Although it’s relatively uncommon, affecting just 3.4 percent of pregnancies in the U.S. each year, preeclampsia is a complication that can have serious long-term health effects for mom and baby. The condition is characterized primarily by higher-than-normal blood pressure during pregnancy, and may also involve elevated levels of protein in urine and a decrease in […]
By Carolyn Comeau Countless studies underscore breastfeeding’s powerful benefits, including reducing a baby’s risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), respiratory tract and ear infections, a wide range of allergies and even diabetes. That’s why Mission Hospital McDowell’s new Baby-Friendly® hospital accreditation from Baby-Friendly USA, the organization that recognizes facilities that commit to enacting a […]
By Cheri Hinshelwood World Breastfeeding Week in August is a great time to celebrate the long-term health benefits of breastfeeding — the most natural and nutritious way to sustain babies. “Many new moms haven’t had much exposure to breastfeeding and have to learn quickly to gain confidence and an understanding of how to be successful,” […]
By Deanna Thompson In October 2019, Katelyn Hutchins was a bundle of nerves as she made her way to Mission Hospital McDowell. Not only was she about to become a mother for the first time, but “I had never been admitted to the hospital or had surgery before,” said Hutchins. “So, this was my first […]
By Carolyn Comeau Despite the many ways COVID-19 has turned life upside down, one of the things the virus cannot stop is timeless and universal: childbirth. As both National Nurses Week (May 6-12) and Mother’s Day are upon us, Labor and Delivery nurses at Mission Health like Liz Barker, RNC-OB, commit to ensuring a safe […]
By Cheri Hinshelwood Paige Wood was expecting a new baby in a couple of weeks, but what she wasn’t expecting was the phone call that came the last week in June. Wood learned her husband, Ryan Neff, had been in a traumatic skateboarding accident and was being flown to Mission Hospital with serious injuries. The […]
Keeping Labor and Delivery Safe during COVID-19 [Bre] It is especially important right now to be in the care of medical professionals because of how volatile this virus is. And, being in Mission Hospital with our Level III NICU to me is the best place for you to have your baby right now in case […]
By Cheri Hinshelwood According to the Adult Congenital Heart Association, if one parent has a congenital heart disease (CHD), the risk of having a child with CHD is 3-6 percent — and even higher if the parent is the mother. Advanced heart care has turned the impossibility of motherhood for women born with heart defects […]
By Trisha McBride Ferguson Winter weather means cooler temperatures and an increase in the occurrence of colds and influenza (the flu). For pregnant women and those breastfeeding, these common ailments bring special considerations. Knowing what to do if you catch a cold or the flu is important to keeping both mother and baby healthy. Safety […]
Most expectant parents don’t prepare for their newborn to go into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit [NICU] after labor,” said Caroline Twiggs from Weaverville. “Now I tell friends they should tour the NICU.” High blood pressure and a prolonged delivery were hard on Twiggs and her husband, Michael Whetsell. But when baby Josephine showed distress, […]
