Many women each year trust Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) with the birth of their children.  The highly-skilled and talented obstetrical and neonatal professionals of LMH Maternity Services work closely with physicians of expecting mothers to provide the highest level of care and assure a safe birthing experience.  Carefully considering the expectations of the mother and her family, the staff of LMH Maternity Services aim to meet their desires and medical needs throughout the pregnancy, during labor and after delivery.

Planning and preparing for the birth of a child, although exciting, can be overwhelming.  Prenatal care that tends to the health of the mother and baby and also provides expecting families with a support system and resources that prepare them for the arrival of their new family member can ease anxiety.  Designed to help patients and families who may need additional support, the Prenatal Patient Centering program offered through LMH Maternity Services invites expectant mothers with similar due dates into groups for prenatal care, health assessment and education.  The groups consist of six to eight women that meet periodically between 14 and 36 weeks of pregnancy.  The sessions last for approximately two hours and start with a social time while each woman meets individually with a healthcare provider.  The second half of the session consists of an educational component with hands-on learning and group discussion about pregnancy, nutrition, breastfeeding, stress reduction, exercise, birth, newborn care and infant safety.  The groups promote healthy birth outcomes by providing a space to share concerns and experiences, offering more healthcare provider contact, promoting self-care and learning, and establishing support and friendship among group members.

In addition to the Prenatal Patient Centering program, pregnant mothers who are at risk of not completing routine prenatal care due to socioeconomic barriers are provided additional support through the Perinatal Nurse Navigator.  The Perinatal Nurse Navigator strives to build a relationship with the patient and family that empowers them to get the necessary resources to achieve healthy outcomes during pregnancy and the baby’s first year of life.  “In Licking County, we are fortunate to have a plethora of community services available to expecting families,” said Lynda Hoffman, Director of Maternity Services  “The Perinatal Nurse Navigator can help families determine what services best meet their needs.”  

The Perinatal Nurse Navigator assists families with procuring services from transportation to nutritional aid, such as the LMH Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program – a healthy eating initiative that helps patients and families maintain a balanced diet by offering a prescription for free fruits and vegetables.  Once a week, participants can pick up a fruit and vegetable basket at the LMH Café.  From June through September, families also can receive tokens once per week for the Canal Market District Farmer’s Market in Downtown Newark that can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from vendors.

Through First Impressions educational programming, parents, siblings, grandparents and other caregivers receive information and skills to assist with a smooth transition from delivery to caring for the baby at home.  Mother-baby Basics teaches expecting mothers how to care for their newborn through discussions on infant growth and development, stimulation and safety.  Led by Master Coaches and veteran dads with babies, Boot Camp for New Dads is designed to build confidence and prepare men for fatherhood.  Sibling preparation classes help older siblings understand their place within the family, and grandparenting classes offer expectant grandparents and other caregivers information on the safest practices for caring for newborns.  As they prepare for labor and delivery, women and their birthing coaches can learn about relaxation and breathing techniques in the Childbirth Education class.
 
The Prenatal Breastfeeding Basics Class is part of the LMH Breastfeeding Promotion and Support program that shares the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies while offering support during pregnancy and after birth.  Mothers who participate in the program receive clinical support, encouragement, a personal-use electric breast pump at the time of discharge, and skills training necessary to establish effective breastfeeding while in the Hospital and at home from Certified Lactation Consultants.  Recognized as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility, LMH offers breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.  Baby-Friendly USA, Inc. is the U.S. authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Inititative, a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund.  

“The patient’s needs and desires are at the forefront of any treatment plan that LMH Maternity Services designs,” said Heather Burkhart, Vice President Acute Care Services.  “Our healthcare providers and Hospital staff assists mothers in creating an individualized birth plan that fits the mother’s wishes and medical requirements.”  

Whether an expecting mother requests or requires a low- or high-intervention delivery, LMH Maternity Services can accommodate.  To allow mothers to be as comfortable as possible, Maternity Services staff offer a variety of services during labor including hydrotherapy, massage, and multiple positioning devices, such as birthing and peanut balls, labor stool and squatting bar.  Doulas – trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth – also are welcomed and supported at LMH.  For mothers who want or need higher intervention care, LMH provides state-of-the art equipment such as centralized maternal/fetal monitoring that allows for continuous assessment of both mother and baby.  For additional comfort, mothers and support persons stay in birthing suites designed with the conveniences of home, including a bathroom with shower, a wall-mounted, flat-screen television and DVD players.  

While at LMH, the care provided to the mother and baby follows the recommended “Rooming-in” model.  The mother, infant and support person stay together throughout labor, delivery and recovery.  This approach allows parents to bond with their newborn while the professional nursing staff provides support and one-on-one education necessary for a smooth transition home.  Care for the baby, including weighing, bathing and medical checks, are performed in the private room.  Parents are afforded the opportunity to care for their baby as much as possible, observe procedures, and ask questions.  Newborns who room-in with parents sleep better, cry less often, and experience less stress.  New parents also are treated to several unique services at LMH.  Services include a chef-prepared gourmet dinner and massage therapy to assist mothers with pain management and comfort.

In the case an infant needs special attention after birth, the LMH Special Care Nursery provides a secure environment for infants born prematurely or who require medical assistance.  Specially trained registered nurses and pediatricians are available 24 hours, seven days a week to care for ill newborns.  Extremely premature babies and those who require transfer for more intensive care oftentimes can return to LMH through the Reverse-transfer program.  The program allows newborns to receive medical treatment closer to family and loved ones, making travel less of a burden to new parents.
 
Once discharged from the Hospital, LMH Maternity Services staff continue to provide support for the new family.  The Perinatal Home Visiting Nurse offers first-time mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and mothers who are referred by a physician or nurse a home visit to provide assistance and reassurance after delivery.  The Home Visiting Nurse performs a weight check and head-to-toe physical of the newborn and answers common questions about caring for an infant.  In addition, the nurse checks the mother’s blood pressure, performs a depression screening and offers breastfeeding support.  Mothers also are welcome to join the Breastfeeding Mothers Support Group and visit the Outpatient Lactation Clinic to receive assistance with latch difficulty, low milk production, insufficient weight gain and other issues related to breastfeeding.

“As a community hospital, LMH provides all the benefits of a metropolitan hospital while giving new parents the opportunity to remain close to home, friends and family.” said Rob Montagnese, LMHS President & CEO.  “Providing the best care to Licking County families to improve their health and help them grow is the common goal of LMH healthcare professionals.”
 
The Maternity Services staff strive daily to ensure all parents increase the opportunity for a healthy family and child in the future through access to the best medical care and essential resources to make informed and careful decisions throughout pregnancy and while caring for their child at home.  To learn more about the maternity services available at LMH, visit LMHealth.org.