Making the transition from hospital
to home with a new baby is one of life’s
most exciting events. The arrival can bring about
questions that any mom may need answered.
To provide support for new families, the Elrod
OB/GYN Center at Southeast Missouri Hospital offers
a free program called Mother-Baby Home Visits.
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| Within days after
the mother’s dismissal from the hospital,
a registered nurse visits mother and baby at home.
Staci Williamson, RN, who works with the home
visit program, said nurses at the Elrod Center
take pride in the continum of care they provide.
“As a nurse, we have the satisfaction of
knowing the baby and mother are at home and doing
well,” said Williamson.
The home visits benefit both mother and baby.
An examination of the baby is performed. It includes
weight and umbilical cord checks.
If necessary, a metabolic screen or other lab
work may be performed under physician’s
orders. A home visit appointment is typically
scheduled before the mom leaves the hospital.
|
 Within
a few days of delivery, nurses such as Staci Williamson,
RN, right will visit new moms in their home. Here
she assists Angela Schlitt and new son Nathan Randy. |
“We visit just a few days
after mother and baby are released. We want to
assure that both are doing well physically and
emotionally,” said Williamson.
First time mom, Amanda Newton, appreciated the
promptness of her home visit. “The nurses
called me a couple of days after I arrived home.
We confirmed a time. They came by a few days later.
It was a good experience,” said Newton.
Services for mothers may include a check of post
surgical procedures as requested as well as answering
any questions.
Whether first time moms or not, many mothers
have questions after delivery. “Whether
they have had one or several children, many moms
have concerns about things such as breastfeeding.
We also deal with issues from second hand smoke
to smoke detectors,” said Williamson.
Newton felt that the information she received
from her Mother-Baby Home Visit was helpful. “The
nurses were so reassuring to me. As s new mom,
I worried about caring for my baby correctly.
They let me know that I was doing just fine. It
was a comfort to hear,” said Newton.
The Mother-Baby Home Visits are available to
patients in Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Mississippi,
New Madrid, Perry, Scott and Stoddard counties.
For more information contact the Mother-Baby Home
Visit office through Southeast Missouri Hospital
at 573-651-5560.
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