On Pace
Torrance Memorial provides many new, personalized offerings to make the birthing experience more comfortable for mom, partner and baby.
Personalized Births & Care Torrance Memorial provides custom care for mom and baby. Written by Laura Roe Stevens
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here has never been a better time to deliver a baby at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. Moms can breathe a little easier as they plan their unique birthing experience. The wide variety of personalized innovations available today provides a safe and comfortable labor and delivery for mom, partner and baby. “Our birth navigator program is growing so much we can individualize the experience for everyone who comes in,” explains Natalie Thorpe, RN, director of maternal child services at Torrance Memorial. “We have sound machines, Spotify playlists, aromatherapy, peanut balls and doula-trained nurses. These really help couples relax, feel supported and feel empowered at the same time.” What’s So Special About Doula Training? Torrance Memorial’s labor and delivery nurses have undergone doula training to better assist both the laboring mom and her partner, who may need support and/or advocacy. The training covers a variety of topics including massage, relaxation, breathing and movement techniques, as well as how best to apply heat and cold during labor and supportive communication assistance.
20 | Pulse Magazine Spring 2022
Laura Vombaur, RN, has been a labor and delivery nurse at Torrance Memorial for 32 years. She says her recent doula training has had a positive impact, as she can now help partners communicate and support each other better during delivery and assist in their communications with physicians. “The doula training reinforced what I teach in prepared childbirth classes and how I work with moms in labor. We help couples make their own decisions. And we learn to not project our own values onto the laboring woman. We must focus on what the family and mom is looking for, so the patient has more control over their delivery,” Vombaur says. One way to do this is by offering coaching support to the partner who may get exhausted or flustered during labor. Another is by taking time to answer questions from the couple, which always arise afer the physician has left, so the couple can discuss options and feelings together. Tender Care Through a Variety of Offerings Torrance Memorial now has many personalized offerings for mom, partner and baby. Birthing and parenting classes help couples create a birth plan and plan for life with baby. Sleep-safe cribs and comfortable rooms allow the entire family to rest in ease after birth. During labor and delivery, many comforting options are available such as sound machines, Spotify playlists and aromatherapy. Thorpe notes these help reduce stress and anxiety, which lowers the amount of stress hormones flowing through mom’s body. Another offering Thorpe likes is the peanut ball—a peanut-shaped ball placed between mom’s legs as she lies on her side. It is known to promote labor progression by opening the pelvic outlet as she rests. This is especially helpful if a woman has had an epidural or needs to rest during labor due to complications. Comfortable, Upright, Birth (CUB) support devices are also available to help women get in different laboring positions. “I’m so excited for all the offerings we now have,” says Thorpe. “Women and their partners are comforted with these personalized items. I’m convinced the more relaxed mom is, the better the outcome for her birthing experience.” •
