Happy Beginnings
The Birthing Inn Offers the Ideal Setting for New Moms
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Alana Burdick and twins Tristan and Harper relax at home along with husband Chris and son Ryan, 7. |
Alana Burdick didn't want to have her twins just anywhere. Even though the hospital near her home in Winchester was a convenient 15-minute drive, she knew she wanted to have her babies at Inova Loudoun Hospital. Although her pregnancy had gone smoothly, Burdick was concerned about the prospect of having twins at age 41. She knew that Loudoun offered the most advanced technology available in a caring, compassionate environment where she and her family could feel at ease.
A Helping Hand
In response to Burdick's concerns about her high-risk pregnancy, the maternity center at Loudoun, known as The Ladies Board Birthing Inn, partnered her with a birth navigator, Cindy Andrejasich, RNC, MSN, CNA-BC, who has more than 25 years of specialized experience in both labor-and-delivery and mother-baby care. Andrejasich was able to answer Burdick's questions, address her concerns and serve as a trusted resource throughout her pregnancy and delivery.
"Having the birth navigator to talk to and discuss things with and to just be a cheerleader for me was wonderful," recalls Burdick. "She took a lot of apprehension out of the whole experience."
And most importantly, the navigator was able to link Burdick to Chauncey Stokes, MD, an obstetrician experienced with high-risk, multiple-birth pregnancies.
"Alana's situation as an 'older' mom is not uncommon, but twin pregnancies are always monitored carefully," Dr. Stokes says. "And in her case, everything went smoothly."
 Get on Board the StorkExpress StorkExpress, an Inova speed- interviewing event, allows women to interview potential OB-GYN doctors. The event will be held Thursday, Sept. 22. Click here to register. |
A Soothing Atmosphere
Burdick couldn't have found a
better environment or a more
caring staff to help her twins,
Tristan and Harper, make their
way into the world last March.
The Birthing Inn offers expectant
moms customized care with an
emphasis on family support. The private labor rooms offer a warm, homelike setting with soothing
lighting and ambient décor designed to help mothers-to-be feel relaxed and comfortable during labor. The Birthing Inn is equipped with the most advanced medical technology available and a neonatologist or neonatal nurse practitioner and anesthesiologist are in-house around-the-clock to offer assistance every step of the way for women with high-risk deliveries.
If you have a planned cesarean section, or even an unscheduled one, there are two dedicated operating rooms located in The Birthing Inn that are staffed by a highly trained surgical medical team. This type of birth can be a family-centered event where members of your family are welcomed to support you.
For infants who need special care, there is a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that can handle infants as premature as 28 weeks. It is staffed by specially trained registered nurses, respiratory therapists, neonatal nurse practitioners, and neonatal and pediatric physicians. The unit combines advanced equipment with expert, compassionate care to make sure your baby gets the best start possible. The NICU staff cares for the entire family by offering encouragement and promoting family involvement.
Time with Baby
To help Burdick and her husband feel confident and prepared about having a cesarean section, the nursing staff at Loudoun provided them with a comprehensive tour of The Birthing Inn prior to delivery and answered her questions about the birthing process.
"Having a C-section is major surgery and I had never gone through that before, but what helped me was being prepared and knowing what to expect," says Burdick. Her husband, Chris, remained by her side throughout the delivery, and he and their 7-year-old son, Ryan, had the option of staying in the postpartum room during Burdick's recovery, along with the newborn twins. The grandparents were with the family throughout the stay.
Having her family with her during her recovery was a tremendous support to Burdick. The Birthing Inn offers mothers the option of "rooming in" with their newborns in one of The Birthing Inn's private postpartum rooms or having their baby stay in the nursery. Families can feel safe about their baby's well-being both before and after delivery knowing The Birthing Inn is equipped with wireless fetal monitors and a state-of-the-art infant security system. To help family members feel at home, each room features ample accommodations, including a comfortable sleep chair and free Wi-Fi high speed Internet access. For those once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities, families have access to professional photography services and a free personal website.
Coming Home
When Burdick was ready to come home with her twins, the nurses at The Birthing Inn provided her with valuable tips on caring for her babies, such as basic feeding and bathing. She also received beneficial information on breastfeeding from a board-certified lactation consultant.
"The Birthing Inn is so warm. Whether you have a high-risk pregnancy or a normal pregnancy, everyone gets treated with the utmost kindness, compassion and respect," says Burdick. "They make you feel like you're the only person having a baby that day."
You've envisioned the ideal birth experience for you and your baby. Now you need a setting where those expectations can be realized, and the right person there to help make it all happen. Here's a list of questions to ask when choosing a facility and an OB-GYN or certified nurse-midwife: |
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Whether you're expecting and want to learn how to |
