Lauren Hall-Riggins lost her first baby when she was 33 weeks and one day pregnant.
"It the greatest anguish, shock and pain," Lauren said.
She eventually turned to the Kate Cares Stillbirth Assessment Program, from Riley Children's Health, to learn what may have caused this tragic outcome. The team was able to investigate and informed Lauren that there were no conditions that would cause subsequent pregnancies to have the same outcome.
When Lauren became pregnant with her rainbow baby, she turned to the Riley Maternal Fetal Medicine team. She says their care and compassion helped navigate the anxiety she felt after losing her first baby.
The latest Indiana Maternal Mortality Report found there were 92 pregnancy-associated deaths in 2020 happening during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy. The expert committee also found that 79 percent of these deaths were preventable.
Dr. Carrie Rouse, medical director for Riley Maternity Services and member of the committee, joined us on this episode to delve into the findings of this report. She shared the most noticeable trends in these deaths and how additional support for maternity patients could make a positive impact in the future.
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Rebekah Delaney, director of the Riley Maternity Tower bereavement program, joins us to discuss the support available to families experiencing this type of loss and ways loved ones can be there for these parents in a positive way.
The bereavement program, known as Pathways to Hope, is also hosting an event for the public this weekend called "Light the Night" which will involve a candlelight vigil for the children parents have lost. More information on the event can be found here: https://give.rileykids.org/event/light-the-night-perinatal-and-infant-loss-candle-lighting-memorial/e419544
Newborns are routinely screened for high bilirubin levels, which allows the medical team to determine any risk of jaundice. This condition is accompanied by a yellowing of the skin. Left untreated, jaundice can cause some serious issues.
For the babies who do experience jaundice, there are effective treatments that are carried out either at the hospital or at home.
Riley neonatal nurse practitioner Katelyn Redman joined us for a discussion about what parents should know if their newborn falls into this category.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one in three babies are born via cesarean section (c-section). While some of these types of deliveries are scheduled ahead of time, other patients require a c-section in a more emergent situation.
In this episode, we hear from a Riley labor and delivery nurse who has cared for many c-section patients. She shares the reasons a patient may require a c-section, the steps to preparing a patient for a c-section and an overview of what recovery is like after this type of delivery.
As you near the halfway point of your pregnancy, you will be scheduled for a 20-week ultrasound. This appointment allows your provider to get a clear view of the baby and check for any abnormalities. Some patients are referred to Riley's maternal fetal medicine team for additional consultation.
Dr. Anthony Shanks is one of the Riley maternal fetal medicine physicians. He provides insight into what happens during the 20-week anatomy scan and what parents can expect.
Physical and occupational therapy is available to pregnant patients in the Riley Maternity Tower. From high-risk pregnancy mothers who are hospitalized for weeks to the patients recovering from a c-section, these therapies can make a big difference in their recovery experience.
Lauren Broniarczyk, physical therapist, and Kelly Salter, occupational therapist, discuss the ways they interact with these patients each day.
What is NEC?
Necrotizing enterocolitis is a condition that can impact babies born prematurely. The condition can severely impact a baby's intestines. Often, surgical intervention is required.
We spoke with Dr. Troy Markel, a Riley pediatric surgeon, about how the surgical team jumps in action to help these patients.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and one IU Health patient hopes sharing her own story will help others.
Amanda Phillips noticed herself withdrawing from facets of her life and feeling high levels of anxiety after welcoming her identical twins in 2021. Her OB connected her with the perinatal mood disorders support group, facilitated by an IU Health team member. Amanda says this group of other moms allowed her to feel validated and supported.
"That first group meeting I just remember sitting in my car in tears because I knew I had found a release," Amanda said. "I had found people that got it."
She says she feels she has made a lot of progress over the last year thanks in, large part, to the support group. She still participates in the group.
For some parents, welcoming a baby into the world comes with the challenge of spending time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). As NICU families navigate this time, there are specific things their friends and family can keep in mind in order to offer the best support.
Rachel Scott, a Riley NICU Nest family support coordinator and former NICU mom, shared some advice for those hoping to help parents who may be spending a lot of time in the hospital in those first few weeks or months after their baby's birth.
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.
