The Rancho Springs Family Birth Center Team.
A recent ribbon-cutting event marked the unveiling of the newly decorated and updated Family Birth Center at Rancho Springs. Women’s Director Gina Lowery, MSN, RNCOB, says a new color scheme and a brand new logo have provided a soothing and tranquil look and feel. The logo, a butterfly, is a symbol of new life and birth. “It’s a total refresh for the department. We are also including portraits of babies and their families as part of the décor,” says Lowery.
Comprehensive Care for Mom and Baby
The award-winning birth center features 17 spacious private labor and delivery suites, along with 24 postpartum rooms, triage areas, a dedicated post-anesthesia care unit, cesarean section operating rooms and a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The NICU is a joint venture with Rady Children’s Hospital, and is like a hospital within a hospital, says Lowery.
“The NICU can care for babies older than 28 weeks who need a higher level of care,” she says. “Through Rady, we have neonatologists and perinatologists who take care of high-risk patients, as well as advanced life support nurses in attendance at all high-risk deliveries. If a baby is born less than 28 weeks, we transfer them to Rady’s main hospital in San Diego.”
In addition, board-certified hospitalists who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology are in the hospital 24/7 to support on-staff OB/GYNs, as well as to deliver babies in the absence of the patient’s own physician. “There is a lot of support in our unit for both moms and babies,” says Lowery. “We recently added wireless fetal monitoring, which allows moms to get out of bed and walk around. It’s much more comfortable and it allows them more freedom to move into positions that help ease labor pain. Technicians are also able to monitor heart health through labor and delivery in case a patient needs special cardiac care.”
A 24/7 OB Emergency Department is also available. Triage beds and designated rooms house patients whose pregnancies are beyond 20 weeks’ gestation. This dedicated area allows nurses and doctors to treat patients quickly and efficiently. Lowery says they typically triage more than 400 patients a month, just in that unit.
All About Family
When it's time for baby to be born, the parents can have whomever they want in the spacious birthing suites. Once baby arrives, both mom and baby are in their own room together. “Couplet care is great for families because we keep the baby with the mom, and the nurse who is taking care of her also takes care of the baby at the bedside,” says Lowery. “It’s great for parent bonding, and we also encourage skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding.” The rooms have been updated with furniture that conveniently transitions into a bed, for family members to rest.
A lactation team is available for patients who would like assistance with breastfeeding their baby. Lowery says there are nine nurses on staff who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® certification and that the hospital has been recognized by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® and International Lactation Consultant Association® for excellence in lactation care.
Lowery says they are focused on making every patient’s experience a positive one, and encourage patients to make the birthing experience their own. If patients want many family members present, or just themselves, that is up to them, she explains. Also encouraged is a scheduled tour of the center and participation in birth classes prior to baby’s arrival.
Award-winning Facility
Patients who have their babies at Rancho Springs Medical Center can expect an award-winning experience. The hospital has been recognized with a Blue Distinction® Center for Maternity Care designation as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Blue Distinction Centers are nationally designated hospitals that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes.