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Pregnancy & Birth

HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital's Women and Infants Center is the birthing center for one of life's most precious events: welcoming your newborn into the world.

Woman looking surprised while talking to pregnant woman laying in hospital bed

Prenatal Care

Before coming to the hospital to deliver, it is best to choose a doctor for your baby. If you have not done so, our hospital nursing staff is available to discuss options and answer questions you may have.

Once you have found a health care provider for your baby, call their office to find out if they are taking new patients. Let them know when you are due and that you would like your infant to become established as a new patient with the provider you chose. You may begin doing this around week 28 of your pregnancy.

Prevea offers family medicine doctors and advanced practice providers who care for patients throughout all phases of life.
 

Find a Prevea Family Medicine Doctor


 

Preparing for the Hospital

  • Hospital gowns.
  • Disposable panties and sanitary pads.
  • Baby gowns and blankets (will need your own for home).
  • Enough disposable diapers for your hospital stay (have a supply ready at home).
  • If formula feeding: Ready to use bottles of formula (you will need your own supply for home).
  • Infant car seat (install car seat base early).
  • Going-home outfit.
  • Receiving blanket.
  • Pair of socks or booties.
  • Extra cap/hat.
  • Baby book for footprints.
Necessary:
  • Insurance card and hospital paperwork.
  • Eyeglasses, if needed.

If desired:
  • Cell phone, charger.
  • Book, magazine or cards for early labor.
  • Bathrobe.
  • Socks and slippers.
  • Hair bands, ties or barrettes.
  • Lip moisturizer.
  • Massage lotion.
  • Tennis ball or massage /comfort tools.
  • Sentimental item from home, such as a favorite pillow or blanket.
  • Focal point, such as an ultrasound or vacation photo.
  • Music.
  • Birth plan.
  • Nursing bra.
  • Loose, comfortable clothes.
  • Basic toiletries and a hairbrush.
  • Camera, cell phone, chargers.
  • Cash for parking.
  • Basic toiletries.
  • Change of clothes.

Labor & Delivery

Your nurses have gone through advanced training and are very experienced and will teach you how to care for your baby, as we recognize this is an important part of your hospital stay.
  • Your nurse can help with limiting daytime interruptions and phone calls if you’d like, so that you can rest during the day when your baby sleeps. 
  • You are also welcome to invite family or a support person to stay with you while you are in the hospital, as you may find them helpful.
  • To help you and your baby to bond, it is encouraged you stay together 24 hours a day. This is called “rooming in” and it has been proven to better prepare you to care for your newborn when you return home. When baby stays in your room, you will have the opportunity to learn more about him or her and recognize things like feeding cues while hospital staff is around to guide you through those first few nights. Studies show that mothers get the same amount and quality of sleep when their babies room-in as when they are out of the room.
  • In partnership with Prevea Health, virtual newborn care classes are available to help you prepare and care for your little one.
We offer a wide range of pain management and comfort measures to help you through labor and delivery.
From epidurals to nitrous oxide and medication-free options, we’re devoted to making your birthing experience as comfortable as possible. 
 

Nitrous Oxide for Pain Management

HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital is the only hospital in Sheboygan and the Lakeshore to offer nitrous oxide.
 
Nitrous oxide is a method of pain relief and anxiety management for mom during childbirth. It is often used at the dentist and referred to as laughing gas. By inhaling the gas through a mask, nitrous oxide is a safe and proven method for anxiety and pain management during labor.
 
There are no side effects from nitrous oxide for baby, and the side effects for mom are minimal. It is a temporary method of relief because it is cleared from the body when mom stops inhaling the gas and removes the mask.

Nitrous oxide can be
  • Used before having an epidural (and it is also safe to have an epidural later).
  • An alternative option to epidural and pain medication if someone is leaning toward a more natural childbirth experience.
  • Used before trying pain medication, such as Nalbuphine (Nubain®). 
  • Stopped if mom decides she would like to switch to pain medication, such as Nalbuphine (Nubain®).
After baby is born, your care provider will place him or her belly-down directly on your chest. This is called skin-to-skin contact. Your nurse will be there with a warm blanket to cover you and your baby. Quiet time is encouraged during this first hour as this is the time for mom or dad to hold the baby skin-to-skin. 
 

Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact

  • Positive impact on bonding.
  • Reduced perception of pain.
  • Reduced incidence of postpartum depression.
  • Triggers feeding reflexes and increases breastfeeding success.
  • Smooth transition for baby to life outside the womb.
  • Increased calmness and reduced crying.
Our newborns are never far away from highly specialized care. HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital offers a state-of-the-art program called TeleNeonatology in our Women and Infants Center. Telemedicine brings specialty care to our patients when and where it is needed most. This specialized program utilizes technology to connect HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital clinical staff with board-certified neonatologists at HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital in order to coordinate specialized care for newborns that need critical medical attention.

A neonatologist is a physician who specializes in the care of ill or premature newborn infants.  
 

How TeleNeonatology Works

The neonatologist is connected to HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital through a television with two-way audio and visual equipment, allowing the neonatologist to see, hear and communicate with the patient and their family along with colleagues at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital.

After the neonatologist examines the patient, they work with the physician at HSHS St. Nicholas to develop a treatment plan for the patient. This plan will include either transferring the newborn to HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital in Green Bay or maintaining medical care at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital.