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Obstetrics
Great Beginnings Maternity Program
Our Doctors and Staff
Our Services
Preparing for Your Stay
Your Stay with Us
After You Return Home
Resources and Links
A Great Beginning for Every Baby
If you are looking for a warm and friendly, yet technically advanced, place to bring your baby into the world, this is it. The Obstetrics Department at Pella Regional balances advanced technology with sensitive care from our doctors, nurses and other professionals who are committed to providing the best experience possible for our new families.
Great Beginnings Maternity Program
Most parents will tell you-no experience in life can compare to the day your child is born. You are filled with an overwhelming feeling of love and joy for a person you just met. You are also awed by the sense of responsibility-you know that this little person will be dependent on you for everything, and you want to give your baby the best beginning to life that you can.
It can, at times, seem overwhelming. Because even though new babies are wonderful, they lack one thing-a how-to manual. Parents realize that months before they change the first diaper or hear the first cry, they need to begin to prepare their minds, bodies and spirits for a life-changing event. They need to learn how to eat better and exercise, they should choose a name and decorate a room, and most importantly, they must learn about childbirth and parenting and what’s best for the baby.
Pella Regional Health Center developed Great Beginnings to help expectant parents get a jump on the learning curve. It’s a free maternity program available to all who receive prenatal care at Pella Regional Health Center.
“Having a baby brings changes that are wonderful, dramatic and a bit terrifying-all at the same time,” says Karen Westercamp, OB Manager. “We designed Great Beginnings to help expecting couples become the knowledgeable, confident and loving parents they want to be. When families have their babies at Pella Regional, we truly believe they can have a Great Beginning.”
The Great Beginnings program has brought together many of the resources new parents need-whether it’s a first baby or they’ve been parents before.
These resources include
- Extensive knowledge and experience of the physician and OB nursing staff
- Educational information about mothers, babies and the birth experience.
- Specialized birthing facilities
Great Beginnings special features include:
- Chats with health professionals
- Educational brochures
- Attractive birthing suites with whirlpools
- Online birth announcements
- Great Beginnings birth certificate
- Free meals for father or support person while at the birthing center
- Stork Snacks and a Stork Dinner
- Certified breastfeeding consultants
- Free home visit by an OB nurse a few days after you leave the hospital
- Free fitness passes for father or support person while at Pella Regional
- Weekly e-newsletter for parents--Great Beginnings E-Newsletter
- Prenatal education classes
Our Doctors and Staff 
Our obstetric doctors make their patients their first priority, be it from keeping up-to-date on current practices or spending extra time with patients. All of our physicians are board-certified, which means that they are up-to-date with current practices. Your obstetric doctor will provide care for you during your entire pregnancy through prenatal visits and will be there for labor, delivery and post-partum care.
We have working relationships with two specialists, Perinatologist, Neil Mandsager and Obstetrician, Dale Lensing. Your obstetric doctor may consult with these specialists if concerns regarding your care should arise.
We also have a well-educated, well-trained staff to help you during your birthing process. Our nurses range from having a year of experience, to having 35 years of experience. Together, our nurses provide over 250 years of nursing experience. Besides experience and education, our staff possess the caring personalities that make you feel part of the family instead of a just a patient.
In addition to the three certified breastfeeding educators we have at Pella Regional, we also have three certified lactation consultants on staff to answer your breastfeeding question and provide tips.
Our Services
Having a healthy baby is the goal for every mom to-be. In the event that a risk factor may exist, your doctor may add outpatient testing to your care. Three types of outpatient procedures are available at Pella Regional: non-stress test, contraction stress test and biophysical profile.
Most moms-to-be will have an ultrasound performed by a Registered Ultrasound Technologist in our Medical Imaging Department. You may pre-register online for your ultrasound appointment by clicking here. You will still need to stop at the Admissions Desk to sign a paper before your appointment. Click here to read more about our ultrasound services.
In accordance with state of Iowa law, every newborn born at Pella Regional will receive an infant hearing screening. Although rare (only about 90 of the 37,000 babies born in Iowa each year have hearing disorders), screening your baby’s hearing is important, even if your family has no history of hearing problems. Research shows it is important to identify and treat a hearing loss by the time a baby is six months old. When this happens, the child’s language ability at the age of three years will be nearly the same as that of a child with normal hearing.
Preparing for Your Stay With Us
It is the moment you spend nine months waiting to happen, yet, it comes so fast. There are a number of steps that you can take before you go into labor that will help make that ‘frantic’ moment a bit less stressful.
Great Beginnings E-Newsletter
Stay up-to-date on the latest pregnancy trends and get answers to your questions like "Can I handle kitty litter?' and "How long can I expect to work while expecting?" We offer a free weekly e-newsletter, Great Beginnings E-Newsletter.
Click here to register and it will be delivered to your e-mail inbox.
Childbirth Education Classes
We encourage you to go through a prenatal education class, if it is your first or fifth delivery. We offer a prenatal class along with a refresher class. For your convenience, we list all of our prenatal classes and events online with a brief description. To register, click here and select the specific class you’d like to register to attend.
Tour the Department
We encourage you to tour our OB Department as they help you feel more comfortable and at ease when you come to Pella Regional to deliver. You will tour our LDRP suites, nursery and mother/baby care areas and meet some of the staff who will take care of you and your newborn. To arrange a tour, call the OB Department at 641.628.6613. If you are a student in prenatal class, you will automatically get a tour.
Pre-Register for your Admission
We offer and encourage you to pre-register online to help speed up the admissions process when you go into labor. Click here to pre-register online (User tip: Enter your due date for your ‘appointment’ date).
When you believe you are in labor, we ask and encourage you to call the OB department at 641.628.6613 and speak to a nurse.
What to Pack for Your Stay
Click here to view a printable checklist that will help you pack for your stay.
Pain Control Options for Labor
Some mothers would like to use obstetrical anesthesia while others choose a more natural approach. Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. When the time comes we want to make sure that you are comfortable and your baby is safe. We suggest talking to your doctor around Week 13 (the beginning of the second trimester) regarding pain control options. Click here to download the labor/delivery pain control options offerred by Pella Regional, both non-invasive (more 'natural') and invasive (using medication).
Your Stay With Us
Our Birthing Suites
We know that you want to have your baby in a soothing, comfortable place that feels like home. Your labor, delivery and recovery experience will take place in one of our sun-lit, beautifully decorated suites. The OB Department provides for the special needs of you and your baby in our labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) suites.
All LDRP suites are private, offering comfort and safety to both you and your baby. Suites feature state-of-the-art fetal monitoring equipment, birthing beds, spacious bathrooms and whirlpool tubs.
You’ll also have individualized lighting for mom, baby and guest, a CD player, a VCR and dataport for a computer. In early 2007, we upgraded our televisions to plasma televisions in each room.
You may choose to keep your baby with you in your suite or, whenever you wish, your baby can spend time in the nursery which is just steps away from you.
Above: One of Pella Regional's Birthing Suites.
Surgical Suites
Should a Cesarean delivery be necessary, our surgical suites are nearby. There are usually multiple people in the surgical suite during a C-Section delivery: a general surgeon, your obstetric doctor (to assist the surgeon), another family practice doctor (to take care of the baby), an OB nurse (also to take care of the newborn), two surgical nurses and a nurse anesthetist.
Moments after your baby is born, your labor partner will have the opportunity to cut the umbilical cord. If your newborn is stable, he/she will be wrapped in a blanket and you will be able to see your baby in the operating room. After bonding, the nurse will take your baby and support person to OB where your baby will be weighed and the nurse will get their footprints for the birth certificate and baby book. After approximately two hours of recovery, you and your baby, as well as your birthing partner, will be together again in the OB department for post partum care.
Click here to read more about the surgical services offered by Pella Regional
Stork Specials
During your stay with us, a Pella Regional Volunteer will stop by and congratulate you with a “Stork Snack.” You’ll receive a light snack and a Congratulatory Gift Bag, that is comprised of gifts from the OB Department and the Pella Community Hospital Auxiliary.
Before going home, you’ll enjoy a celebratory “Stork Meal.” This special dinner for two comes with a complete variety of special menu selections. Your Stork Meal provides a time for you to quietly celebrate the birth of your baby. We also offer a take home stork meal if you perfer that.
We also provide complimentary meals for your support person from our hospital cafeteria.
Above: Rua Vander Linden, Official Pella Regional
Stork Snack Volunteer
Infant Security
We have a number of systems in place to protect you and your baby. The OB Department has a secure-access system, only the nurses and doctors who work in the department know the code to enter. Each baby also wears a "Wanderguard" sensor that sounds alarms if they are brought too close to the exit doors.
Visiting Hours
Please click here to read our visiting policy. This is for the privacy, comfort and safety of you and your baby. If you aren't feeling up to visitors, you may always let the nurse know and they can restrict visitors.
After You Return Home
Mother-Baby Home Visit
After you get home and settled, we realize questions and concerns naturally arise. Within 48-72 hours a nurse will come to your home to assess both you and your baby, free of charge. The nurse who will come to visit you is specially trained to answer whatever questions you have. She will weigh your baby and assess how well the baby is eating and adjusting to the new environment. She will also give you the support you need during this new and exciting time of parenthood. OB home visits are not mandatory, but the majority of both new and experienced moms take advantage of this one-on-one time in the comfort of their own home. There is no cost to the parents for this visit.
During the home visit, a nurse will:
- Assess the infant
- Review infant care and feeding
- Provide breast feeding counseling
- Review postpartum recovery
- Answer any questions you might have
Breastfeeding Support
Individualized support is offered by one of Pella Regional's advanced lactation consultants. Please call the department directly with your questions or concerns. If they can't help you, they will connect you with a specialist who can.
Resources and Links
Breast Milk is the Best Milk
by Kim Jenkins, Pella Regional OB Home Health Nurse and a Certified Lactation Consultant
Breastfeeding is a very special time for mother and child. It’s a great
time for bonding and feeling close to your baby. There are many benefits
of breastfeeding for both you and your baby.
Your breast milk is made especially for your baby. It has just the right
amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins for your baby. Breast milk changes throughout the day and as your baby grows older. Its exactly what your baby needs to grow and develop. Breastfed babies are healthier babies since breast milk produces antibodies to protect your infant from illnesses such as ear infection,
respiratory infection and diarrhea. Breast milk also decreases your
babies risk for allergies and asthma. Breastfeeding promotes appropriate
jaw, teeth, and speech development and decreases dental cavities.
Studies have shown an increase in developmental test scores of two-to-five percent for breastfed children when compared with formula fed children. Studies have
also shown a possible protective effect of human milk against Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome, Diabetes Mellitus, Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative
Colitis, Lymphoma, Celiac Disease and elevated cholesterol levels in
adults.
The benefits of breastfeeding isn’t exclusive just to babies. It also provides benefits to moms as well. Breastmilk is convenient, ready to use, and it’s free! Breastfeeding helps mom’s uterus return to normal size and can help her return to her pre-pregnant weight because your body burns extra calories while breastfeeding. Many women experience a delay in menstrual periods while they are breastfeeding. Studies have
shown that breastfeeding decreases a woman’s chances of breast and ovarian
cancers as well.
Great Beginnings Handouts
For your convenience these patient education materials are available for your downloading. Several of the materials will be handed out during your prenatal visit with your delivering doctor.
Great Beginnings Clinic Booklet
Great Beginnings Pregnancy Journal
What to Pack for the Hospital Checklist
Pain Control Options offerred by Pella Regional
