The beauty of labor and delivery is that everyone’s experience is unique. Sometimes things go according to the birth plan and sometimes the birth plan gets thrown out the window for the health and safety of the mother and baby- it’s a dynamic, ever changing, unpredictable experience. For C. Keenan, her birth plan was altered when she had to be induced- a necessary measure to keep her and her baby healthy.
Fortunately, C. Kennan had Dr. Huong Trinh, OB/GYN provider at Moscow Pullman OB/GYN, and the Pullman Regional Hospital BirthPlace team on her side. “Throughout the process, my birth preferences changed multiple times. The nurses were there to offer support and information to help me make informed decisions about my labor and birth experience, which was extremely important to me,” says C. Kennan.
“I felt that I was in control of my birth experience the entire time and felt heard by the staff. We had to make some hard decisions throughout the process and the staff was able to help me understand why each decision was being brought up and what that would look like.”
When an induction was deemed necessary, C. Kennan was nervous. Pitocin, an injection that is used to induce labor, has some risks and side effects that need to be monitored. “The staff informed me of these risks, how we would mitigate them, and if we ran into these situations, what they would be doing and why.”
“I understood what was going on, why they were intervening, and what the intervention was going to help. While these situations were scary, I knew we weren’t in danger at this point even with all the fast-paced decisions being made by staff. This allowed me to still maintain control of my experience and preserve my autonomy,” says C. Keenan.
“After my birth, the staff was amazing with my transition to motherhood.” As a first time mom, C. Keenan felt like she had been tossed into the deep end of motherhood, but the BirthPlace staff helped ease her mind by showing her the basics like how to change her baby’s diaper, their favorite swaddle techniques, and how to gently calm her crying baby.
“I felt extremely comfortable with them caring for my baby after birth and loved how tender they were with him. They made time to answer all my questions and help me understand how to provide care to my new baby,” smiled C. Keenan.
Laura Keogh, Lactation Nurse at Pullman Regional Hospital’s BirthPlace, helped C. Keenan start breastfeeding; “she was spectacular! She was so empathetic and passionate about helping me get prepared for my nursing journey.”
Learn more about the birthing experience at Pullman Regional Hospital, take a virtual tour of BirthPlace, and explore prenatal classes happening monthly on the Pullman Regional Hospital BirthPlace website. Expecting? Sign up for our monthly pregnancy newsletter to receive helpful tips, tailored content, and information for each step of your pregnancy.