Birth Experience Focus Groups Spur Changes at New Beginnings Birth Center; Third Focus Group Re-Scheduled for Oct. 25

  • September 22, 2011

Marilyn Hildreth (center) of JM Birth Consultants leads the first birth experience focus group, held July 12 at Brookings Health System.
Marilyn Hildreth (center) of JM Birth Consultants leads the first birth experience focus group, held July 12 at Brookings Health System.

In response to feedback from the recently held birth experience focus groups, and as a part of the ongoing initiative to improve labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care, Brookings Health System has initiated a series of changes at New Beginnings Birth Center.

Brookings Health Systems will offer meal vouchers to the spouse, or significant other, and children of delivering moms at New Beginnings Birth Center. In addition, Brookings Health System has increased the snack selection in the father's room.

"The meal voucher to our cafeteria and snacks are a small thing, but when new parents spend so much time at our facility during the labor and delivery process, it gives them one less thing to worry about," said Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Hillestad.

New Beginnings Birth Center will also offer Bose® stereos with an iPod® dock to help parents bring their music from home. In addition, Brookings Health System will play a short lullaby on the facility's intercom system each time a new baby is born.

"The lullaby is a nice touch that allows Brookings Health System to proudly announce a new person has entered the world," said Hillestad.

Feedback from the focus groups also prompted Brookings Health System to hold free breastfeeding workshops on Sept. 15 and 16. The workshops educated expectant moms and obstetrics nurses alike on the benefits of skin-to-skin while breastfeeding and respecting the parents' breastfeeding wishes while at the hospital.

Brookings Health System will hold a third Birth Experience Focus Group at their facilities on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m., changed from Oct. 13. Brookings Health System invites the community to share their thoughts and opinions on the birth experience and how the health system can help meet those needs.

Brookings Health System provides full obstetrics services to expectant parents and enables area residents to deliver their baby close to home with the same physician they saw through their entire pregnancy. 

For more information about Brookings Health System's full obstetrics services, go to www.brookingshealth.org.

About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed Brookview Manor nursing home, and Brookhaven Estates apartments. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock medical-nursing care for patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.