When Emily Prokosch tells the birth stories of her three girls, they couldn’t be more different from one another.
“When I had my first baby (Madison, now 9) I went in with a mindset that a million women have babies naturally and I can too, but after the hard labor and contractions I had a different mindset for my second pregnancy.”
As many mothers do, Emily considered pain management options such as an epidural or intrathecal (both of which are offered at the Hospital). “I opted for an intrathecal for my second baby (Brooklyn, now 5) and it worked great for me. I could interact with my family during my labor and when it came time to push, I felt like I still had a lot of energy”. Emily remembers, “I even called my friend who was pregnant that same day and told her she should consider it!”
An intrathecal is commonly referred to as a ‘spinal’ or ‘walking epidural’, where the medicine is placed in the spinal column to provide pain relief during labor. The patient typically still has the ability to move around and walk.
With Emily’s most recent baby (Sophie, 7 months) a c-section was planned. “Dr. Olson explained there are six risk factors that must be considered for a planned c-section and I had four of them. She urged us to take time to think it over and we ended up opting for it. Everything went great with the surgery.” Expecting mothers should always work with their physician to determine the best delivery option for their circumstance.
Emily and her husband Tom experienced a few minor bumps with their newborns. “All three had jaundice and had to use the biliblanket, but it cleared up quickly”. Jaundice is the yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes that indicates high levels in the blood of the chemical bilirubin and that the liver is not processing the chemical quickly enough. While jaundice is relatively common in newborns, if not treated properly, it can lead to neurologic damage. The Birth Place at Windom Area Hospital has bilirubin lights onsite and a blanket that newborns may be sent home with for a limited time.
The Prokosch’s were very comfortable with the level of care they received from the nursing staff. In fact, Emily’s sister, Anita Eichstadt, is an RN at the hospital. “We received really, really good care. It’s comforting having staff that you are familiar and at ease with.”
Having all three daughters at the Windom Area Hospital has its perks. “It’s really nice to be close so family can stop by. You also don’t have to worry about a long car ride home from the hospital with the little one.”
Emily remembers back on what made her very three different birth experiences memorable, “You wait so long to have them! It’s great to be able to finally hold them have having the relief of them being healthy”.