- Details
- Category: Past Issues
DKH adds
services for
moms, babies
PUTNAM --- Day Kimball Healthcare’s Maternal Child Health department recently introduced new support and educational services for mothers and babies. These newly established services complement the high quality of care provided in the Burdick Family Birthing Center at Day Kimball Hospital and provide valuable information for moms to use after they are released from the hospital.
The “Mother and Me Breastfeeding Support Group” offers mothers who are nursing to come together with other similar mothers to share their experiences. Trained lactation counselors are there to answer questions, make suggestions and provide assistance if mothers are having difficulty with breastfeeding. The group meets every other Monday from 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in Day Kimball Hospital’s RHF Conference Room #2.
In addition, one-on-one breastfeeding support from a certified lactation counselor is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Moms must make an appointment for this service. New mom, Margaret Walker, said, “The lactation counselors have been extremely helpful and I am grateful to have had this service available at Day Kimball. The additional support is greatly appreciated.”
The “Share Our Memories Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group” meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in Day Kimball Hospital’s RHF Conference Rooms. This support group is a part of the national Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support, Inc. organization. The Share group connects families with others who understand this specific loss and provides the support necessary for grieving.
Providing support to new mothers and babies has always been a priority at Day Kimball Healthcare. Initiatives are well underway to earn Day Kimball Hospital the “Baby-Friendly Hospital” distinction, which is part of a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recognizing hospitals that offer optimal levels of care for lactation. Hospitals with this distinction fulfill a 10-step program of staff training and education while offering support groups and referrals for follow-up support for mothers who desire to breastfeed. The program’s principle is that information gives mothers the confidence and skills needed to successfully breastfeed. With many of the steps already in place at Day Kimball Healthcare, having this official distinction will convey to the community the pride, dedication and hard work by the healthcare professionals at Day Kimball Healthcare.
Day Kimball Hospital’s Burdick Family Birthing Center offers seven labor, delivery and recovery rooms with state-of-the-art fetal monitoring and birthing equipment. These fully furnished rooms offer all the comforts of home and are designed to foster a family-centered approach for childbirth. Day Kimball Healthcare encourages mothers to have their babies “room in” with them. This is to assist the nurses in teaching newborn care, and most importantly, to help mothers bond with their babies before going home. The birthing center also has an ultramodern procedure room for when cesarean sections are necessary to protect the health of the mother or baby. In 2009, 585 babies were born at Day Kimball Hospital.