Carle continues high-quality care for laboring moms with six new rooms for Labor and Delivery. Expectant mothers with low-risk pregnancies will access the complete suite of Labor Delivery Recovery and Postpartum services within the comforts of one room.
Bloomington’s Callie Olivares delivered all three of her children at Carle. Her second, Rocky, was born in a room like the ones opened this week.
“The process was easy. I checked in, got an epidural, labored in the room and delivered,” said Olivares. “After he was born, there was ample space for the whole family to visit, even his big sister, Marielle.”
With baby in the room the entire time, nurses offered support as needed.
“Having Rocky there gave me the opportunity to ask questions as it happened, and I got help right away,” she said. “If he had been in another location, I wouldn’t have had a chance to ask, ‘How do I swaddle him?’ ‘How does this suction thing work?’”
The new, spacious suites include amenities such as Jacuzzi tubs, sleeping space for family, plenty of comfortable seating and flexible visiting hours.
“Keeping families together in the room from birth until departing for home benefits both moms and babies. This proven and preferred care is available in all mother and baby units at Carle,” said Chantel Ellis, MSN, director, Women’s and Children’s Services.
For Mom, it means better-quality sleep, increased confidence and less postpartum depression. For babies, it means less crying, breastfeeding sooner and lower stress levels. With a powerful combined benefit of a smoother transition home.
“We were in our own little world,” Oliveras said. “I noticed better interaction with the entire family having Rocky nearby. When the time came, we were ready to go home together.”
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Dads and siblings actively participate in care and can hold babies right away when they are in the same room as Mom.
“Labor is hard work. While moms need rest, research shows us both sleep better in the room together,” said Ashley Lingafelter, RN, manager, Labor and Delivery. “It helps them to develop routine.”
Ellis said Carle is seeing a 10 percent increase in the number of deliveries at Carle, or about 250 babies a month.
“As the region’s leading provider of women and children’s services, we’re seeing more referrals from smaller regional hospitals without labor and delivery support,” she said. “Also, more area physician groups are selecting Carle as their preferred delivery hospital.”
Jeremy Johnson, MD, Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB), said Carle also supports more high-risk pregnancies.
“With more complex cases, Carle is uniquely equipped to support both Mom and baby either directly or with help of our specialized pediatric transport teams that get moms and babies here quickly and safely,” Dr. Johnson said.
Safe care is important to Oliveras. That’s why she chose to deliver at Carle despite a 40-mile drive from home.
“My family has a history of fast deliveries so distance was a factor, but I didn’t want to be anywhere but here,” she said. “Carle’s has the best OB team. Me and my baby are in good hands with every nurse, every doctor here.”
With just eight minutes to spare, the Oliverases welcomed their newest addition to the family, Liana, now 5 months.
Ellis states “labor is predictably unpredictable” and having resources readily available to tackle emerging needs is a Carle strength.
The Illinois Perinatal Quality Collaborative determined Carle meets the state’s Gold standard in two recent focus areas – hemorrhage and hypertension.
“With our Level 1 trauma center and Level III perinatal designations, we stand ready for the region’s most critical and complex cases,” she said.
Categories: Staying Healthy
Tags: babies, baby friendly, Carle, Champaign-Urbana, delivery, labor, pediatrics, Postpartum, recovery, Women's Health