Mother and Baby Care News and Events - Baptist Health System

Women's Services Tour at North Central Baptist Hospital

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Expectant mothers and their families are invited to attend a tour of North Central Baptist Hospital's Women's Services area.� Tours are offered on the first Monday of every month at 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm�and 8:00 pm.�

2012 Schedule

Monday, January 2
Monday, February 6
Monday, March 5
Monday, April 2

Monday, May 7
Monday, June 4
Monday, July 2
Monday, August 6

Monday, September 10
Monday, October 1
Monday, November 5
Monday, December 3

These tours are FREE and there's no need to pre-register.
For more information, please call 297-7005

The tour includes orientation to the Atrium Lobby, hospital parking and entrances, the Mother's Milk First Lactation Center, the Labor and Delivery Unit, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the Newborn Nursery, Post Partum, family waiting areas and amenities available to mom after delivery including a free portrait session for baby and post partum massage.� Throughout the evening food is available, vendors showcase products aimed at new and expectant mothers and a pediatrician is on-site to answer questions.� This is a great opportunity to pre-register for delivery and become acquainted with North Central.�

One-hour tours of North Central Baptist Hospital will familiarize expectant families with the following areas:�

-�� Atrium

-�� Lactation Center

-�� Main Entrance Parking

-�� Main Admissions

-�� Emergency Department Entrances

-�� Labor and Delivery

-�� Newborn Nursery

-�� Post Partum

-�� Family Waiting Areas

�

Practice Makes Perfect

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

When taking care of our tiniest patients, it pays to practice on babies that act just like a newborn, but aren't one. To help Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) teams be better prepared to care for very sick and premature newborns, North Central Baptist Hospital has created a "drill" program that recreates intense, very stressful scenarios - very similar to NASA, Department of Defense and airline emergency scenarios.

Using a state-of-the-art simulation mannequin that can recreate heart beat, breathing sounds and actions, body movement, and color changes along with the ability to accept IV fluids, drill participants are given cues by the mannequin very much like a real baby would give clinical clues as to what is wrong. Hospital NICU doctors, nurse practitioners, RN's and respiratory therapists can practice teamwork under stressful situations. This type of training has been shown to reduce medical and nursing errors. The training lab can travel so that obstetrics and labor and delivery teams are all practicing teamwork and know what to do when babies need help.

New Kid-Friendly Anesthesia Now Available at North Central Baptist Hospital

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

North Central Baptist is the only hospital in San Antonio offering nitrous oxide sedation for pediatric patients, administered by fellowship trained pediatric intensivists, which helps manage discomfort, pain and emotional stress for our pediatric patients. The procedure is so kid-friendly that children often give themselves the medication, which is administered through a small mask. Watch the news coverage of the story.

The innovation is just one more way the Baptist Regional Children's Center (BRCC) at North Central Baptist Hospital is working to make all of its pediatric services kid-focused. North Central Baptist offers the only separate children's emergency center, and the only Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in north San Antonio. Both are staffed by nurses and doctors experienced in the care of pediatric patients.

The Child Life Center at North Central Baptist Hospital provides a nurturing and comforting environment for children. A Certified Child Life Specialist works with families to make sure their stay is as comfortable as possible. The child life center features a playroom equipped with videos, games and activities to keep children busy and happy during their stay.

For more information on the complete kid-focused care available at the Baptist Regional Children's Center, call 297-7005 or visit www.baptisthealthsystem.com

North Central Baptist Hospital Designated a 2010 Texas Ten Step Facility

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

North Central Baptist Hospital has been designated as a 2010 Texas Ten Step Facility by the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Hospital Association. This annual designation is awarded to birthing facilities that provide optimal care to improve breastfeeding outcomes.

The Texas Medical Association officially endorsed the Texas Ten Step Program in 2009 to encourage hospitals to create an environment that supports the breastfeeding mother. Health professionals agree that breastfeeding is the first step toward a healthy life. North Central Baptist Hospital is providing an environment that creates positive outcomes for breastfeeding families.

North Central Baptist Hospital has implemented 10 goals or "steps," to support mothers who intend to breastfeed their infants before, during, and after delivery. These practices will help the facility meet Texas Breastfeeding Initiative's goal of having 75 percent of mothers exclusively breastfeeding when they go home with their newborn. This is an essential step toward longer durations of exclusive breastfeeding after discharge.

Among the goals that a facility must maintain to acquire the Texas Ten Step designation are training staff within the first six months of employment and offering annual updates. Staff provides the mother with resources to get continued care after discharge as well. The information provided allows staff to give mothers the care that they need in order to succeed in breastfeeding.

Visit the North Central Baptist Lactation Center .

Shiftworking Parents: How to Stay Connected to Your Kids

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

by Tina Coleman

It's hard enough for parents who work 9 to 5 to stay connected with their kids. Imagine working the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift. For many parents, it means missing sporting events, parent-teacher conferences, and family activities, not to mention dinnertime and bedtime.

The good news is that many families make it work. It's all a matter of maintaining a positive outlook, says Janie O'Connor, a specialist in shiftwork education and president of http://shiftworker.com/ .

Accepting Your Situation

Making it work involves three things:
Accepting that you and/or your spouse work a nontraditional schedule
Communicating that to your children
Working within that framework to recognize and take advantage of the opportunities that nontraditional schedules offer

That may mean eating birthday cake for breakfast or celebrating Thanksgiving on a Tuesday, but valuing family time, whenever it happens, will relieve a lot of shiftwork-related stress.

Using Good Communication and Organization
Shiftworking parents who make it work, says O'Connor, invariably credit their success to two things:

Making a concerted effort to stay in touch with their kids while they're growing up
Being organized and detail-oriented, arranging their schedules each week to make sure that all the bases are covered

Reducing Guilt and Stress

Many shiftworking parents assume a lot of guilt , O'Connor says. The guiltier you feel about your work schedule, the more stress both you and your kids will feel. Whining about your awful hours, even if your goal is to let your children know that you're just as unhappy with the situation as they are, is an invitation to them to join in the whining, thus increasing your feelings of guilt.

It's helpful to remember that there are a lot of options available to shiftworking parents and their kids that aren't available to nine-to-fivers. Parents who work evening shifts are often able to help with classroom activities or serve as lunchroom monitors at their kids' schools. Parents who work overnight shifts arrive home as their kids are getting up in the morning and can better enjoy breakfast time because they're not rushing to get off to work themselves.

Negotiating a Contract With Your Teen
"I know a nurse, a single-parent shiftworker, who wanted to be in touch with her teenage daughter," O'Connor says. "The two of them sat down and discussed curfews, rules for daily contact, responsibilities, etc. They hammered out differences, and agreed that they would meet together as often as necessary to alter or refine the agreement. They put it in writing, and each signed it. This is a very healthy idea for any family with a shiftworking parent."

If you have more than one child, work out individual, age-appropriate contracts with each.

Being a Noncustodial Shiftworking Parent
Visits between a child and a noncustodial shiftworking parent can be great, O'Connor says, but will require "coloring outside the lines." Perhaps you can meet for breakfasts rather than spending entire weekends together, she suggests. Above all, show up, be present, and be committed. Stay in touch with telephone calls, letters, email, and visits whenever possible.

Weighing the Pros and Cons
Teens whose parents work nontraditional hours attain greater maturity and develop home management skills at a younger age than their peers do, O'Connor says. On the other hand, when shiftworking parents don't pay enough attention to detail and aren't committed to being present in their children's lives, the resulting overabundance of independence combined with a lack of direction and boundaries can lead to behavior problems and difficulties in school.

"It can go either way. Which way it will go depends on the kind of attention that's paid to the child," O'Connor says. "When there are expectations, boundaries and, most importantly, responsibilities, it will work. Without these, it's a struggle."

Making It Work
The experts offer the following tips for making the most of your situation:

Schedule time together. -The lack of contact that can result from shiftwork can make meaningful interaction difficult, so it's especially important to schedule time together.

Develop routines. -Put everything, especially family time, (and sleep time!) on a calendar. Routine is very important, says Barry G. Ginsberg, PhD, director of the Center of Relationship Enhancement and a child and family psychologist in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

Find creative ways to participate in events. -If you can't make it to the soccer match or band concert, have a family member videotape such events and schedule a time when you and your child can watch the video together while he or she recounts the high points. Want to attend a family party but have to leave early to go to work? Take two cars so you can get some enjoyment from the event without making everyone leave early because of your schedule.

Set clear rules. -Don't forget to set rules pertaining to acceptable reasons for waking a sleeping shiftworker.

Stay positive. -Keep a positive attitude about your schedule and look for the opportunities it offers. Always find a way to be grateful for what you have. Share your positive attitude with your kids by letting them know that this is how your family works and you're doing fine-you just march to the beat of a different drummer.

RESOURCES:
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
http://www.aacap.org/

American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/

CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Mental Health Association
http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/index.asp

Canadian Psychological Association
http://www.cpa.ca/cpasite/home.asp

References:
Shiftworker.com website. Available at: http://shiftworker.com/ .
Last reviewed February 2008 by Theodor B. Rais, MD

All EBSCO Publishing proprietary, consumer health and medical information found on this site is accredited by URAC . URAC's Health Web Site Accreditation Program requires compliance with 53 rigorous standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audits.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at HLEditorialTeam@ebscohost.com .

Find Out Why Baptist Moms & Kids Website Won Gold

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The American Advertising Federation's San Antonio Chapter awarded a Gold ADDY to the Baptist Health System's Moms and Kids Website at their annual awards ceremony held on February 21. The award recognizes excellence in advertising design.

The Baptist Moms & Kids website, designed by Gray Web Technology, focuses entirely on women's health and pediatrics. The site contains information on infertility, lactation, and labor and delivery. Visitors can take virtual tours of our Lactation Center, Neonatal ICU, and Labor & Delivery Suite or keep up with our healthcare professionals by reading their blogs.

The site contains useful information on the Children's Emergency Center at North Central Baptist Hospital, the only fully equipped and staffed pediatric emergency department in the Stone Oak area. Visit our award winning site at www.baptistmomsandkids.com .

Attend the Gestational Diabetes Education Classes at North Central Baptist Hospital

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Gestational Diabetes Program is a 1 1/2 hour course designed to help you take control of your diabetes. The goal of the program is to help each individual with gestational diabetes make the lifestyle changes necessary to improve glucose control.

The classes are led by Edythe Chambers,�a certified diabetes educator and registered dietician.

Educational topics include:

What is Gestational Diabetes?
Nutrition and Pregnancy
Exercise
Medications for Control
Blood Glucose Monitoring
Complications
Sick Day Management
When to Call the Doctor

For more information or to register, call (210) 297-7005.

When:

Time:

Location:

2nd and 4th Monday of each month

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

North Central�Baptist Hospital
Atrium, 2nd Floor Education Room
520 Madison Oak Dr.�
San Antonio, Texas 78258
Maps & Directions

Children's Health Research 2008

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

by Pamela Jones, MA

Our featured research news in 2008 looked at new treatment approaches, prevention strategies, drug research, and changes in medical care. The studies also reflected the changes in medical industry to decrease unnecessary costs without cutting care. Here is a quick recap on children's health research featured from 2008.

Children's Health News

Hot news topics for children's health in 2008 focused on problems associated with medication for children. Some over the counter medications were brought in question for safety and effectiveness. Vaccines remained a hot button topic as well as medications for ADHD which an estimated 2.5 million children are currently taking.

In a review of past studies on the use of decongestants and antihistamines for children with ear infections these medicines were found to have little to no effect on the duration of the illness. These drugs have come under close scrutiny in the last few years for negative effects on children.
Vaccines remain a hot topic for children's health. Results from several studies were reviewed about the Influenza or flu vaccine. While the vaccine was very effective against flu caused by influenza it was not effective against other illnesses that caused flu-like symptoms. In addition, it did not seem to be as useful for children under 2 years of age.
Children with underlying and unknown heart conditions can have serious heart damage or even die because of stimulant medication like ADHD medication. The American Heart Association released a recommendation that children should receive and EKG before receiving this medication.
Alternative treatment may be able to provide some anxiety relief for children undergoing medical procedures. A relatively easy acupressure procedure was shown to reduce anxiety for children about to undergo medical procedures.

How Does This Affect You?

Talk to your child's pediatrician if you have concerns about specific medications and vaccines. Colds, ear infections, and the flu can make your child miserable but medication may not be the answer. In fact some medications may provide little to no benefit and some risk. Talk to your doctor about what medications if any may be appropriate and ways to help relieve discomfort like hot or cold compresses, a humidifier, or special drinks. Teach your child proper hand washing techniques to help prevent infections.

Resources:

American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org/

American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/

American Pediatric Association
http://www.aap.org/

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/

Kids Health
http://kidshealth.org/

National Institute of Health
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/

Last reviewed January 2008 by Larissa J. Lucas, MD

All EBSCO Publishing proprietary, consumer health and medical information found on this site is accredited by URAC. URAC's Health Web Site Accreditation Program requires compliance with 53 rigorous standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audits.
To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at HLEditorialTeam@ebscohost.com.

Northeast Baptist Hospital Becomes a Texas Cord Blood Collection Site

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Texas Cord Blood Bank (TCBB), a publicly and privately funded non-profit program established to create a public supply of umbilical cord blood, announced in October that it has begun collecting the life-saving resource from Northeast Baptist Hospital. Northeast Baptist is the tenth hospital in Texas, and the fourth one in San Antonio, to collect cord blood for the Texas Cord Blood Bank.

"The program has been a great success at North Central Baptist, and we understand the importance of this service and wanted to make it available to as many of our patients as possible," said Trip Pilgrim, Baptist Health System President/CEO. "We plan to have more San Antonio Baptist Hospitals become part of the Texas Cord Blood Bank. This partnership is critical to providing our community with a leading edge solution to combating a number of diseases. Our patients and families want and deserve to have an opportunity to be a part of that solution."

TCBB, a division of the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center, is the state's first public bank for umbilical cord blood. Although usually discarded after the birth of a healthy baby, umbilical cord blood is rich in blood-making cells that can be used to help patients with a number of conditions. Cord blood cells can be life savers for those who need bone-marrow transplants, (people with lymphoma and leukemias); people with disorders of the blood-making system, such as sickle-cell anemia; severe immune-system disorders, neurological problems and genetic defects affect the blood-making system.

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Baptist Offers New Resource for Women: Baptist Moms and Kids

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Designed with women and children in mind, Baptist Health System brings you Baptist Moms & Kids.� A helpful resource for you and your child's health.

Featured on this new website you will find:

A useful guide to Baptist Health System Women's Services
Info on infertility, lactation, labor and delivery
Free e-information and blogs
Useful information on our Children's Emergency Center at North Central Baptist Hospital in Stone Oak
Hospital virtual tours
How to pre-register for the birth of your baby
A Just for Moms and Just for Kids area
Women's Health Info
Classes and Events

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