Preparing for Childbirth, Breastfeeding & Having a Family
Sep 15, 2022
It took four years and several rounds of fertility treatments for Mia Rogan-Delgado and her husband to hear two words: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e pregnant.鈥�
鈥淚t felt surreal,鈥� Rogan-Delgado says. 鈥淲e were excited, of course, but we had waited so long to get this news that we kept thinking, is this real?鈥�
The Lodi native knew that she wanted to deliver her baby at 网曝门事件 Health Lodi Memorial. 鈥淚 was born at Lodi Memorial myself, so it was cool that I was able to deliver my baby there as well,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nytime a family member has gone to the hospital, they鈥檝e had great care, and a lot of my cousins have had babies there.鈥�
Care for new families
网曝门事件 Health Lodi Memorial鈥檚 maternal child team is well equipped to support new parents and babies through labor, delivery, recovery and beyond, says Valerie Stump, director of maternal child services. 鈥淲e deliver between 75 and 80 babies each month, and we鈥檝e won numerous prestigious awards for our care and safety,鈥� she says.
The maternal child services has private labor and delivery rooms, 12 postpartum rooms and a four-bed neonatal intensive care unit for babies born after 32 weeks鈥� gestation who need additional care. 鈥淲e have the best nurses around,鈥� Stump says. 鈥淭hey really care about each person and want to facilitate the best experience.鈥�
Further Reading: How Can Your Family Physician Help?
A smooth delivery
Doctors at the hospital induced labor for Rogan-Delgado at 39 weeks, and before long she had delivered baby John. 鈥淚 had heard stories that labor could be a long process, but for me it was only 10 hours from when I was induced to when he was born,鈥� she recalls. Stump says many of the labor and delivery nurses are specially trained in techniques to help facilitate vaginal birth, which can reduce labor length and pain. They also have special training for cesarean births, so parents have the same nurse throughout delivery.
When Rogan-Delgado finally saw her baby boy for the first time, she was overcome with emotion. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to describe in words how I felt in that moment,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e had been waiting so long to meet this little guy, and he was finally here.鈥�
Further Reading: Made for More Tender Moments: How the NICU saves baby鈥檚 lives.
Support for nursing mothers
Rogan-Delgado knew she wanted to breastfeed John, so she quickly connected with one of the two lactation consultants on staff at the hospital. 鈥淭he consultants were really great,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey came around to help me get everything going.鈥� After she was discharged, she and baby John returned to the hospital for a biweekly breastfeeding support group for new mothers. 鈥淗e had a little trouble latching at first,鈥� she adds, 鈥渁nd they helped me figure that out.鈥�
Now, the whole family is home, and the new parents are loving the adventure of raising John. 鈥淲e鈥檙e getting into a good routine, figuring out a schedule with his feedings and naps, and just getting to know each other,鈥� Rogan-Delgado says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 such a good baby.鈥�
Further Reading: Breastfeeding: A Gift of Health for Baby and Mom
Welcoming new babies safely
网曝门事件 Health Lodi Memorial prides itself on helping parents welcome their newborns into the world with expertise and compassion. 鈥淢y expectation is that you get safe and excellent care when you come here,鈥� says Valerie Stump, director of maternal child services. In fact, a partnership with the University of California, Davis ensures that even the tiniest babies receive expert care tailored to their needs. 鈥淏abies that are born before 32 weeks鈥� gestation go to UC Davis for specialized care, and when they鈥檙e stable, they can return to our hospital until they鈥檙e ready to go home,鈥� Stump says. Here are more ways 网曝门事件 Health Lodi Memorial helps new parents raise newborns safely:
- Breastfeeding support: Providers empower mothers with the confidence, skills and information to successfully breastfeed from birth.
- Safe sleep: The hospital equips new families with a Halo sleep sack and information on safe sleep practices for babies.
- Skin-to-skin bonding: Every new parent gets a Joeyband positioning band for skin-to-skin contact to encourage bonding and optimize breastfeeding.
