Important Differences in Choosing Where to Deliver Your Baby

By Mark J. Bonamo

One of the most important decisions any expecting mother-to-be can make is where to deliver their baby. There are significant differences in hospital approaches to childbirth, and many women may want to consider the impact on themselves and their baby’s care as they prepare for the special day.

Andrea Lotosky, Administrative Director of Nursing at Saint Clare’s Health, brings her own experiences as a mother of three and as a nurse to help prepare woman and their partners for childbirth. She explained one fundamental difference hospitals have regarding childbirth - a baby-centered approach versus the family-centered approach.

“The baby-centered approach focuses on breastfeeding. This includes rooming mom and baby together the entire time postpartum and not using supplements, such as formula or pacifiers. With the family-centered approach at Saint Clare’s Health, we let moms choose how they want their experience to be,” said Lotosky. “We have fully functioning nurseries, so moms can take a rest if they need to. We encourage breastfeeding and have lactation consultants available. We also have supplements and pacifiers, if needed. Again, it’s totally the mom’s choice.”

Breastfeeding is not always easy for new mothers, which is the reason Saint Clare’s Health offers lactation consultants who are ready to help.

“We have nurses that specialize in breastfeeding. It’s their world. They educate moms and their companions, giving them tips and tricks for success,” Lotosky said. “They not only offer moms support in the hospital, but once the moms go home, they remain a resource to call upon, as well as providing additional classes and support groups. The nurses are very important in the success of breastfeeding for new moms.”

The choices of care available at Saint Clare’s Health made going through childbirth progressively easier for Lotosky as she went through her own pregnancies.

“I had my third child in a family-centered situation at Saint Clare’s Health, and it made a world of difference for me,” Lotosky added. “If I needed rest, I got rest. If I didn’t want my baby to leave my side, that’s what happened. There was a lot less pressure.”

Whatever approach a new mother may choose when they have their baby at Saint Clare’s Health, they continued on page 20