5 • SUMMER 1993 ISSUE

HealthNews

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SINAI HOSPITAL

From learning you're pregnant to
labor, delivery and going home...

Sinai offers a comprehensive support system for women

Childbirth is a family affair at Sinai.

Fathers have an important role in childbirth at Sinai. They may remain in the hospital throughout a new
mother's labor and hospital stay.

C

hildbirth is a natural occur-
rence, but over the years women
have learned to take a more ac-
tive role in childbirth as partic-
ipants rather than patients. Through
education programs offered at Sinai,
women learn more about childbirth so
they can make informed decisions dur-
ing labor. Recognizing the importance
of a prepared expectant mother, Sinai
Hospital places a high premium on pa-
tient education and support.

Year-Round

N

.

As a leader in women's health care,
Sinai Hospital places a priority on edu-
cating patients. Sinai offers a biweekly
women's health series featuring panel
presentations by Sinai health profes-
sionals on topics such as premenstrual
syndrome, stress management,
menopause and breast cancer. The pro-
grams are part of Sinai's ongoing efforts
to keep southeastern Michigan women
informed about their health issues.
For couples considering pregnancy,
Sinai offers the "Maybe Baby?" precon-
ceptual counseling class to inform
prospective parents about the responsi-
bilities of a new baby. Designed to edu-
cate couples, the class deals with

financial, emotional and health issues
related to pregnancy.
Sinai also offers genetic counseling for
both expectant parents and couples con-
sidering pregnancy, particularly those
with a family history of genetic problems.
Genetic counseling involves a detailed
family history, tests such as amniocen-
tesis and discussion about treatment op-
tions for mother or baby if there is a
problem. And Sinai is a community
leader in testing for Tay-Sachs, a rare,
fatal disease common to Jews of Eastern
European descent. Over the last four
years, Sinai has conducted more than
1,000 Tay-Sachs screenings through a
program sponsored by the Sinai Hospi-
tal Guild.

sponge, lotion for dry skin, a list of area
maternity shops along with valuable
coupons and important information on
women's services at Sinai including child-
birth classes, beeper rental, breastfeed-
ing and anesthesia during labor. This
information helps an expectant mother
prepare for the upcoming birth.
To continue the educational process,
Sinai's prepared childbirth or Lamaze
classes are held at convenient locations
throughout the metropolitan area. In
addition to classes at Sinai Hospital,
Lamaze classes are offered in Hunting-
ton Woods, Farmington Hills, Dearborn
and Birmingham. Recognizing the hec-
tic schedules of many couples, Sinai of-
fers weekend get-away retreats at area
hotels for couples to enjoy special time
away to focus on the arrival of their new
family member.
Sinai also offers new parent classes,
infant and child cardiopulmonary re-
suscitation (CPR) and safety classes and
even sibling classes for the big brother
or big sister-to-be to anticipate the new
baby's arrival.

rival of a new baby even more special.
Since fathers are so important during
labor, delivery and the post-partum pe-
riod, they are welcome 24 hours a day at
Sinai. The private post-partum rooms
have special sleep chairs for fathers to
spend the night in the hospital and a 24-
hour nourishment center with healthy
snacks such as salads and sandwiches
for new parents to grab a bite to eat.
An important component in perinatal
education at Sinai is breastfeeding in-
struction. Sinai was the first hospital in
Michigan to offer a full-time interna-
tionally board certified lactation consul-
tant to teach and support new mothers
during breastfeeding.
"We teach mothers how to present the
breast right, hold the baby right, get the
baby's mouth open wide enough, bring
the baby to the nipple and set in to a com-
fortable rhythm," says Lactation Con-
sultant Jan DeCoopman. 'We can help
resolve sore nipples so mom doesn't have
to grit her teeth. And we remain avail-
able after mother and baby go home to
answer any questions."

In the Hospital

Going Home

New moms enjoy individualized muss-
ing care during labor, delivery and dur-
ing their hospital stay at Sinai. This
one-on-one nursing care coupled with the
important role of fathers make the ar-

Support doesn't end with discharge
from the hospital. An innovative pro-
gram called Sinai Au Pair Care can
arrange for a nursing assistant to help
with the new baby after going home from
the hospital. For a fee, new
mothers can enjoy the com-
fort of having professional
health care staff on hand to
assist with the new baby and
to make the transition home
with the newborn a little eas-
ier. From diaper changing
to light housekeeping, the
Sinai Au Pair Care service is
customized to meet each new
mother's needs.
'When women choose
Sinai, we're very honored
and we treat them as ma-
ture, intelligent, independent
Sinai begins an important education-
people," says Shelly Igrisan,
al process with a pregnant woman's first
assistant vice president of
visit to her Sinai obstetrician or family
Perinatal Nursing. "People
practitioner. Each expectant mother
are more and more aware
planning to deliver her baby at Sinai re-
that they have choices in
ceives a special gift from the hospital —
health care. Our services
a complimentary pink tote bag that in-
and attitude reflect these
cludes a copy of the popular reference
philosophical changes. We
book What to Expect When You're Ex-
offer really top of the line
pecting, a pregnancy calendar detailing
Sinai recognizes the special time of childbirth. New moms and babies
technology and a lot of car-
the baby's growth along the way, a loofah receive both expert care and compassion at Sinai.
ing."

During Pregnancy

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