|
New Monitors Keep Close Tabs on Baby, Mom
an article from the Spring 2007 issue of…
This year, more than 1,800 babies will be born at Harbor Hospital. Each of their births will be unique and special for both mom and the newborn baby. Each birth also is a vulnerable, delicate experience. While mom, baby and family take in the magic of the birth, Harbor’s team of caregivers works hard to make the process smooth as possible. That’s why the team has begun using new maternal/fetal monitors to ensure mom and baby are healthy and safe throughout the labor and delivery experience.
Monitoring Baby
As a standard of care, mom and baby are hooked up to the maternal/fetal monitor upon arrival at the hospital. The monitors track the heart rate of the baby and follow the rate of contractions. When the internal monitor is used (after mom’s water has broken), the system not only measures how often and how long the contractions are coming, but also will determine the strength of contractions.
Monitoring Mom
In order to closely track mom’s health during the birth process, this system offers a variety of features. Blood pressure and pulse can be taken at regular intervals. In addition, the blood pressure system, called Smart BP,™ will know when mom is having a contraction and cease to take a reading during that time. This helps keep mom as comfortable as possible and ensures the most accurate reading.
A highly advanced feature of this monitor is a built-in EKG function. If the team has any concerns about mom’s heart health, the machine will take an EKG to monitor the activity of her heart so that any sign of trouble can be observed quickly and addressed.
Advanced Documentation
The Women and Infants’ Center at Harbor Hospital also has gone paperless. Using an electronic documentation system called IPR-OB, the staff has nearly eliminated the use of paper recording. As a part of this advanced process, the new maternal/fetal monitors automatically populate information into mom and baby’s electronic records. “Automatically inputting information electronically saves time for our nurses, allowing them to be even more available to the family,” said Marion Kerns, MS, RN, Director of Nursing.
The Softer Side
After making sure that mom and baby are healthy and safe, the caregivers at Harbor Hospital want to make sure that the birth is a special celebration. With the help of the new monitors, the team can play a choice of three celebration songs: “Happy Birthday,” “Rock-a-Bye Baby” or “Brahms’ Lullaby.”
Said Kerns, “With this new technology, we are able to offer state-of-the-art care for mom and baby while making the experience as comfortable and convenient as possible for the new family.”
Women's Services
Labor and Delivery Tours
Fetal Assessment Center
| 
Print
E-mail
