Baby Boom at Butler County Health Care Center!

Baby Boom at Butler County Health Care Center!

The stork made several stops at Butler County Health Care Center during 2009, 95 to be exact.  This is the highest number of babies born at Butler County Health Care Center since 1999. Of the 95 babies born during 2009, 35 were male, and 60 were female.  The female to male ratio was dramatic compared to 2008’s 43% female babies and the year 2007 births with 48% females.

Another interesting statistic about the births of 2009; eight of the newborns were born to Butler County Health Care Center employees. “Delivering a new baby is always special, but delivering a new baby for one of our fellow co-workers is extra-special,” explains Sue Birkel, Director of Nurses. “As far as staffing goes,” she adds with a smile, “it was nice to have the births spread throughout the year.”

 Butler County Health Care Center strives to provide the same level of care as a large obstetric facility but with the small facility friendliness and attention to detail. This is accomplished through years of experience, staff training, and up-to-date technology. Some of these examples include: 4-D ultrasound, childbirth education and preparation classes, knowledgeable staff, anesthesia services, new labor and delivery suite, and special baby keepsakes.

Many parents say that seeing the first image of their baby in the womb is “priceless”. Butler County Health Care Center appreciates the importance of this moment, which is one of reasons the facility upgraded to a 4-D Ultrasound. The 4-D Ultrasound captures a 3D image of the baby and is the highest level of ultrasound quality.

All parents delivering at Butler County Health Care Center are invited to attend a one day childbirth education and preparation class, coordinated by Kristin Hartman, RN and Julie Kovar, RN. The class teaches breathing and relaxation techniques, gives parents’ the opportunity to tour the labor and delivery room, and provides education on home-care for moms and baby. “Our goal during this class is to give parents an insight on what they can expect during the labor process, as well as answer any questions parents might have when it comes to delivery, post birth, and childcare,” explains Julie Kovar, RN.

Choosing a local family practice physician for obstetric services allows a mother to establish a medical home. The medical home is an approach to providing comprehensive, family-centered primary care for adults, youth and children. Your local family practice physician that provides you with superior prenatal care, labor care, and post care is there to provide quality care to your baby, and the rest of your family.

Each member of the medical staff, registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurse (LPN), and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) are certified in Neonatal Advance Life Support (NALS). NALS is an educational program that teaches the concepts and skills needed to access, monitor and provide the necessary care when a newborn is delivered. NALS re-certification is completed every two years through St. Elizabeth’s Regional Medical Center and consists of a written exam as well as a skills and participation exam.

The nursing staff at Butler County Health Care Center has several years of combined experience and training. Every RN at the facility completes a fetal monitor training course at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. This eight hour, hands-on course teaches how to interpret the fetal monitor strips, which tracks the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contractions during labor. Every RN is also required to complete a fetal monitor strip interpretation course, yearly there after. Butler County Health Care Center feels it is important to designate a one-on-one RN to the mother during the labor and delivery process to personally supervise the fetal monitor results.

Anesthesia services are available if desired. Corey Kavan, CRNA and Blaine West, CRNA offer routine epidurals and anesthesia services for cesareans, as necessary. Besides being certified in NALS, both Corey and Blaine are certified in Pediatric Advance Life Support (PALS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). “Corey and I tend to bring a smile to a moms face when we walk in the labor and delivery suite,” laughs Blaine West, CRNA. “Our goal is to bring pain relief and comfort to moms during this time.”

A comfortable atmosphere for your special delivery is also important to Butler County Health Care Center. In 2005, the Labor and Delivery Suite was constructed in order to create a home-like environment for moms and their families. The suite allows the mother to labor, deliver, and recover until she is ready to be moved to one of the newly remodeled private patient rooms. All of the patient rooms are equipped with many of the comforts of home such as a flat screen television, wireless internet, sofa that pulls out into a bed, and private bathroom. The Labor and Delivery Suite is located adjacent to the nursery for private transportation of the baby and directly across from the main nurses station so nurses can respond quickly to the needs of the mother and baby. While the Labor and Delivery Suite is the preferred room choice for birthing, the former delivery room is still equipped as a “back-up.”

“As a nurse at Butler County Health Care Center, I have spend many hours in the labor and delivery suite with my co-workers working with fetal monitors, coaching moms, and assisting doctors in delivery,” explains Chelsea Steager, RN. “This past year I experienced labor and delivery from the patient side. My husband I found the labor and delivery room private, spacious, and extremely relaxing. The staff was professional and treated us with incredible care, not because I was a co-worker but because I was their patient.”

 Butler County Health Care Center offers special baby keepsake services.  Some of the unique services provided to our moms and newborns include: free baby announcements with the option to order individual prints, free baby announcement posted on the Butler County Health Care Center website (www.bchccnet.org), a baby’s first holiday picture ornament, baby’s first year personalized calendar, and a special hand-made baby gift from the Butler County Health Care Center Volunteers.

The birth of a baby is a truly an unforgettable experience, whether it is a parent’s first child or seventh child. Our staff is honored each time we are able to share this experience with a family. If you are interested in learning more about the obstetric services offered at Butler County Health Care Center please contact Laura Daro at 402-367-1200.