Heather's Pregnancy Was Full of Surprises
and Excellent Care From Her Nurses
Despite the most diligent care, pregnancies don’t always go entirely according to plan. When they don’t, it takes a team between family and medical specialists to navigate uncertainty. Heather found her support in the nurses at Swedish Hospital.
In Heather’s second trimester, her quad screen returned with abnormal results. Pat DeLuna, a nurse at Swedish Hospital, talked with Heather to walk her through the results and the next steps, including booking follow-up appointments to better determine what had caused the abnormality.
For Heather, these results came with a pleasant surprise. There was nothing wrong with her child. In fact, there was nothing wrong with either of them. She was having twins.
“I told Pat and she said she had been thinking about me all week,” said Heather. “I am sure she is extremely busy, yet she took the time to take care of me on a personal level and support me through the scariest weeks of my life. I will never be able to thank her enough.”
When the delivery came, it did not come easily. After two days of labor, Heather decided to undergo a C-section for her safety and that of her daughters. Although the decision to have a C-section was not one that she had thought she would need to make, the team at Swedish Hospital was there to guide and support her through the process.
“Nurse Meghan Kilmer was amazing,” said Heather. “She listened to my concerns and was my advocate to all the other medical professionals. Meghan gave me strategies to navigate multiple days of labor and four hours of pushing. When we decided to have a C-section, she helped me feel comfortable and empowered with my decision.”
“
The nurses in
Labor and Delivery are gifted and know how to support and encourage women during what can be an extremely difficult and worrisome time,” Heather continued. “There were nurses that held my hand when we kept losing one of my twin’s heartbeats on the monitor. Nurses held and cherished our daughters as they came into the world, helped me to the nursery after my C-section and appeared in our doorway to answer our questions at all hours of the day and night.”
“Nurse Maureen Prale assured me that while all of the nurses and doctors saw me as a unique person with unique needs, they were very experienced and could help me through my challenges,” said Heather. “She went out of her way, coming across the hospital to visit me while I was in labor and tell me that she knew I could do it. Her positivity and strength helped me continue.”
Another resource that Heather found extremely helpful is the Swedish Hospital
New Moms Group, a free, weekly support group for recent or expecting mothers. The group helps new moms connect with one another and gain support. It is facilitated by midwives, psychologists, lactation consultants and other experts that host discussions covering topics such as postpartum body changes, feeding challenges, exercising post-delivery and dealing with baby blues.
“The other new mothers and I are extremely thankful to have a nonjudgmental and supportive place we can visit to share our concerns, support each other and benefit from the knowledge and wisdom of our leaders,” said Heather. “I have forged some amazing friendships through this group, and I believe I avoided some of the stress of new motherhood because I never felt alone or isolated. So many hospitals offer education and support before birth, but Swedish Hospital recognizes moms continue to need support and education after birth.”
During one new moms meeting, each mother was given the opportunity to share her birth story. “It was wonderful to hear all the different experiences, but it was also amazing to hear a common thread between the stories,” said Heather. “All the moms received excellent care from either the doctors or midwives, and sometimes both, but the thread that connected us all was the amazing care we received from the nurses at Swedish Hospital.“
“I will never stop being grateful for the amazing care I experienced at Swedish Hospital,” said Heather. “I recommend Swedish Hospital to all of my pregnant friends, and I have encouraged many new moms to attend the New Moms Group. Thank you so much for helping me have such a positive and empowering experience!”
Swedish Hospital’s
Family Birthing Center provides a comfortable, home-like birthing experience.
Learn more about
childbirth at Swedish Hospital.
By David Modica | Published November 30, 2016
