A-2 • FebruAry hoPPer -NewSShopper news ebruary1,1,2017 2017• •PPowell owellS/N orwood
health & lifestyles
A new baby for a new year After being raised with a little sister who is nine years younger and being around nieces and nephews from six half-siblings, Melanie Mullins can say she has quite a bit of experience with babies. Still, the enormity of the situation was not lost on her. Mullins found out she was pregnant, and it came as a complete surprise. “We were not actively trying to start a family,” she says. “We were both a little scared, but also excited.” While the thought of having a baby was a little overwhelming, there was something that brought her peace. It was her faith in the medical staff at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. “I chose Fort Sanders Regional because I had been a patient there before and felt like I was really cared about while I was there,” Mullins says. The birth of a first child is a monumental event in the life of a family, but Fort Sanders Regional delivers more than 2,000 babies each year, so first-time moms-to-be can set their minds at ease. Expectant parents find exceptional medical backup with one of the best equipped neonatal units in the area. Specialized OB surgical suites are designed for ultimate efficiency. If there are complications, it’s comforting to know that East Tennessee Children’s Hospital is just steps away, and the two hospitals are connected by a tunnel, with medical coverage and care available around the clock. Jan. 2, 2017, was the original due date, but Mullins went into labor on December 31, 2016. Like many other first-time moms, she wasn’t sure if it was the real thing or a false alarm. “It was hard to get ready to leave the house, and I kept having to lie down,” she says. “I finally realized that it was definitely ‘go time,’ so I phoned the doctor and told
her I was on my way.” Mullins gave birth to the hospital’s official New Year’s Baby. Little Adalynn Irons made her grand entrance into the world at 1:45 a.m. on Jan. 1. Months of morning sickness had caused some concern about the health of the baby,
be more pleased. “I was nervous about being a new mom, but the doctors and nurses kept me calm and confident,” Mom and baby are happy and Mullins says. “The staff was healthy after a New Year’s amazing, from the nurses to the delivery at Fort Sanders Regional anesthesiologist who administered my epidural.” Mullins appreciated the quality of care and she also appreciated the compassion the nurses exhibited, making sure she was well cared for. That included little gestures of thoughtfulness that aren’t part of a nurse’s usual job description. “On my last evening in the hospital, I was hungry at about 4 a.m., and asked the nurse where the closest vending machine was,” Mullins recalls. “She brought me a sandwich, fruit, peanut butter and crackers, and a Sprite. “It was just the sweetest thing,” Mullins says. “I just want to hug them all.” Mullins says it’s “pretty neat” to be the mother of the New Year’s Baby. “The staff made me feel special, and I am glad I will have such a special story to tell my daughter when she is older.” Mother and baby are both doing well, although Mullins admits they’re both very tired. The new mom says her biggest challenge is trying not to worry, a common concern for every caring mom. “I just want to be the best mom possible,” Mullins says. Mullins is emphatic in recommending Fort Sanders Regional for expectbut Adalyn was a ant mothers. “It’s important to feel cared completely healthy about and listened to when you are having newborn. a baby,” she says, “and that is exactly my “My appetite was never re- experience.” ally there,” Mullins says. “We were surprised and grateful that she weighed seven To learn more about the birthing center pounds, 12 ounces at birth.” at Fort Sanders Regional, visit In fact, everything about the childbirth www.fswomensspecialists.com. experience went well, and Mullins couldn’t
Pre-delivery classes available through Teddy Bear University As you or a loved one prepares to give birth, you may benefit from classes through Teddy Bear University in breastfeeding, breathing and birthing relaxation tips and infant and child CPR. All classes are held in the classrooms on the lobby level of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center. Class schedules are available at http://www.covenanthealth.com/2016-fsr-schedule. The following classes are offered: ◊ Breastfeeding – Learn breastfeeding basics including correct positioning, tips for returning to work and an overview of breast pumps. Fathers-to-be are encouraged to attend. ◊ Sibling Class – Siblings age 4 to 10 are welcome to attend Sibling Class, which promotes family bonding to help reduce jealous feelings. A tour of the birthing facility is also included in this class. ◊ Birth and Babies Today –This five-week series covers the variations of labor and birth, breathing techniques, tips for your support person and care for the new mom and baby. This class is recommended for first-time parents starting in their sixth or seventh month and includes a facility tour. ◊ Super Saturday Class – The Birth and Babies Today class is condensed into one all-day Saturday class for women in their seventh or eighth month of pregnancy. This session is not recommended for first-time parents. ◊ Infant and Child CPR and Safety – American Heart Association-certified instructors are on-site to teach parents and caregivers how to effectively perform CPR and removal of airway obstruction for infants and children. All Teddy Bear University dates, times and fees are available at www.CovenantHealth.com/TeddyBearU or by calling (865) 673-FORT.
A special partnership Because of a special partnership with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital (ETCH), there is no safer place for a baby’s beginning than Fort Sanders Regional. The two facilities have an open door policy, so there’s nothing to slow down the effort to provide immediate, expert care to newborns who need it. When a baby who needs specialized care is born at Fort Sanders Regional, a team from Children’s quickly assembles and moves through the tunnel connecting the two hospitals. Babies are immediately assessed by pediatric specialists and if necessary, head back to a brand new neonatal intensive care unit at ETCH. While medical staff at Fort Sanders work to stabilize new moms, families are able to visit newborns without traveling too far from the delivery room. The close proximity not only provides convenience to patients and families, but provides the assurance that every neonatal service needed is available right next door.
At Fort Sanders Regional, we deliver! For more information about the outstanding physicians that deliver at Fort Sanders Regional, please call (865) 673-FORT (3678) or visit www. fsregional.com.
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E Excellent obstetricians E The Fort Sanders Perinatal Center for high risk pregnancies E Direct tunnel access to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital