Year: 2022

When you’re on the way to deliver a baby, the last thing you want to do is scramble around and pack your hospital bag. We’re here to give you a list of things you should consider bringing to the hospital. Keep in mind – everybody is different and wants their own birth experience. You’re always welcome to pack more or less than our list.

For Labor and Delivery:

• Paperwork, IDs, and Insurance cards – ensure that your medical records are easily accessible for medical staff to review and that you can check into the hospital.
• Your birth plan – if you’ve created a birth plan, bring it with you so medical staff can reference it if they have any questions. If you don’t have one, no worries. It’s not required.
• Bathrobe/Labor Dress – this can make the hospital feel more at home while you’re waiting to go into labor.
• Socks – nobody likes cold feet.
• Slip-on shoes and flip-flops – slip-on shoes are great for when you want to walk around the hospital ward. You’ll want some flip-flops to use as shower shoes.
• Lip Balm – nobody wants chapped lips, especially if you’re going into labor. This simple thing can make you feel much more comfortable.
• Lotion – Itchy, dry skin is the last thing you want when you’re about to have a baby. Lotion can help your skin stay hydrated and keep you focused on the task at hand.
• Comfy pillows – hospital pillows aren’t anything to call home about, so consider bringing your own. If you’re the type who likes to sleep with a specific pillow, we recommend getting it (just remember to bring it home).
• Eye mask and earplugs – you deserve to rest, but sometimes the hospital isn’t the best place to sleep. An eye mask and earplugs can help you sleep peacefully.

After Delivery:

• Nightgowns/PJs – you’ll want something comfy to sleep in after delivery. If you plan on breastfeeding, we recommend wearing something that’s front-opening.
• Maternity pads – the hospital will provide you with maternity pads, but it’s always good to be prepared. You’ll probably change them every couple of hours for the first few days after giving birth, so we recommend heavy-duty pads.
• Underwear – several pairs of underwear are recommended. Bring something you’ll be comfortable in and can easily hold your maternity pads.
• Toiletries – a hairbrush, comb, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, hair ties, skincare, and lotion can make a huge difference in how you feel after labor. We also recommend a bag to put your dirty clothes in.
• Clothes – you may want some comfy clothes to wear around the hospital while you’re there.

To Share with Your Partner:

• Snacks and water – you can have some of these too. Labor can be a long process, so having something to eat and drink along the way can be nice.
• Charger – we recommend an extra-long charger.
• Entertainment – a book, a tablet, headphones for music, whatever you prefer.

For Your Baby:

• Bodysuits – different hospitals have different policies, so make sure you ask. But bringing something for your baby to wear is a good idea.
• Socks and booties – newborns get cold easily, so it’s a good idea to bring something to keep them warm.
• Blanket – the hospital will give you a blanket, but if you have a special blanket in mind for them, then it’s a good idea to bring it.
• Going home outfit – think about the weather when packing what your baby will come home in; they get cold easily!
• Car seat – you’ll need a car seat (already installed) to take your baby home safely.

Remember that this birth is yours. We want you to have things with you to help you be more comfortable during your stay. If you have any questions about different policies, want to create a birth plan, or are curious if there are other things you should pack for the hospital, call Greenville Women’s Care at 252-757-3131 to talk to our Midwife, Sarah Sears, or make an appointment.

Whether you heard it from a friend or read it on the internet, there’s a lot of misinformation about breastfeeding. So straight from the gynecologist’s mouth, we’re debunking the most common misconceptions about breastfeeding.

1. If you have smaller breasts, you won’t produce enough milk.

Breast size doesn’t affect how much milk you can produce. The amount of time you spend nursing your baby, the demand from your baby, and practicing healthy nursing habits will affect your production. There are many small-breasted women who produce enough milk to donate to milk banks.

2. Breastfeeding always hurts.

If you’ve never breastfed, or if it’s been a while since you breastfed, then your nipples may be a bit sore when you begin. However, this should go away after a couple of days. If your baby isn’t latching onto your nipple properly, the soreness can become debilitating. However, there’s an easy fix! With practice and assistance from a lactation consultant or midwife, you can achieve pain-free breastfeeding within weeks.

3. Some babies can’t latch.

It’s important to develop healthy nursing habits as soon as possible with a proper latching technique to avoid your baby getting into the habit of latching incorrectly. About 4% of the time, there’s something called “tongue-tie,” which can cause problems when latching – something that can easily be corrected in your doctor’s office.

4. You should wean your baby off breast milk after 12 months.

Interestingly enough, American culture is one of the few that pressures you to start weaning your baby at 12 months. Most babies will naturally begin to wean themselves between 12 and 24 months as they start walking and eating normal foods. Breastfeeding may become a ritual saved for waking up, taking a nap, going to bed, or for comfort. How long you choose to breastfeed is entirely up to you and your baby; however, experts recommend exclusively breastfeeding for at least four months.

5. Breastmilk doesn’t have enough water, vitamin D, or iron.

The beauty of breastmilk is that it contains everything your baby needs at that time in its life. Your body does this amazing thing where it changes with every feeding to match your baby’s needs. For example, if it’s hotter, your breastmilk will be more water-based. If your baby is growing, your breast milk will have more fats and proteins. Your baby is getting exactly what it needs from your breast milk.

6. It’s illegal to breastfeed in public.

Actually, there are laws in place in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rice, and the Virgin Islands to protect people who breastfeed! You have the right to breastfeed in public and private locations, so don’t feel pressure to hold off feeding or use a public restroom. You can read more about breastfeeding in public here: https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx#State

7. Breastmilk and formula are essentially the same thing.

While formula is made to mimic breastmilk, it doesn’t have the antibodies or versatility that breastmilk does. Breastmilk is able to adapt to your babies’ specific needs, whereas formula cannot. For most babies, breastmilk is the best source of nutrition and can provide antibodies that formula cannot. This past June, the American Academy of Pediatricians updated their guidance and recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months of life and encourages breastfeeding for up to 2 years. There are situations where breastfeeding isn’t possible or is contraindicated. Formula and donor milk are viable options when breastmilk is unavailable. You can read more about breastmilk verses formula here: https://forms.lamaze.org/WhatsinBreastmilkPoster.pdf

8. If you’re taking medications, you should either “pump and dump” or not breastfeed at all.

Contrary to popular belief, most medications are considered to be safe while breastfeeding. Usually, medication levels are much lower in breastmilk than they are in your bloodstream. However, it’s advisable to contact a healthcare provider if you’re on medications while pregnant and/or lactating. You can read more about taking medications while breastfeeding here: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/breastfeeding-your-baby

If you have any questions about breastfeeding, what breastfeeding could look like for you, or any concerns, call Greenville Women’s Clinic at 252-757-3131 or visit our website to schedule an appointment with our midwife Sarah Sears. We’d love to help you focus on the joys of breastfeeding rather than the fears.

July is Group B Strep Awareness Month, but do you know what it actually is? The bacteria that cause Group B Strep (GBS) is Streptococcus, and commonly lives in the gastrointestinal and genital tracts. GBS is fairly common and comes and goes naturally in your body. It is typically not harmful but can cause serious illness in adults of all ages, so it is important to understand what it is and take preventative measures to avoid potential infection.

GBS can cause:

• Bacteremia (infection in the bloodstream)
• Sepsis (extreme reaction to infection)
• Bone infections
• Joint infections
• Meningitis (infection of the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord)
• Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
• Skin Infection
• Soft-tissue infection

GBS is not spread through food, water or general contact. If you live with someone who has GBS, you are not at risk of getting it and it is unknown how people get or spread GBS.

However, we do know that the genital tract is a part of the body involved with reproduction. Therefore, GBS  can be spread by pregnant women to their babies during child birth. Approximately 1 in 4 pregnant women have the GBS bacteria in their body, making newborn babies at high risk for a GBS infection. When they have the infection, newborns are typically diagnosed with bacteremia, sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. These diagnoses can cause long-term complications, such as deafness, developmental delays, or disabilities.

Fortunately, there are ways to help protect your baby during birth. If you are pregnant, your doctor or midwife will make sure that you are tested for GBS between 36 and 38 weeks. GBS can come and go, which is why testing so late in a pregnancy is crucial. If you test positive for GBS, you are given antibiotics (called beta-lactams) which will help protect your baby. However, these antibiotics cannot be given before labor because the bacteria grow too quickly.

Early-onset GBS means that the infection starts in the first week of their life. Most babies who get GBS disease within the first week of their life are exposed to the bacteria through delivery. Late-onset GBS means that your newborn can seem healthy at birth and through the first week of their life, but symptoms can appear shortly after. The newborn could have gotten the bacteria from the mother during birth or from another source.

Here are some of the symptoms to look for in newborns:

• Fever
• Trouble feeding
• Irritability, continued fussiness
• Lethargy (limpness and/or difficulty waking up your baby)
• Difficulty breathing

Each year, approximately 930 babies are diagnosed with early-onset GBS and 1,050 with late-onset GBS.

Group B Strep can also affect adults who:

• Have diabetes
• Have heart disease
• Have congestive heart failure
• Have cancer or a history of cancer
• Are obese
• You are over 65 years of age

This blog is for informational purposes and does not serve as a consultation with a physician at Greenville Women’s Care. If you have questions about Group B Strep or any other questions regarding you or your baby’s health care, please schedule an appointment with us.

Call us at 252-757-3131 or visit our website to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians and advanced providers.

References: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/group-b-strep-and-pregnancy and https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jmwh.13125

The term midwife means “with woman”. Midwives are known for being present with women typically during labor and childbirth, but many people do not know that midwives are trained to care for women throughout the lifespan.

Historically and traditionally, women were present with other women during childbirth. This began to change when childbirth was moved into hospital institutions after Obstetrics as a medical practice began. Today, most midwives in the U.S. practice in hospitals, continuing to be with women during childbirth. Midwives have prescriptive authority, so YES, you can still get medications and/or an epidural with a midwife. And if you choose to have an unmedicated birth, the midwife is well trained on techniques to assist you.

The shortage of Obstetrical providers including midwives can be felt in many areas throughout NC, especially rural areas. I’m proud to say that I’m a graduate from ECU’s midwifery program, the only program for midwives in the state. I believe in the role of midwives in meeting the needs of the community. Eastern NC has such a gem in ECU, producing much of the midwifery care of NC and surrounding states.

Midwives typically function in a collaborative role with Obstetricians, working together as part of the healthcare team. This collaboration is essential in helping to reduce the cesarean rate, reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, and bridging the gap in healthcare. Midwives routinely are available for prenatal and postpartum care, annual exams, primary care, STI screening, Contraception and Gynecological evaluations.

As a midwife provider, and as a woman who has received midwifery care, my desire is to be with women, acting as an advocate and a bridge in helping them in meeting their healthcare needs. That may be in providing safe, professional and comfortable exams, or being in the labor room for one of the most monumental moments of a family’s life. It may be in providing education on contraceptive options or holding a hand when it’s needed. The role of a midwife isn’t defined by the task of the moment but by being present.

If you’d like to have a consult or schedule an appointment, call the Midwife, Sarah Sears, CNM at Greenville Women’s Care 252-757-3131.

If you would like to learn more about Midwives visit, http://www.midwife.org/