Frankfort Regional Medical Center

Family FaceTime The affiliation allows neonatologists from Kosair Children's Hospital to staff the Frankfort Regional NICU, providing top-quality care to sick and preterm infants. Any infants who require higher-level care can also be transferred to the Kosair Children's Hospital's NICU if necessary. "Kosair Children's Hospital is one of the most well-known children's hospitals in the nation, and we are able to collaborate with their specialists should any of our babies need that kind of care," says Stratton. "Providing that one-on-one care for the babies here at Frankfort Regional is very important to us." A Gentler Cesarean Each mother who undergoes a Cesarean section (C-section) at Frankfort Regional Medical Center is offered the option of a "gentle Cesarean," which differs from a typical C-section in that it allows mothers to be more active participants in their birth experience. "Many times, mothers are disappointed when they have to undergo a C-section because they fear being left out of the delivery," says E.J. Horn, MD, FACOG, OB-GYN and Chief Medical Officer at Frankfort Regional. "During a gentle C-section, we use a clear sterile drape, rather than the traditional blue, allowing mom to see her baby being born." Babies born via the gentle C-section method can typically do skin-to-skin contact with mom right after the delivery, which benefits both mom and baby and starts the bonding experience. "Giving mothers the experience they envision is our goal, and we've been able to do that with the gentle C-section," says Stratton. "It's been very well received by mothers." Your Personalized Birth Experience "We offer many options for pain management during labor, including hydrotherapy," says Stratton. "We also have three midwives on staff for patients who are seeking midwifery care, which is very popular among our patients." Hydrotherapy—immersion in a tub of water for pain management—helps keep mothers comfortable and relaxed during the labor process. It is a method used by many certified nurse- midwives, including the ones on staff at Frankfort Regional, and is just one of the many ways that care is tailored to each patient's stated birth plan. Private labor and postpartum rooms are also available so parents can room-in with their new baby if they want to. "Our goal is to provide a high-quality level of care during the birth experience while keeping it as family- and patient-centered as possible," Stratton says. "We may be a smaller hospital, but we have the capability to provide individualized care for everyone, from your average birth to those that are high-risk." Â For more information about our Level II NICU, or to schedule an appointment with an OB-GYN, call 877-376-2631 or visit FrankfortRegional.com. Occasionally, mothers at Frankfort Regional Medical Center are medically unable to leave their hospital beds to visit their new babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). When that happens, the labor and delivery and NICU nurses have an alternative method to help mother and baby bond. "We have iPads set up on our secure wireless network that can connect via FaceTime so that a mother who can't physically visit her child for whatever reason can still see him or her in real time," says Tess Cox, RNC-OB, obstetrics nurse at Frankfort Regional. "Before, other family members could go into the NICU and take pictures, but that doesn't give mom a good sense of how her baby is doing. With FaceTime, she can see the baby moving and breathing, and NICU nurses can explain all of the treatment the baby is receiving and answer questions." Cox believes using the iPad allows mom to have a more real experience with her baby and feel a greater sense of reassurance that the baby is doing well. One mother who used the technology to check in on her newborn was on the verge of tears because she was so grateful the option exists. "This is one way we can keep moms and babies together if they have to be physically separated for a little while," Cox says. "That bonding experience is important, and we strive to support that however we can." 5

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