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Not knowing what to expect for her first birthing
experience, Tessa said she was thankful that so much
of what she wanted was already standard practice at
Kootenai. She was able to have her birthing team in the
room with her, and bonding time was a priority.
“Immediately after her delivery my nurse midwife,
Ronda, and the nurses put her straight on my chest for
bonding time before she was taken to be examined,”
Tessa said. “Marshall got to do skin time with her too,
which was really important to us. So much of what
we wanted is how this facility is set up and run. The
room had seven people in it, and we still had plenty of
space.”
Following the delivery, Tessa and Marshall moved to
postpartum where they could rest, recover and spend
time together. While there, Kootenai Health lactation
consultants helped Tessa and Danica work on feeding
and plan for their discharge home.
“Each of the rooms has this cool network with
educational videos, TV and medical information,” Tessa
T O L E A R N M O R E
about the Kootenai
Health expansion, visit
KH.org/expansion. If
you are an expectant mother and would like to
learn more about Kootenai’s Family Birth Center, visit
KH.org/birthingor call
(208) 625-6050
to learn about our
prenatal classes.
said. “My nurses and I could leave notes for each other
there, I could look at what medications they were giving
me and why, and I could see who was taking care of us
that day. It was really helpful.”
Despite giving birth in the middle of a big move for
the department, Tessa said she felt comfortable and
well cared for.
“Everyone was amazing,” she said. “Even though
they were adjusting to their new space, they were very
accommodating and attentive. We couldn’t be happier
with how everything turned out.”
Tessa DeMoy and her
husband, Marshall
Allers, with their baby
girl, Danica, in the new
Family Birth Center at
Kootenai Health.
KH . ORG
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