Sierra Vista Regional Health Center:::Quality People-Quality Care

Welcoming over 1,400 new citizens every year, our Maternal Child unit is proud to offer high-tech yet comfortable home-like surroundings for our families. In a soothing atmosphere of low lighting and private birthing rooms, we do everything to make your experience with us positive and restful for your baby’s arrival. Completing our Maternal Child department and services expansion in early 2004, we are confident you will feel right at home with us.

Pre-Registration: Click here for information about pre-registration.

"Children of friends and relatives that are under the age of 12 may not visit on the unit at any time."

Our Rooms

All of our rooms come with the following amenities:

- Private birthing room in which your entire birthing experience will take place.
- On-unit surgical suite so your return to a private room will be quick and efficient.
- Babies can “room in” with mom.
- Equipped with specialty beds, comfortable chairs that lay flat for guest sleeping, color TV with cable service, and large windows will make you feel right at home.
- All rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art fetal monitors that allow observation right in your room or at the nurses’ station.
- Telephones
- Click here for our visitation guidelines.

Our Nursery

After your baby is born, you can take comfort that our expanded nursery and Level II certification will provide excellent care for your new baby.

- Certified by the Arizona Perinatal Trust as a Level II Nursery, we can care for mothers and newborns at selected higher risk by selectively delivering babies at a gestational age of 34 weeks and greater.

- With a brand new digital camera from Growing Family, you will receive a full color proof of your new arrival’s photos before you leave the hospital.

- You can create your baby’s first web page on our WebNursery, a free service provided by Growing Family. To check out our WebNursery, click here.

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Our Staff

Your experience in our Maternal Child unit will be supported by our compassionate and caring staff of Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and certified Technicians.

- Some members of our team are endorsed by the National Certification Corporation as Certified Registered Nurses or Prenatal Instructors.

- Our prenatal instructors are members of our nursing team, so information received at our classes will be accurate and up-to-date.

- If you decide to breastfeed, you may request a visit by a lactation educator so that you and baby can get off to a great start.

- Supporting our nursing team are clinical professionals from Cardiopulmonary, Rehabilitation, Laboratory, Radiology, Nutrition and Food Services, and Pharmacy.

- Our staff receives continuing education bringing them the latest in the profession and helping maintain our higher level of certifications.

- Our staff is supported by our active Volunteers – you will recognize them by their turquoise smocks.

The Physicians

Your physician from whom you have received your prenatal care will see you in our hospital. Depending on whether it is after hours, weekend, or vacation time will determine whether he or she will actually deliver your baby. All of the Obstetricians and Gynecologists on our Medical Staff are licensed by the state of Arizona and follow our hospital Medical Staff guidelines.

Our Awards

In our quest for excellence, we are pleased when others recognize and acknowledge our efforts:

- We received a Johnson & Johnson Childbirth Nursing Award by being nominated by at least one of our patients for exceptional care by the childbirth nursing team.

- Healthy Families Arizona recognized our unit in 2002 with the “Ounce of Prevention” and “2002 Community Partners” awards for going above and beyond in support of their home visitation program.

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Community Support

We are proud of our community and of the way they support our families:

- Healthy Families Arizona and First Steps (for military parents) are there when new families need that extra support or connection to services in our region so that everyone can start off on the right foot. More information may be obtained by calling Healthy Families Arizona at (520) 458-7348 or First Steps at Huachuca at (520) 533-6877.

- Our hospital Auxiliary has provided thousands of pairs of lovingly-knitted and crocheted booties and other items that go home with each of our new arrivals. Our December babies receive special handmade stockings from our Auxiliary, too.

- Stitches From The Heart, an organization of crafters, has sent boxes of beautifully-made items to be given to our babies.

- Ladies from the Church of Latter Day Saints in Bisbee and the Mountain Valley Mennonite Church in Cochise also make special clothing and blankets for our babies.

- Friends of the Library and local teaching society Delta Kappa Gamma collect and provide new books to encourage a love for literature.

- Infant formula companies Similac, Enfamil, and Ross, provide diaper bags, baby supplies, samples, and contribute to our staff educational fund.

-Parenting Warm Line: 1-877-PRN-7077. Parents can call this number to get parenting questions answered.

For more information, feel free to email sharon.gaspardo@svrhc.org

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Childbirth Education

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center’s child birthing classes are tailored to your childbirth experience here at our hospital. Our specialized classes are taught by experienced Registered Nurses that are on staff in our Maternal-Child Department. Your childbirth educator will provide you with information about pregnancy, childbirth, newborn care, brastfeeding and Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block Class. You will also receive a tour of the department.

Books are provided to each participant. Here are some frequently asked questions:

• Are the classes open to anyone?
The mom and one coach (support person) may attend the series of classes.

• Is there a cost to attend the class?
The cost of the class is $40.00, due at the first class.

• When should I sign up for the classes?
We encourage calling and signing up for classes as soon as possible, because our space is limited. We encourage you to sign up for classes around your 20th – 22nd week.

• How many classes are in the series, and when do they meet?
There are six classes in the series that meet on Monday and Thursday nights at the Education Outreach Center located at 1840 S. Paso San Luis. You will be asked to select a series on one of those nights. When you sign up you will be told what time the class starts. We also offer an all day Saturday class, held in the Jenney Room at the hospital which runs from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

• What topics are covered in the classes?
Late pregnancy discomforts
Breathing & relaxation
What to do and who to call when labor starts
Information about epidurals and medications used for childbirth
Caesarean birth
Newborn care

Breastfeeding

How to soothe a fussy baby (Dr. Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block)

To register for classes, please contact Jolene Vega, Registration Coordinator at 417-3079 or by email to jolene.vega@svrhc.org.

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Postpartum Depression

We are pleased to announce a new service provided by SVRHC's Maternal Child Department. In March of 2008, we implemented a screening program for postpartum wellness, specifically to assess for a woman's risk of Postpartum Depression or Mood Disorder. A team of Maternal Child RNs have been trained for this program, April Anderson, Ellen Ackerman and Andrea White. The program consists of a phone call, by one of our team members, to a woman four weeks after delivery. We use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to evaluate a new mother's risk for Postpartum Depression or Mood Disorder, a distressing disorder more prolonged that the "baby blues". If a woman scores nine or greater on the EPDS, we refer her to a doctor and other community resources as appropriate.

What is a postpartum mood disorder? Having a baby is typically viewed as a happy time in a family's life. However, may women experience emotional changes after childbirth that can have a serious effect on the entire family. Emotional changes are the result of many factors, including changes in hormones, the physical stress of labor and delivery, not getting enough sleep, and the demands of caring for a newborn. About 75-80% of new moms will experience the Baby Blues. It is described as mild depression mixed with happier feelings, or as some women state, "It's an emotional roller coaster". The Blues usually begin 2-3 days after birth and symptoms include:

tiredness
inability to sleep
feelings of sadness
crying spells
feeling overwhelmed
inability to cope
feelings of loneliness
feeling nervous/anxious

Postpartum Depression If the Baby Blues last more than two weeks or if symptoms of the blues become worse, you are most likely experiencing Postpartum Depression. 10-20% of women will experience Postpartum Depression. Symptoms include those in the Baby blues as well as:

anger, fear, and/or feeling of quilt
thoughts of inadequacy as a person/parent
hard time concentration/making decisions
appetite changes
feeling disconnected from the baby
possible suicidal thoughts

Treatment Options There are several treatments for postpartum mood disorders. The most common of these are:

Postpartum support groups
Individual or Couples Therapy
In come cases, medication

Advice for Fathers

Understand that this is not her fault and she is not making up these symptoms.
Be patient and encouraging.
Tell her you love her and recognize that she is doing her best.
Learn all you can about postpartum mood disorders and help her find professionals who will understand her issues and give her the support she needs.
Know that she will be well.

Self Help Women who have a mild form of postpartum mood disorder may find some relief by trying some of the following ideas:

Find someone to care for the baby so you can sleep.
Get some mild to moderate exercise each day.
Eat nutritious, balanced meals to give you energy.
Talk about your experiences with someone you trust.
Take some time just you each day.
Give yourself permission to do less and allow others to help you
Give yourself credit for all that you do each day!

When Self Help is not Enough If symptoms do not get better or they start to interfere with your daily life, women are encouraged to contact their health care provider. The Arizona Warmline for Postpartum Support International is 888-434-MOMS (6667). SVRHC's Postpartum message phone is 417-3033.

Unit Tours

The Maternal/Child Department gives tours to expectant mothers every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. Because we may have an unexpected high volume of patients, we do request that you please call the unit about 5:30 p.m. on the Sunday you wish to visit so that we may ensure someone is available to conduct the tour. The Maternal/Child Department can be reached at 417-3180.

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