Maternity Matters

The Riley Maternity Tower obstetrics emergency department is available to pregnant patients from the moment they get a positive pregnancy test all the way through the very end of their pregnancy. The specialized medical team can evaluate the patients who come in with a focus on their pregnancy concerns. 

Dr. Amanda Underwood, OBGYN, chats about the benefits of having this type of dedicated emergency department. 

The OB ED is staffed by obstetrics providers who are familiar with common complications and complaints across all spectrums of pregnancy, Underwood said. These providers have devoted their training to treating these issues. 

Families in the Riley Maternity Tower have access to art therapy as a way to cope with the hospital experience. Trained art therapists are there to provide the various activities while also being a safe person to talk to about emotions surrounding hospitalization. From high-risk pregnancy patients to NICU parents, those in the Riley Maternity Tower can turn to the art therapists to help them create special items for their babies. 

Some pregnant patients who are hospitalized for weeks leading up to delivery choose to focus on creating decorations for their baby's nursery. NICU parents might want to create baby footprint art to commemorate their child's time in the intensive care unit. An art therapist is there with them while they participate in art-making leading them through ways to process everything that's happening. 

At Riley Hospital for Children, there is a new care model being used to care for babies at risk for withdrawal. The approach is called "Eat, Sleep, Console" and it focuses on meeting the needs of the baby and empowering parents to respond appropriately. To encourage all of this, babies "room in" with their caregiver. Evidence shows that rooming in can decrease the likelihood of a baby going to the NICU or requiring morphine therapy, which is an escalated treatment for babies with significant withdrawal. 

We spoke to Dr. Pat Clements, the medical director for well newborn care, about how this family-centered care model is helping to lessen the stigma associated with opioid use disorder. 

The Riley Maternity Tower has the state's only OB Intensive Care Unit. A comprehensive team is able to quickly respond to any issue one of these patients may face. The unit is just steps away from four operating rooms just in case there's a need for any kind of emergency procedure. 

We chatted with Kelly Knight, who is the OB ICU program manager, about how this kind of care can improve outcomes for moms and babies. 

In the moments after a baby is born in critical condition, seconds matter. The Riley Maternity Tower Stork Team is at the ready to jump into action. 

This team includes highly trained neonatologists, nurses, respiratory therapists and advanced practice providers like nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They're present for high-risk deliveries that may require a baby to be resuscitated or other critical care strategies. 

NICU nurse Andrea Purdy is part of the team and shares more about their role in these types of deliveries.  

For many families in the NICU, music is a creative outlet that allows them to escape the day to day stress of the unit. 

Riley music therapists are there to guide them through sessions that help parents bond with their newborns. From writing personalized songs to creating meaningful playlists, there are many ways parents can use music to connect with their baby in the NICU. 

Music therapist Lauren Servos focuses her work on these patients. She chatted with us about the way music therapy sessions allows families to create happy memories even during a difficult time period. 

The CDC recently released new data showing pregnant women with symptomatic COVID-19 have a 70 percent increased risk of death. The virus also increases the risk of preterm birth and admission of the baby to the NICU.

We chatted with Dr. Lana Dbeibo, medical director of infection prevention at Methodist Hospital, about what care teams are seeing at hospitals around our area. Plus, she shares her personal experience as a mom who had a baby in May of 2020. She discusses her decision to receive the COVID-19 vaccine while breastfeeding.

For many women, it's common to experience the 'baby blues' in the first couple of weeks after welcoming a new baby. But, there are those who actually experience a perinatal mood disorder such as depression, obsessive compulsive disorder or PTSD. 

Tracey McInnes, perinatal mood disorders program coordinator for IU Health, explains the signs a mom may need additional support and shares information about the resources available. 

From mom support groups to professional therapy, Tracey emphasizes that new moms do not have to feel alone as they navigate their mental health journey. 

So, you finally get to take your new baby home -- now what? Newborns do not come with instructions and first time parents may face a lot of uncertainty in those first few days. 

Dr. Pat Clements, medical director of well newborn care for Riley Children's Health, offers some advice for families about what to monitor once you leave the hospital. He offers tips on how to ensure your newborn is safe and when to call the pediatrician. 

Plus, he provides some advice on how to handle COVID-19 concerns. 

The Milk Lab at Riley Hospital for Children handles all the milk for babies who are in the NICU or other units. The lab is equipped to safely handle breastmilk and formula. The staff is also trained to create precise formulas that provide nutrition to the youngest patients, who often have complex medical conditions. Soon, a second milk lab will open in the Riley Maternity Tower.