Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 2, 2019

KH . ORG 7 Avoid an Early Delivery The following precautions can help reduce your risk of preterm labor: • Maintain a healthy weight before pregnancy and gain the right amount of weight during pregnancy. Work with your provider to create the right nutrition and exercise plan. • Don’t smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs or abuse prescription drugs. Visit KH.org/emerge for information on Kootenai Clinic’s Emerge Program for mothers who need help managing sobriety. • See your OB-GYN or other care provider as soon as you think you’re pregnant. Be sure to attend all prenatal care visits to help ensure you and your baby are healthy. • Manage any chronic health conditions properly and talk with your provider about any changes in symptoms. Chronic conditions can include diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety and thyroid problems. • Stay up-to-date on important vaccinations and fight illness through proper handwashing. Avoid eating raw meat, fish or eggs; practice safe sex; and avoid cleaning out your cat’s litter box. • Reduce your stress. Eat healthy foods and do something active every day. Ask for help around the house or caring for other children. Talk with your spouse or your boss about how to lower your stress at home or at work. • Wait at least 18 months between giving birth and getting pregnant again. Source: marchofdimes.org Looking for an OB-GYN? Learn more about Kootenai Clinic OB-GYN at KH.org/obgyn or call (208) 625-4970 . Keeping a closewatch According to March of Dimes, about 1 in 10 births in the U.S. is premature (before 37 weeks’ gestation). While some women may be more prone to experience preterm labor than others, there are ways to reduce your risk factors and get medical intervention when necessary. “Because Britney had her first baby at 32 weeks, we knew to watch closely during her second pregnancy—and are seeing her more frequently again for her third pregnancy to lower her risk factors and catch any signs of preterm labor,” said Julie Meltzer, M.D., Kootenai Clinic OB-GYN. “As her doctor, knowing she’s able to utilize the NICU at Kootenai Health so she can be close to her babies and family is huge.” The NICU at Kootenai, which opened in 2016, cares for babies born as early as 28 weeks’ gestation or who are born with other complications. Both Britney and Nick said they are grateful for the new space, technology and private rooms. “Our first son, William, was born before the new Family Birth Center opened, so all the preemie babies were in one room, and parents were unable to stay the night with them,” Britney said. “The care and compassion from the staff was just great, but after staying in the new NICU with our second son, it was like night and day. The rooms are big and quiet, and I felt like we could be a bigger part in the care process. In the weeks you spend with your baby in the NICU, the staff becomes more like your second family. In one of the hardest and worst times in our lives, we were able to find peace in the support we received in the NICU.” Focusing onthe good Nobody plans for a premature labor and all the potential complications it may bring, but Britney and Nick believe that with the right team and attitude, anyone can turn it into a positive experience. “We never felt like we were alone; our nurses educated us and gave us the tools to care for our babies,” Nick said. “It was never just about the baby or just about Britney; it was a family experience we got through together.” “Life seldom goes the way we plan. I think it’s important to be open to the experience and not fight the process,” Britney said. “I didn’t want to spend our time feeling stressed or thinking, ‘We shouldn’t be here.’ I wanted to find the good. I focused on the opportunity to spend five uninterrupted weeks with my new baby. Most moms of a toddler don’t get that quality time with their second baby, so I used our time together in the NICU to bond, to sing to him and rock him. Your time in the NICU can be a blessing. It’s part of our story now, and it’s beautiful.”