The First Birth Department, the only one of its kind in Israel, was recently opened at the Saban Birth and Maternity Center at Soroka under the management of Prof. Eyal Sheiner. The department is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of women after their first birth.
The First Birth Department has up-to-date infrastructure and a special design, and the experience of patients hospitalized there is special thanks to its focus on first-time mothers' needs and the goal of giving them confidence in caring for their babies. The mothers enjoy a variety of services such as bedside baby care and training and counseling on breastfeeding, baby safety, physical changes in the postpartum period, and nutrition. In addition, they receive emotional support and Tipat Halav (family health centers in the community) services in the department.
New mothers can talk with social workers about on various topics, such as the transition from couple to family, postpartum depression, personal assistance, and referral for continued treatment in the community as needed.
The Saban Birth and Maternity Center at Soroka, with more than 17,000 births a year, is characterized first and foremost by the vast experience of its staff and their personal and humane attitude. The center includes maternity departments where the full rooming-in arrangement is practiced, departments where the baby can remain next to the mother's bed at night, and a zero-separation department, which is now joined by the First Birth Department. Each mother can choose the arrangement that best suits her, depending on her and her baby's medical condition.
Prof. Eyal Sheiner, director of Maternity Department B at Soroka's Saban Birth and Maternity Center: "It is an honor for us to be the first to open a dedicated department for a population that needs such a unique environment and attention to its special characteristics—the changes involved in becoming a mother, concerns about caring for a newborn, the impact on the family, and more."
Masho Salomon, director of nursing in Maternity Department B and the First Birth Department at Soroka's Saban Birth and Maternity Center: "In the discussions and focus groups we held with midwives, we identified the need of mothers who have given birth for the first time to cope with uncertainty about what to expect. They are hungry for professional knowledge and more detailed and broader guidance as they face the challenges and excitement of their encounters with their newborns. There is no doubt that this initial meeting requires tools to create an experience that will strengthen their sense of security in caring for their babies."
Prof. Eylon Shani, director of the Department of Neonates and Premature Infants at Soroka: "The team of pediatricians is an integral part of the maternity wards where the newborns are also at the mother's bedside. At the First Birth Department, we are mainly attentive to the needs of the parents regarding aspects related to the changes that the baby goes through in the first days after birth, which they are experiencing for the first time. Without a doubt, the opening of the new department allows us to provide more personal attention to this unique population."
Prof. Reli Hershkowitz, head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Division at Soroka's Saban Birth and Maternity Center: "The mother is surrounded by a professional team that is attentive to her needs and works to strengthen her relationship with her baby, with an emphasis on the best care for her. The opening of the First Birth Department at Soroka attests to a spirit of renewal and attention to mothers, increasing their sense of confidence after giving birth for the first time, and providing services tailored to their special needs."
