Chris Ellis, RD, presents “Starting Solids: Making Your Own Baby Food” on May 15. Ellis is a staff nutritionist at the Brattleboro Food Coop and part of the Early Education Services organization. On May 22, Dawn Kersula, RN, IBCLC, presents “The Advice I Would Give Someone Else About Birth.” Kersula is a perinatal specialist and lead lactation consultant at BMH. She is also president of the Vermont Lactation Association. The final Wednesday of the month, May 29, is an open session.

On June 5, New England Youth Theatre’s Jess Gelter presents “Poppa Momma Drama” followed by “Planning for the What-ifs” on June 12 by financial services professional, Inga Plisz. Michelle Stephens, author of the “JuiceBox Confessional” blog, presents “Using Your Baby Carrier” on June 19. The month closes with a screening and discussion of the infant CPR film “Baby Emergency! What do I Do?” on June 26.

The New Moms Network is a free program where new mothers meet and exchange tips and information about caring for newborns. It is open to the entire community, whether or not the child was born at BMH. Fathers and babies are also welcome. For more information, contact Dawn Kersula at 802-257-8278 or check the Events Calendar page at bmhvt.org.

The program on Wednesday, March 13th is called “Babyscapes”. This will be presented by Anne Bedichek Braden. Make sure to bring your camera. We are going to be playing and making babyscapes.

On Wednesday, March 20th, Rebecca Olmstead, public health nurse from the Vermont Department of Health, will be presenting a program called “Immunizations: What’s the Latest”.

The program on Wednesday, March 27th will be “Infant Massage” by Terye Wohnus of Centered Healing Therapeutic Massage.

New Moms Network will start April programs on April 3rd with “How’s My Baby Doing” presented by Kathy Hallock, development specialist with Children’s Integrated Services.

And on April 10th, new moms will have a day they call Potpourri. This is a time for new moms to come together and discuss various topics with each other and network.

This free BMH program is a chance for new moms (dads are also welcome) to network and learn tips from each other. Babies are warmly welcomed, of course, and need not to have been born at BMH to attend. New Moms Network is a free service of the BMH Birthing Center.

Moms meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the BMH Exercise Room on the lower level of the main hospital.

For more information about any of these programs, you can call 802-257-8278 to talk to Dawn Kersula. For more complete information on any of these BMH programs, check the monthly listings on the hospital website at http://www.bmhvt.org/events-calendar.

New survey results published by Centers for Disease Control shows that the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Birthing Center compares favorably to hospitals of similar size both statewide and nationally.

BMH scored an 88 out of a possible 100 on the Maternity Practices in Infant Nutrition and Care survey (mPINC). Contributing to that mark were perfect scores in the two subcategories of “Postpartum Care — Feeding of Breastfed Infants” and “Facility Discharge Care.” The average composite score across Vermont was 76 while the national average was 70.

“Better infant nutrition can help prevent childhood obesity and promotes lifelong health for individuals. We’re very proud of the efforts made by the Birthing Center staff to instill these practices at our hospital,” says BMH President and CEO, Steven R. Gordon. “

More than 2,700 facilities responded to the 2011 mPINC survey, accounting for 83 percent of all maternity service providers in the United States. BMH’s Birthing Center reported 360 births in 2011, putting it in the same category as other maternity service providers with 250-499 births per year.

Since 2007, the CDC’s mPINC survey has measured infant feeding practices during delivery, post-partum care, staff training and organization structure, among other criteria to assess the status of care for newborns nationwide and identify areas where quality can be improved.

For more information, contact Birthing Center director Debbie Partrick at 802-257-8228.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is one of 10 Vermont hospitals taking part in a project to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates, prevent childhood obesity and promote lifelong health.

Organized by the Vermont Department of Health’s division of Maternal and Child Health’s Nutrition program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the goal of the 10 Steps to Empower Mothers and Nurture Babies project is designed to help hospitals achieve World Health Organization guidelines that have been consistently associated with successful breastfeeding.

As part of its participation, BMH will host training sessions for two Fridays in September. Healthcare professionals from as far afield as Bennington and Rutland will travel to Brattleboro to learn best practices for supporting breastfeeding when working with infants and new moms from the hospital’s four International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants.

Dawn Kersula, RN

“Some of the World Health Organization guidelines have been part of our practice for more than 20 years,” says Dawn Kersula, RN, a perinatal specialist and lead lactation consultant at BMH. “We’ve cultivated a real community where over 90 percent of all babies born at the BMH Birthing Center begin their lives breastfeeding.”

Kersula, who is president of the Vermont Lactation Association, will be also part of the state’s teaching faculty, lecturing on breastfeeding topics such as attachment and latch at University of Vermont’s Fletcher-Allen Hospital in Burlington. She adds that BMH provides additional breastfeeding support through outpatient lactation services and the New Moms Network, a free group meeting every Wednesday from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the BMH Exercise Room.

More than 85 percent of Vermont mothers breastfeed in the hospital, which is one of the highest rates in the country. But by six months, only one in four are still exclusively breastfeeding their babies. Research shows significant improvements when mothers of healthy infants experience a combination of five hospital practices: breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, keeping infants in the same room as their mothers, feeding infants only breast milk unless supplements are medically indicated, not allowing infants to use a pacifier, and giving mothers telephone number to call for help with breastfeeding.

“Mothers who want to breastfeed need support in the hospital to reach their breastfeeding goal,” said Karen Flynn, WIC program administrator for the Health Department. “Hospital policies, procedures and staff can have a great influence on mothers and babies as they begin to breastfeed, either helping or hindering their success.”

Participating hospitals use interdisciplinary teams to set process and outcomes goals focused on improving the hospital’s Maternity Practices and Infant Nutrition and Care (mPINC) scores, which will increase Vermont’s statewide scores. Four collaborative goals have been set for all participating hospitals. Each hospital will also select individual measurable goals based on current practice, the mPINC scores of their facility and known gaps in care.

In addition to hospitals like BMH that use evidence-based maternity care practices as standards of care, the Vermont Child Health Improvement Project (VCHIP), the American Academy of Pediatrics, Vermont Chapter, and the Academy of Family Practitioners, Health Department district offices, local and statewide breastfeeding coalitions and mother/baby support services and resources are also project partners in this statewide quality improvement initiative.

For more information, contact the Vermont Department of Health Communications Office at 802-863-7281.

Visit http://HealthVermont.gov/YouCanDoIt to learn more about our Change the Landscape campaign, the importance of breastfeeding and health, and what individuals can do to support breastfeeding in their communities.

Visit http://healthvermont.gov/wic/food-feeding/breastfeeding/friendly-employer-project.aspx for information about Vermont’s Breastfeeding Friendly Employer Project.

Programs of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s New Moms Network in August starts with a Breastfeeding Celebration on Wednesday, August 1. Come get a sneak peek at ‘Nursing is Normal in Brattleboro 2012’.

The program on Wednesday, August 8th is called “Getting the Lead Out” presented by Michelle Pong of Parks Place Lead Project.

On Wednesday, August 15th, new moms will discuss “What’s a Welcome Baby Visit” by Sandy Stark of the Welcome Baby Program at Early Education Services.

The program on Wednesday, August 22nd is called “Finding Excellent Child Care” presented by Jeanna Genest of Windham County Child Care.

And finally on August 29th, the session will be “That Birth Changed My Life” presented by Cynthia Cutting of Circles of Care.

This free BMH program is a chance for new moms (dads are also welcome) to network and learn tips from each other. Babies are warmly welcomed, of course, and need not to have been born at BMH to attend. New Moms Network is a free service of the BMH Birthing Center.

Moms meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the BMH Exercise Room on the lower level of the main hospital.

For more information about any of these programs, you can call 802-257-8278 to talk to Dawn Kersula. For more complete information on any of these BMH programs visit www.bmhvt.org.

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAV) presented an plaque to nurses in Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center during a Wednesday, April 18 luncheon, recognizing their efforts in educating new parents about infant crying and the dangers of shaking.

The plaque was presented by Lisa Keller, Director of the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), to Debbie Partrick, manager of the Birthing Center, during a ceremony coinciding with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The BMH nurses have been participating in a statewide prevention program since 2009, and this year they had a 97 percent returned pledge form rate.

“We believe the work that these nurses have committed to has been a key factor to why the numbers of cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome and Abusive Head Trauma that we are aware of has dropped significantly,” said Kay Shangraw, RN, manager for the PCAV Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention program.

The education BMH nurses provide new parents includes talking with them about infant crying, asking them to watch a short 8 minute video about Shaken Baby Syndrome and then having them sign a pledge form that says they will keep their baby safe and share this information with care providers.

Vermont had seen a huge increase in cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome from October 2007- December 2010. In that time period, 23 cases were in the news or brought to the attention of Prevent Child Abuse Vermont. Six infants died during that time period as well as a young man who had been a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome/ Abusive Head Trauma as an infant.

“We thank Kay Shangraw and the rest of the Prevent Child Abuse Vermont staff for their guidance and are pleased to know our efforts made a difference in lives of newborns and their parents. I would also like to thank my staff who made the commitment to educate our new parents, the 97% return rate is recognition of their dedication.” said Debbie Partrick, Nurse Manager for the BMH Birthing Center.

Debbie Partrick, Nurse Manager BMH Birthing Center

The Birthing Center is one of several specialty areas of patient care at BMH. All Birthing Center nurses have training in BLS (Basic CPR), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program), and STABLE (Infant Stabilization). There are five board certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and three nurses that carry certifications in Maternal/Newborn Nursing, Advanced Fetal Monitoring, Inpatient Obstetrics, and Low Risk Neonatal Nursing. In addition, two nurses are certified Lamaze instructors and there are two nurses who are trained Bereavement Counselors for infant loss.

For more information, contact Debbie Partrick in the BMH Birthing Center at 802-257-8228.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital (BMH) has provided health care services for over a hundred years. A 61-bed, not-for-profit community hospital located in Southeast Vermont, it serves a rural population of about 55,000 people in 22 towns in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The medical staff includes 137 board-certified physicians, both primary care and many specialists, and its 515 employees enjoy the help of over 150 active volunteers. BMH is accredited by the Joint Commission, the nation’s leading standards-setting and accrediting organization in health care.

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PCAV) is the Vermont Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and the National Roundtable of Family Support Programs. PCAV has a thirty year track record of promoting and supporting healthy relationships between children and people who care for them in order to eliminate child abuse. PCAV operates a central office in Montpelier and has a staff of sixteen, ten of whom work out of PCAV’s central office with the remaining six working in regions throughout the state either from their homes or offices in the community.

For more photos from the event, visit the BMH Facebook page.

Aimee Creelman, Kristin Anderson, and Debbie Kitzmiller from the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Birthing Center will be traveling to Nicaragua in March on a volunteer mission to raise awareness about lactation and other issues related to labor, delivery and newborn care.

Debbie Kitzmiller, Aimee Creelman, Kristin Anderson

The group will spend one week in Leon, Nicaragua’s second largest city, at the request of Hospital Escuela. According to BMH Birthing Center Nurse Manager Debbie Partrick, the hospital has been seeking volunteer assistance in strengthening their current lactation support services. The group will also bring much needed medical equipment and educational supplies to provide safe care for their obstetric and newborn patients.

In addition to promoting and supporting lactation, the group will collaborate with Nicaraguan nurses in the care of mothers and newborns in labor, delivery, and post partum care. Partrick says one volunteer is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, while other members of the group hold specialty certifications in fetal monitoring and neonatal resuscitation. All the volunteers have extensive experience in public health, speak Spanish and have traveled to Latin America previously.

“Breastfeeding has been shown to improve infant and maternal health, especially in developing countries where lack of clean water is linked to diarrhea illnesses, a leading cause of infant mortality in Nicaragua.” says Partrick.

To donate, you can either mail a check made out to Aimee Creelman to:
Aimee Creelman c/o Brattleboro-Nurses-Nicaragua
P.O. Box 6424 Brattleboro, VT 05302

For more information, contact Debbie Partrick at 802-257-8228,  or visit the Brattleboro Nurses in Nicaragua Facebook page.

Programs of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s New Moms Network in March start with a session called “Starting Solids” on Wednesday, March 7th. This is presented by Chris Ellis, RD with the Brattleboro Food Co-op.

The program on Wednesday, March 14th will feature “Ouch! What You Need to Know about Immunizations Now”. This is presented by Rebecca Olmstead, RN of the Vermont Department of Health.

On Wednesday, March 21st, new moms will discuss “Birth: What I Learned” This discussion will be lead by Dawn Kersula, RN, is a perinatal specialist in the BMH Birthing Center.

And finally on March 28th, new moms will have a day called “Wearing Your Baby: A Guide to all those Wraps and Things!” Come wrap with Michelle Stephens, a mother and wrap extraordinaire.

This free BMH program is a chance for new moms (dads are also welcome) to network and learn tips from each other. Babies are warmly welcomed, of course, and need not to have been born at BMH to attend. New Moms Network is a free service of the BMH Birthing Center.

Moms meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the BMH Exercise Room on the lower level of the main hospital.

For more information about any of these programs, you can call 802-257-8278 to talk to Dawn Kersula. For more complete information online for any of these BMH programs, check the monthly listings on the events calendar.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital is publishing a weekly blog called “Baby Steps” on its web site for new and expecting parents. It can be found by clicking on the BMH Blogs tab on the bmhvt.org web site or by going directly to www.bmhvt.org/baby-steps.

Baby Steps is updated every Tuesday with a new entry containing helpful tips and links to interesting articles about pregnancy, delivery and infant care. The blog’s author, Dawn Kersula, RN, is a perinatal specialist in the BMH Birthing Center. Dawn also travels around the country speaking to nurses about breastfeeding instruction and support.

The bmhvt.org blog section also features healthy recipes posted every Monday by Director of Nutrition Services Jamie Baribeau, Health Tips from Rehab Services Director Eileen Casey, and an archive of Health Matters columns from members of the BMH medical and administrative staff as well as providers from member practices of BMH Physician Group.

Programs of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital’s New Moms Network in February start with a session called “How a Baby Learns to Love” on Wednesday, February 8th. This is presented by Jennifer Bailes, Therapist and mom.

The program on Wednesday, February 15th will feature a baby parade at the Thompson House, please meet in the downstairs meeting room at 10:00 AM.

On Wednesday, February 22nd, new moms will learn “The Spiritual Side of Mothering: What do you want your kids to know about life?” This will be presented by Susie Webster-Toleno, Pastor at Congregational Church of Westminster West / Christ’s Church Saxtons River.

And finally on February 29th, new moms will have a day they call Potpourri. This is a time for new moms to come together and discuss various topics with each other and network.

This free BMH program is a chance for new moms (dads are also welcome) to network and learn tips from each other. Babies are warmly welcomed, of course, and need not to have been born at BMH to attend. New Moms Network is a free service of the BMH Birthing Center.

Moms meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 AM in the BMH Exercise Room on the lower level of the main hospital.

For more information about any of these programs, you can call 802-257-8278 to talk to Dawn Kersula. For more complete information for any of these BMH programs, check the monthly listings on the hospital events calendar.