex has the expertise and resources to provide exceptional care in these cases.
We communicate with neonatologists at Connecticut Children's Medical Center or Yale if your baby needs more intensive care.
This is a team of doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and supportive care providers who care for newborns and babies in the Special Care Nursery. Because many pediatric and family medicine doctors do not come to the hospital every day, your doctors rely on the Hospitalists to provide specialized inpatient care for newborns.
To contact our Neonatal Hospitalist Service, please call 860-358-8500.
When you choose us, you're choosing access to all the resources available through the entire Middlesex Health system.
Our urologists, OB/GYNs and physical therapists work as a team to support pelvic health during pregnancy and after delivery. They can help with pelvic pain, incontinence, lacerations after delivery, painful intercourse and other pelvic symptoms.
Pediatricians provide comprehensive care for children from infancy through the teenage years.
Middlesex is more than a hospital—we are a comprehensive health system that provides services for the entire community.
Whether you're a new or experienced parent, we are here to support you in raising a happy, healthy baby. We offer a number of educational classes, fitness classes, and support groups for while you're pregnant and after delivery.
A COVID-19 Message to Our Moms & Families
To keep patients and staff as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, most classes and programs are taking place online. Details for each event are available when you click through to the calendar. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Nurse Navigator.
During the COVID-19 emergency, we are taking extra steps to protect moms, babies and families. There are special visitor guidelines in place for the Pregnancy & Birth Center, and we appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.
Pregnancy & Birth Center Visitor Guidelines
We know how difficult it is for siblings, grandparents and other loved ones not to be able to visit their newest family member in the hospital. However, we encourage the use of FaceTime or other types of video calls whenever possible!
If you’d like to contact a patient at the Pregnancy & Birth Center, please call 860-358-6000, and we will connect you to the appropriate room.
Because we always respect the privacy of our patients, information such as the baby’s sex and weight will not be given by a member of our staff unless the parents instruct us to do so.
Our first priority is healthy moms and healthy babies, and this means doing our best to accommodate your birth preferences. Determining these ahead of time allows for clear and easy communication between you, your support person and your health care team.
For more detail about the options available in the Birth Plan, please see the sections on this page about fetal monitoring, during delivery, and pain management.
Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your child. Breastmilk feeding is a wonderful gift you can give your child and we want to help you get off to the best start possible. To increase your chances of being successful and satisfied with your breastfeeding experience, there are some things you can do to prepare while you are pregnant.
We encourage you to bring certain necessities, as well as items that provide comfort and will help you relax. It can be helpful to start packing early in your third trimester—this will help you feel prepared and more relaxed when labor begins.
We also provide three meal trays during your stay. Please speak with the Nurse Navigator for more information about food for moms and support persons.
Please leave all of your jewelry and money—except small amounts for miscellaneous purchases—at home, as we cannot be responsible for looking after valuable items.
However, our staff can help you make arrangements to leave valuables in the hospital safe, if you wish.
When it is time to come to the hospital, please call your doctor for specific instructions about your admission to the hospital for labor and delivery.
You will come directly to the Pregnancy & Birth Center, located at:
Middlesex Hospital (3rd Floor/West 3)
28 Crescent St.
Middletown, CT 06457
Directions to Middlesex Hospital
Please Note:
*If you are arriving at the Pregnancy & Birth Center at night and you would prefer not to use the Emergency Department entrance, you may go to the main hospital lobby entrance and use the call box to notify our security team of your arrival.
At the Middlesex Health Pregnancy & Birth Center, each family has a welcoming and cozy private room. This room is yours for your entire stay. Rooms are spacious and have many comforts of home, including:
Photo #1: Set Up for Labor & Delivery
Photo #2: Set Up for Postpartum & Recovery
After you arrive at the hospital and settle into your room, we will monitor your baby's heartbeat for 20–30 minutes.
After the first 30 minutes, we will work with your OB/GYN to decide on a plan for additional monitoring. We offer both periodic and continuous monitoring and will determine which is best for you and your baby.
The technology we use to monitor your baby's heartbeat can be worn while you are changing positions or walking/moving around during labor.
We work with you to create an individualized pain management plan that includes comfort measures, pain medication or both.
Our experienced team will support you with comfort measures, based on the preferences you indicate in your Birth Plan. Available options include:
If pain medication becomes necessary or you choose to use it, we offer several traditional options.
Nitrous oxide is a safe alternative to traditional pain and anxiety medications. It allows you to actively participate in labor and delivery while getting fast, easy pain relief.
Nitrous oxide is a gas that, when inhaled, can relieve pain and anxiety. The nitrous oxide mixture used at Middlesex Health is 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen. Our special equipment ensures that you get a perfect 50/50 blend with each breath.
Nitrous oxide works in seconds and can immediately help with your symptoms. When you need pain relief—for example, when you feel a contraction starting—you can simply breathe into a mask that you hold until the pain passes. You can use nitrous oxide at any time during labor, right up to birth. You will still be able to move around and push, when the time comes.
Nitrous oxide does not have any long term effects. The gas leaves your system in just a few breaths. It does not impact the progress of your labor.
Some women report nausea when using nitrous oxide, but taking a few deep breaths without the mask will eliminate the nausea.
Additionally, there are no known effects of nitrous oxide on a baby during labor. This is because the gas is cleared from your body through the lungs in just a few breaths.
No, there is no extra fetal monitoring required if you use nitrous oxide.
The Pregnancy & Birth Center is specially designed to allow you to walk during labor, and we can monitor you and your baby while you move around.
Please note that at this time, to keep you as safe as possible during COVID-19, walking in the hallways is not permitted. All patients and support persons must remain in their room.
We also do our best to accomodate any other wishes you may have, including:
All of these options can be arranged by choosing them on your Birth Plan or by discussing your wishes with your health care provider. You may also request to bring your own, new labor tub for your private room. This must be arranged in advance with the Nurse Navigator.
For safety reasons, your stomach must be empty of solid food, in case a Cesarean birth is necessary. However, the following options are available to prevent dehydration, help with discomfort and boost your energy:
During the pushing stage of labor, our team will provide encouragement and education. We recommend frequent position changes to help move your baby down the birth canal. These can include:
Our birthing beds have many features, including:
We do not routinely perform episiotomy (an incision in the perineum), unless it is necessary for a quicker or safer delivery. Our team will use perineal massage, warm soaks and frequent position changes to help reduce tearing.
If an episiotomy becomes necessary, we encourage you to use ice packs, Witch Hazel pads, a donut pillow or a sitz bath to ease discomfort.
During the first hour after delivery, or the golden hour, you and your newborn will stay skin-to-skin. This helps promote bonding and breastfeeding.Your nurse will stay at your bedside for the first several hours, in order to assist you and your baby whenever needed.
Please note that we will do our best to accomodate all of your birth preferences, including for skin-to-skin contact. However, our team will also ensure that you and your baby are safe and receive any additional care as needed.
A Cesarean section, or C-section, is the surgical delivery of your baby through an incision, or surgical cut, in the abdomen and uterus.
No—a C-section can either be planned or unplanned.
At Middlesex Health, we provide we practice gentle Cesarean birth. Gentle C-sections bring attention to the surgery as your birth experience. This means that we can accommodate your wishes for:
After delivery, you will return to your room with your nurse. Here, you will continue to bond with your baby, recovery from the birth and get some rest. In the hours after your procedure, you can expect to:
The day your newborn arrives is one of the most anticipated days of your life, and you will want to spend as much time as possible with your baby. We support your baby staying in your room with you 24/7, so that you can begin to understand and bond with your newest family member. You can also expect our team to perform any exams, baths or other tasks right in your room.
If your baby needs any special medical attention after birth, we have the expertise and technology to meet those needs. Learn more about our Special Care Nursery (Neonatal Level II) under the "About Us" tab.
At Middlesex, we recommend delayed bathing. This means that we will not give your infant a bath immediately after birth to allow for skin-to-skin contact and immediate bonding.
When the time is right for your baby's first bath, you will get to be a part of the process. We use swaddle, or immersion, bathing. This family-centered approach to bathing means that your baby will stay loosely wrapped in their blanket while in the bath, and we will help you gently unswaddle and wash each limb, one at a time. Limbs are then rewrapped, helping your baby stay comfortable.
What are the benefits of swaddle/immersion bathing?
We work with all new moms to create an individualized feeding plan that meets your goals and your infant's needs.
When possible, we strongly encourage moms to begin breastfeeding shortly after birth, and we have expert lactation consultants available if you need additional support. However, our priority is to ensure that you go home feeling confident that you can provide the very best care for your baby.
If necessary, a breast pump is provided to you for free during your hospital stay.
If you will need a breast pump at home, our Lactation Consultant can help you obtain one through your private insurance.
The Pregnancy & Birth Center is also a Medela Symphony Breast Pump rental station. The pump described below is what is available to you at Middlesex and is also available for rental after your stay. Our Nurse Navigator can assist you with the rental process.
Features and Benefits:
Please Note: You can rent a breast pump from Middlesex Health even if you did not deliver your baby at Middlesex Hospital.
Whether this is your first child—or your fourth!—you may find yourself wanting to gather as much information as possible. We provide evidence-based education to build your confidence and help you feel prepared.
We offer yoga, pilates and more to help you feel your best during and after pregnancy. During COVID-19, these sessions are being offered online only.
At the Middlesex Health Center for Continence & Pelvic Health, we have a program just for expectant and new moms. Our team can work with you to address bladder concerns, muscle strength, painful intercourse and other concerns you may have.
Partners and support persons play many important roles during pregnancy, during labor and delivery and after your baby arrives. The following tips can help you be a positive and helpful presence for your loved one in labor.
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