Babies at the Family Birth Center

The babies are expected in about 4 weeks. Susie and Sam have been attending the prenatal classes in the Family Birth Center at Salem Hospital. Susie and Sam have been feeling pretty ready for what’s in store for them!

They’ve found that the Family Birth Center offers a variety of classes for new and expecting parents. The nurse instructors are very helpful, making it easy to pre-register and tour the birthing center.

Susie has arranged to take maternity leave from her job just one week before the babies are due. She’s more than surprised when she begins having signs of early labor one afternoon at the office. She calls her doctor who instructs her to go to the Family Birth Center for evaluation.

Susie is admitted to a room in the Antepartum Department. The room is beautiful with a daybed for dad, shower, TV, and more - really state-of-the-art. She’s given medications to stop the labor. This works for a few days. It’s so good that Sam can stay right in the room with her the whole time as she is a little nervous.

Susie’s labor continues to progress until the decision is made to deliver the twins. The first twin, a girl, is born fairly easily. She’s small, but beautiful and completely healthy. Her name is Serena. The second twin isn’t doing as well and needs to be delivered by emergency cesarean birth.

The second twin, a boy, is delivered quickly and then rushed to the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The baby stays in this special area for a week. Both mom and baby need antibiotics prepared by pharmacy services.

The Family Birth Center uses a family-centered approach to provide individualized care so Susie can use a boarding room to be close to her baby son in the NICU. She’s able to pump breast milk for him, hold him, and learn more about his care. The baby is named Shawn.

While in the NICU, Shawn is followed closely by a pediatrician and a neonatologist. Social Services assists Susie and Sam by identifying community resources for their family. Susie is thankful for the care for herself and her babies. She’s able to sleep and eat well. She’s surprised at how good the food is!

Finally, 10 days after they’re born, Susie and Sam are able to take Serena and Shawn home. Susie and Sam are thankful to find so many services available to them, including newborn hearing screening, lactation services, social services, WIC services, photography and post-partum follow up.

While they’d stayed with their babies Sam and Susie were able to observe many aspects of the hospital they’d never noticed before, such as all the monitors and other sophisticated electronics used on the patients.

They were impressed with all this and wondered who maintained it. The security staff and systems that were in place to protect the babies were very much appreciated.

Sam and Susie also appreciated the warm smiles of the volunteers, which made them feel welcome at the birth center. The entire facility was so clean! Susie knew it must take a lot of work to keep it that way.
Things are going well at home.

Susie and Sam have returned several times during the past few weeks to the Family Birth Center for the Breastfeeding Support Group. The babies are growing. Susie and Sam are learning how to care for them and enjoy being parents.

When the babies were three months old, they had some problems and had to be admitted to Pediatrics with respiratory difficulties. This frightened Sam and Susie, except they knew the Women’s and Children’s Services staff well and trusted them to take excellent care of their children.

Susie was concerned about making sure that her babies didn’t catch something from another patient. The nurse told her how they prevent the spread of infection and what she could do to protect her babies.
The twins made a full recovery and were able to go home.

Susie helped the nurse get them down to the entrance while Sam brought the car around. Sam couldn’t help but notice that even the parking structure and grounds are as neat and clean as the inside of the hospital. This also impressed him.

Susie, Sam, Serena and Shawn came home to stay. They are happy, healthy, growing and loved.

Take the Tour
It is recommended you take a minimum of three of these patient tours. You are welcome to go on as many as you like. Click on the story name to open it.

	Sam's Soccer Situation Learn what happens when Sam gets injured while playing soccer.
	Bob's Stress Test See the outcome of Bob's stress test as he struggles with heart health.
	The Accident Follow two students to the Emergency Department after they're in a car accident.
	Ricardo Stops Smoking Find out the health risks of smoking during Ricardo's stay at the hospital.
	Babies at the Family Birth Center Discover the Family Birth Center as Susie delivers her twins.
	Matt's Changes Follow along with Matt as he experiences the hospital's mental health offerings.
	Tanya's Lump TLearn what Tanya goes through with her cancer treatment at the hospital.
	Delia's Screening Discover the results of Delia's colonoscopy screening.