Welcoming a baby into the world can be one of the most beautiful and stressful times in a woman’s life. To handle the ups and downs of delivery and postpartum care, Saint Francis Hospital has established itself as an outstanding destination for top-of-the-line, safe, comfortable services. In a conversation with Walter Trymbulak, M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Women and Infants Service Line, we discuss the incredible reputation the hospital has established, and the preparations they’re making for the future.
Q: What can women expect when they come to Saint Francis Hospital for their maternity or labor and delivery care?
A: We know that every mother  has unique needs and support systems, so we do all we can to ensure your birth experience reflects your needs. That can range from who you want there to help with the delivery, to respecting a mother’s pain control wishes. We have family-friendly labor and delivery units that offer a homelike atmosphere dedicated to your comfort and well-being. We really focus on creating an environment that welcomes the family into the birthing process for mother and significant other. Your baby stays with you in your room whenever possible, leading to better sleep quality for mothers and babies, more success with breastfeeding, and helps mothers understand their babies needs more quickly, while they have extra guidance in the hospital. We’re focused on building a culture of safe sleep practices to decrease the presence of SIDS in our community. And, we’re a four-time Women’s Choice Award Best Hospital for Obstetrics. There is nothing better than being identified by our patients as the best place for care.
Q: Can you talk about the partnership with Nest Collaborative and how that will benefit patients?
A: The first 72 hours after a new mom leaves the hospital are the most important for becoming a successful breastfeeding mom. Every new mother is going to run into hurdles and frustrations. We want to provide families with support to overcome those challenges so they can reach their feeding goals. This is why we’re the first hospital in Connecticut to partner with Nest Collaborative. Nest is an online service that connects new mothers with professional lactation consultants virtually. We know that telehealth became an important tool during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is an extension of that, giving new mothers access to a consultant when and where they need it: at home, with their baby, often at non-business hours. Nest consultants are stationed across the country, so if a mom on the East coast needs help after hours, she can connect with a consultant on the West coast. Services are available in various languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese,and Urdu. When an expectant mother signs up with Nest, our team handles the registration so when she gets home, she has access immediately. This is available to our Saint Francis patients at no cost, and we’re working to extend the service throughout Trinity Health Of New England.
Q: Are there any other new developments at Saint Francis benefitting new moms and their newborn babies?
A: When you come to have a baby, you’re looking for an experience, not just a hospital visit. With that in mind, we’re undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation to our postpartum area. Expected to be complete this summer, our upgraded maternity unit will be a modernized space for both newborns and mothers, including a new family area and refreshment center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, like so many aspects of health care, we were forced to pivot our prenatal educational offerings and classes for expecting parents from in-person to virtual platforms. We are expanding upon that to provide a new model that provides education throughout pregnancy,including in-person, digital, and online videos, which is expected to be available later this year. This education will be available at no cost to women getting care from one of our Trinity Health Of New England providers. We still offer traditional prenatal classes to all expectant families within the community for a nominal fee. Saint Francis has a long history of providing an amazing place for women to have their children. While we talk about updates and changes, what really sets us apart are our doctors and nurses and their commitment to care. Birth is one of the most intimate, life changing times for a family, and we are honored to be a part of it. At the end of the day, it’s all about creating the most special and memorable time for you and your loved ones.
To learn more visit TrinityHealthOfNE.org/women
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