[contact-form-7 404 "Not Found"]

Two Families. Three Babies. One Birth Center.

blog1_head

These are just some of the common questions that flood the minds of new parents-to-be. Which is why it’s important to have the right people and resources around you for support during this life-changing time.

The obstetric (OB) physicians at Southwest Health understand both the worry and the great joy that comes with being a new parent. It’s why they are at your side every step of the way, from the first ultrasound to the last big push and through all the questions in between.

Denise Perry and Christina Acherman both chose SH for that continuity and quality of care, and they’re so glad they did.

Denise

2013 The Perrys_1The Perry family is never boring, and the births of their two children certainly proved that. With each, Denise experienced a very different delivery. But one thing did remain constant—family physician, Wendy Molaska, MD.

Twenty-one weeks into her pregnancy with Grace, her first child, Denise learned Grace was flipped in the womb.

This meant she would be born feet first instead of head first, which presents risks for both baby and mom. So, Dr. Molaska walked Denise through the pros and cons of trying to manually flip Grace. Ultimately, they decided to schedule a Cesarean section (C-section), with the option of a vaginal birth if Grace turned on her own.

“I wasn’t upset by choosing a C-section because my only goal was to have a healthy baby,” Denise says. “It also helped that I had full confidence in Dr. Molaska and the decision we made together.”

In the end, Denise did have a C-section, and Grace was born healthy and strong on January 26, 2010.

While Denise’s pregnancy and delivery of Grace presented obstacles, her second pregnancy with her son Walter came with more twists. With Walter, Denise was a self-described “single pregnant mom” because throughout the entire pregnancy, her husband Dan was deployed with the National Guard in Tanzania, Africa. And she knew he wouldn’t be home in time for the delivery. To get through this, Denise depended heavily on a great support system of friends and family, especially Dr. Molaska.

And therein lies the second twist—Denise’s due date was very close to a time when Dr. Molaska was scheduled to be out of town.

“I told Dr. Molaska that if I couldn’t have Dan with me, she NEEDED to be there,” Denise says. “We had developed a connection that made her more than my doctor; she was as supportive as one of my closest friends, so I knew I wouldn’t feel as alone if she were there.”

Dr. Molaksa reassured Denise she would do everything possible to be there when it came time to push. Which is why two days before Dr. Molaska was set to leave, she called Denise in for a check-up. Incredibly, as she was preparing to run her tests, Denise’s water was breaking.

Not only was Dr. Molaska there for the delivery, her husband Dan was there, too, through Skype.

“We were so appreciative that SH helped us be together that way,” Denise says. “It shows they are truly there to provide the best care and overall experience to each of their patients.”

 

Christina

ADs235Christina’s OB experience with SH’s Andrew Klann, DO, all started by chance.

For a short time during Christina’s first pregnancy, the SH physician she chose as her OB was on vacation; thus, unavailable for a routine appointment. So, Christina scheduled one with Dr. Klann.

“We ended up liking him so much, that from this one appointment, we decided Dr. Klann would be our baby’s doctor after birth,” she says.

So Dr. Klann stayed involved throughout Christina’s pregnancy. He was in the delivery room when her daughter Emilee was born on November 11, 2011, and he performed all of her post-birth tests.

But it wasn’t just Dr. Klann that made Christina’s experience positive.

“I had a very long and difficult labor and delivery because Emilee’s head was tucked,” Denise says. “ I went to the hospital on a Thursday afternoon and Emilee wasn’t born until Friday night. But the entire delivery team was encouraging and supportive, and they used their collective knowledge to deliver her safely without having to go into surgery.”

Christina also liked that she never had to change rooms between her labor and delivery, which provided an extra level of comfort. Christina and her family have since moved to Darlington, WI—about 25 miles away from Platteville. However, they still make the drive to see Dr. Klann for Emilee’s routine check-ups.

“We feel so comfortable in the hands of the staff at SH that the longer drive doesn’t even matter,” says Christina. “And when we look to have more children in the future, there is no doubt in our minds we will go right back to SH.”

Leave a Comment