From the WBWC Blog:

News

Latest news non-related to individual births.

Dragons and Monsters and Ghosts, Oh My!

Tips for Navigating the Fearful Stage by Claire C. McKiernan   “AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!” This is the sound of a two and a half-year-old running and shrieking down the hallway…at 2 o’clock in the morning. When I was pregnant with my second child, my first child went through a stage where she routinely woke up in the middle of the night. Oddly enough, her response was not to glance at the clock and think “gee, it’s the middle of the night, I should go back to sleep.” Rather, her response was a full-fledged, top-of-her-lungs, terrified shriek like Sasquatch had just leapt through her window and tapped her on the shoulder. She would come running for me (like I need Sasquatch in my room.) Waking up in this manner would cause my heart to briefly lodge itself in my throat, and I’m pretty sure for a split second I was levitating with my hair on end (though I never took a video to prove it). Frequently, in an attempt to allow my husband to drift back to sleep, I would waddle-run (yes, it’s possible) to meet her in the hall before she kicked open the partially closed door, banging it against the doorstop.  I would sing to her and rest next to her on her twin-sized bed, until she fell asleep (or, more likely, until I woke up an hour later and dragged my weary self to bed).  This happened night after night after night, and I wondered what to do and if it was turning my unborn child into a nervous wreck. My only experience with monsters had been in my own childhood bedroom. Fortunately for my parents, the monsters that visited me in the dark could only detect motion.  I would play possum, barely daring to breathe until they wandered away in search of live prey that they would certainly swallow up whole. My parents never knew. WHY MONSTERS? One day your child is fine with something (closets, bathrooms, the dark) and the next day…not so much. Could she be expressing fear from some recent trauma? Possibly, but unless you know of something traumatic in her life, chances are it is just her imagination kicking in. It’s a developmental stage (yay!!) that crops up between 2-3 years and may last several years, though the fears may change over time. There can be triggers, so stay attuned to how your child reacts … Read More

WBWC in Need of Gently Used Blankets

Do you have receiving blankets in good shape that your baby doesn’t need any more? Consider donating them to the birth center.  We’re always in need of receiving blankets!  You can drop them off at the front desk any time during business hours.  Thanks for your generosity!

New Arrivals

*Benjamin Edward Hammell – 8 lbs., 2 oz. – December 10 * Elise Maria Tully -7 lbs., 4 oz. – December 30 Townes Augustine Kusterer – 7 lbs., 5 oz. – December 30 *Gillian Kate Farmer – 7 lbs., 12 oz. – December 31 Keigan Matthew Angell-Hinson – 6 lbs., 14 oz. – January 2 Elyse Jonae Frierson – 7 lbs., 1 oz. – January 3 Roxana Sol UySmith Eesa Ibrahim Yahya Minort – 7 lbs., 9 oz. – January 7 Max Abraham Given – 7 lbs., 2 oz. – January 8 Daniel Christopher Bowden – 10 lbs., 1 oz. – January 8 Malcolm Alexander Robertson – 7 lbs., 4 oz. – January 8 Beatrice Lee Strutz – 8 lbs., 1 oz. – January 9 Anne Meadows Johnston – 8 lbs., 2 oz. – January 9 *Maxton Nicholas Chetty Hilliard – 6 lbs., 14 oz. – January 11 Ione Violet Crawford – 7 lbs., 1 oz. – January 11 Judah Ray Overton – 7 lbs., 11 oz. – January 16 Sebastian Brock Heineman – 8 lbs., 8 oz. – January 17 Luna Mae GreenCook – 6 lbs., 9 oz. – January 18 Lyon Emmanuel Harris – 5 lbs., 14 oz. – January 21 Kerickson Fox Reynolds – 7 lbs., 3 oz. – January 21 Asher Moffat Gowen – 8 lbs., 3 oz. – January 22 *Caden James Mebane – 8 lbs., 8 oz.- January 23 Faith Elizabeth Hoots – 7 lbs., 9 oz. – January 26 Mikayla Brooklyn Snyderman – 6 lbs., 15 oz. – January 27 Zera Ruth Cizek – 7 lbs., 12 oz. – January 28 Lucie Lyn Bratsman – 7 lbs., 2 oz. – January 28 Elias Alan Tompkins – 8 lbs., 5 oz. – January 29 Elena Bea Shafer – 7 lbs., 7 oz. – February 1 Norah Cathryn Stauffer – 8 lbs., 14 oz. – February 2 Isaac Eytan Hans – 9 lbs. – February 5 Daphne Avery Larrimans – 5 lbs., 14 oz. – February 5 Miles Elliott Hanner – 7 lbs., 13 oz. – February 7 Lillie Ellen Wilkinson – 7 lbs., 9 oz. – February 8 William Holt Harrington IV – 8 lbs., 14 oz. – February 10 *Blake Alexander Maldonado – 7 lbs., 5 oz. – February 10 Brielle Lorin Leedom – 8 lbs., 14 oz. – February 11 Titus Gabriel Garduce – 8 lbs., 8 oz. – February 12 Isaac … Read More

Elliot Stevens Swanson’s Birth

by Missy Swanson It was a Friday two weeks past my due date, and I was exhausted. I’d spent the previous night trying to sleep through mild but uncomfortable contractions on a mattress in our hallway (the only place in the house without windows) while we waited out a tornado tearing through our town.  For each of the two nights before that, I’d had contractions that were too uncomfortable to sleep through but not strong enough to be real labor.  The first night that happened, I was excited and stayed up timing contractions.  But now, I’d had enough. I decided I was through. “I’m ready to get induced at the hospital,” I told my husband Andy.  We had a 42-week ultrasound scheduled at UNC that day, and then an NST at the birth center. “I’ll tell the midwives after our ultrasound. I don’t think I can handle another night of this.” The only alternative I could see was being pregnant forever and having mild contractions for the rest of my life as I slowly went insane from lack of sleep.  Andy agreed that an induction at this point was a reasonable plan, and we headed out to UNC. The ultrasound showed a healthy baby with plenty of fluid. As we were checking out, the receptionist said, “Let’s go ahead and schedule your next ultrasound for Tuesday.”  I laughed.  “No!  I’m not going to be pregnant on Tuesday.”  She was insistent, so I begrudgingly pulled out my calendar to mark down the time.  At that moment, I felt an odd pop and then a huge gush.  “I think my water just broke!” I gasped in disbelief.  The growing puddle at my feet confirmed this. “Told you I’m not going to be pregnant on Tuesday,” I said triumphantly as I squished to the bathroom in my soggy flip-flops. My water breaking gave me a second wind. The contractions stopped immediately, so my body got a break.  Even better, I was now in the frame of mind that maybe I would eventually give birth, and I could do it at the birth center!  We went back to the birth center, had our NST, and got our stuff set up in the peach room.  Since I was no longer having contractions, and I needed new flip-flops, Andy and I went out to do some shopping and have lunch.  We made plans to check back … Read More

Spotlight: Lorraine Reilly, RN, IBCLC

    We’re pleased to welcome Lorraine Reilly, RN, IBCLC to WBWC’s full-time staff!  You may have met Lorraine when she worked as a nurse at the birth center part-time from 2008-2010.  Now she will be coordinating Group Prenatal Care, doing home visits, and assisting with lactation in addition to providing labor and delivery and postpartum nursing care.      Lorraine has been a nurse for eight years.  She attended nursing school at Salisbury University in Maryland. She began her career at Duke Hospital on the pediatric oncology and bone marrow transplant unit.  After taking some time off to stay at home with her children, she returned to nursing in 2008 as a labor and delivery nurse at WBWC.  She began working full-time at UNC Hospital in labor and delivery and postpartum in 2009.       She’s drawn to the birth center because of her own philosophy about birth. “I love the birth center because it honors birth as a natural and sacred process.  It aims to empower women through birth,” says Lorraine.  Lorraine is committed to holistic care: in addition to supporting women in labor, she’s a certified lactation consultant, prenatal yoga instructor, and Reiki practitioner.  She also plans to continue her studies in midwifery in the future. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her 3 children, practicing yoga, and singing.

Group Prenatal Care: Sign Up Now!

Our Group Prenatal Care has been a great success so far! It’s the perfect opportunity to meet other WBWC moms while learning how to have a healthy pregnancy and birth.  Remember, Group is first-come, first-served, so be sure to sign up ASAP!

The Role of a Doula

by Wanda Sundermann Most pregnant women today will at some time be asked if they are planning to have a doula at her birth. For many this will be the first time she has ever heard the word “doula”, a Greek word meaning “woman who serves”.  In today’s birth culture, a doula is a birth attendant who gives physical and emotional support to a woman in labor and her partner. The doula is most often a woman, so I will use the pronoun “she” but recognize that there are a few male doulas out there in the world.  There is no licensure or required training for doulas. Most of them learn their craft by attending workshops and many births. Some doulas are just getting started and some have attended hundreds of births. When considering whether to have a doula at your birth it is important to understand what a doula’s role would be. A doula will usually meet with a woman and her partner at least once before the birth. The doula is available for consultation by phone or in person to answer questions or concerns that the mother may have about her pregnancy and care. The doula does not give medical advice, but can often explain conditions or procedures that the woman may not understand.  When the woman thinks she might be in labor, the doula will talk with her on the phone to offer suggestions of what the couple can do in the very early stage of labor to either move labor along or rest and prepare for it.  When the couple is ready for more support the doula will come to their home and help them stay at home as long as possible. This is a key component in a plan for natural childbirth. In the early stage of labor the woman is very susceptible to disruptions that can slow labor. She is the most comfortable in her own home and will make more progress there. When the doula arrives at the couple’s home she will assess the situation. Doulas do not do clinical assessments such as cervical checks, listen to fetal heart tones or take vital signs. Rather she will observe how frequent and strong the contractions are, how the mother is handling them and ask the mother how the baby is moving. Depending on what is happening, they may stay at the home for minutes … Read More

News from the Board

by Kaaren Haldeman              Happy almost-Spring from the board–here’s hoping the warmth is here to stay! The board met on February 20 and was introduced to Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist, an anthropologist from Elon University who will be doing some qualitative research with WBWC. We welcome Dr. Palmquist and team and look forward to hearing about their work at our April meeting. Maureen Darcey updated the board on pending activities at the NC State Legislature, and we thank her for keeping us informed about current proposals and action. As we head into the months of growth and bloom, the board wishes all at WBWC a healthy and allergy-free season!

Attention New Moms!

Is Your Infant Under 3 Months of Age? UNC lactation students in the Mary Rose Tully Training Initiative are looking for volunteers! In an effort to try to help more moms understand and be able to recognize infant feeding and satiety cues we would like to collect photos and video footage of your little one. With your permission, we will take pictures of your infant while he or she is displaying common physical behaviors that let adults know they are ready to eat or finished eating. The photos and video footage will be shared with other new moms so they can become familiar with these feeding-related signals that infants send as early forms of communication. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Rachel Davis at: Rachelmdavis715@gmail.com or 803-673-4946 We appreciate your help! Thank you!