Maternity Matters

This week, we hear from one of the NICU team members. 

Beth Dehoff is part of the NICU Nest team and provides support to families in the unit. She explains the ways they are able to provide guidance to families when they first arrive in the NICU, how parents are encouraged to be involved in their baby's care and what NICU parents should keep in mind as they adjust to life in the hospital. 

What does care with a midwife look like? Can you only use a midwife if you plan to have an unmedicated delivery? 

Darla Berry, one of our Riley Children's Health midwives, debunks some myths and explains what midwifery is really all about. 

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week,  a Riley lactation consultant discusses the resources available to moms who decide to breastfeed. Jamie Kreuzman is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who provides support in the hospital to families soon after they welcome their babies. She shares the top obstacles moms face with breastfeeding, options available to families whose babies must go to the NICU and how parents can get some guidance even once they leave the hospital. 

Riley genetics counselors provide support to families before pregnancy and in the months leading up to delivery. Through different types of screenings, these counselors can help parents prepare for any obstacles their baby may have to overcome after birth. 

The counselors are trained in genetics, biology, statistics and psychology. Their expertise allows them to guide parents as they learn information about their child. 

This week, one of those counselors explains what it looks like when a parent opts for genetic testing and how the field has advanced in the last couple of decades. 

This week, we hear from a LifeLine team member who is part of the crew that transports the sickest babies to Riley Hospital for Children. 

Cathy Overley is a respiratory therapist with more than 25 years of experience. She opened up about her passion for this role and how the transport team is able to act as an intensive care unit for these babies until they arrive at Riley. 

Many women are choosing to delay starting a family. And, there is a lot of information out there about what it means to become pregnant later on in life. 

In this week's episode, we chat with Dr. Amanda Underwood about pregnancy at age 35 and over. Underwood will be the lead laborist for the Riley Maternity Tower. She discusses what steps to take before becoming pregnant, the types of screenings that may be offered and other helpful information. 

What happens after you deliver your little one? Two Riley team members break down the process that occurs once mom, baby and support person move to Mother Baby unit. 

Two Riley Children's Health labor and delivery team members share details about what laboring moms can expect once they arrive at the hospital. Can you eat while you're in labor? When do can you get an epidural? Are you able to give birth in a bathtub? They answer some of the frequently asked questions plus provide insight into what it's really like to work in this unit. 

Riley Children's Health is changing the way mothers and babies are treated in Indiana. The new Riley Maternity and Newborn Health Tower will open this fall. For the first time, women will be delivering babies at Riley. Dr. Carrie Rouse, a maternal fetal medicine physician, chats about this new care model and what it will mean for families.