Great Bend Regional Hospital is well-known for its Women and Children’s Center, which delivers approximately 40 babies per month to parents from all over central and southwest Kansas. With an affiliated obstetrics practice on the second floor of the hospital, the Heartland Regional Health Clinic with Dr. Jodi Henrikson and Dr. Aisha Rush refers hundreds of patients to the hospital each year. To prepare expecting parents for the arrival of their babies, Great Bend Regional Hospital will be offering a Birthing Class from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 20th. “Parents who attend our birthing classes learn about so more than just pain management techniques like the Lamaze classes of the past,” says Jacquie Disque, the registered nurse who facilitates the classes. “Those who take the time to prepare themselves mentally for the birthing, recovery, and breastfeeding process that starts during labor will be so much less anxious once that day arrives.”
The registration fee of $40 per couple includes a comprehensive “Understanding Birth” guidebook, along with lunch for mom and her partner. Participants meet in the Emergency Room lobby at the hospital before taking a tour of the facility, which has been awarded numerous times for its maternity care.
“We have been a High Five for Mom and Baby hospital for several years, which means our OB nurses put a high priority on skin-to-skin and breastfeeding support and education,” says Brent Hanson, CEO of Great Bend Regional Hospital. “And most recently, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas gave us the highest possible designation as a Blue Distinction Plus Center for Maternity Care. We are proud of our Women and Children’s Center, and our patients appreciate the experienced staff and private rooms.”
Topics covered during the class include: Normal Labor and Delivery Stages; Mother’s Response to Birth Physically and Emotionally; Your Coach’s Role in Delivery; Pain Management Options; Preparing to Come to the Hospital and Knowing When to Come; Breastfeeding; C-Sections; and more.
Pre-registration is required, and space is limited to eight couples. For more information or to register, contact the OB/Pediatric Unit at the hospital, 620-791-6812. Other class dates in 2016 are May 7th, July 30th, and Oct. 29th. Learn more about upcoming events on the hospital’s Facebook page.