Submitted
PLAINVILLE — Just over a week into 2015, Rooks County Health Center helped three families welcome babies into the world in less than 17 hours. Dr. Beth Loney delivered the first baby, a girl and also the first baby born in 2015 at RCH, who arrived at 8:18 a.m. Jan. 8. Five hours and 59 minutes later, Dr. Jennifer Brull delivered a baby boy. Ten hours and 49 minutes after the second baby, Dr. Loney delivered a boy born at 1:06 a.m. Jan. 9.
“Three in one day was pretty exciting – a little overwhelming, but everyone came together to care for the babies and moms,” said Nancy Sterling, RN, OB Nurse Manager at RCH. ”With so many labors, the OB nurses were assisted by the medical nurses to perform postpartum care with the moms. We had nurses come over from the main patient care area, Cardiac Rehab and clinics to help out.”
RCH has two labor and delivery suites, allowing moms to labor, deliver and recover in one spacious and private room. Each room includes a Jacuzzi bath to help with labor and a fold-out bed allowing family members to remain close and in comfort.
“We had to move one mom and baby to a regular double room in order to prep a suite for the delivery of the third baby,” said Sterling. “Housekeeping played a huge role in helping get the rooms turned around guaranteeing everyone was cared for – everyone pulled together.”
As the New Year baby, the baby girl, received a gift basket, which included diapers, toiletries, clothes, toys, a first aid kit, thermometer and bath chair, from the RCH Auxiliary and several local businesses. The mother and three additional care providers of her choice receive a free Adacel vaccination, to help fight pertussis (whooping cough). All parents also receive a gift of a CPR baby and instructional video from the RCH Auxiliary.
With three babies so early in the year, RCH may surpass the number of babies delivered in 2014 of 43, which is up 14 from the previous year.
Businesses that help support the New Year Baby project include: Astra Bank, Barry’s Rental, Cornerstone Building and Design, Crawford Supply Co., Dairy Queen, Don Hamit Land & Auction Co., Double B Tank Service, Farmer’s National Bank, H C Sweet Abstract, H & C Oil Operating, Inc., Keller Motors, Midwest Community Bank, Plumer-Overlease Funeral Home, Mr. K’s Foodtown, Plainville Insurance, LLC, RCH Auxiliary, Stahl Products, LLC, Steve’s Electric & Roustabout Service, Stockton Pharmacy, Tom’s Machine and Welding Services, Inc., Turnbull Oil, Inc. and Wheatley Insurance.