Saint Francis Family BirthPlace's Discharge Brunch Offers Insights for Parents

Recognizing the challenges a new mother faces, the nursing staff at Saint Francis Medical Center’s Family BirthPlace has developed a plan to help alleviate the stress. Saint Francis is now offering a Discharge Brunch that gives new parents an opportunity to express their concerns and ask questions in a comfortable group setting.

Each morning, all mothers who will be discharged that day, along with a guest, are invited to come to the Family Room for a delicious brunch. While they enjoy a variety of breakfast and lunch entrees, they learn the basics of how to care for their baby when they arrive home. Discussion topics include cord care, feeding, diaper changes and infant calming, and participants have the opportunity to ask questions and meet other parents. Near the end of the brunch, the guests go back to their rooms and the mothers learn how to care for themselves after discharge.

“Our goal is to ease the transition from the Medical Center to home by giving our new mothers the knowledge and confidence to make a positive start in their new life with baby,” says Cathy Abrams, RN, BSN, MS, director of Maternal and Child Health Services at Saint Francis. “The peace of mind that provides is so important in the early days of motherhood.”

In addition to the Discharge Brunch, the Family BirthPlace also offers a variety of childbirth education classes addressing breast-feeding, childbirth and infant care. Couples attending these classes before the birth of their child actively participate in their labor and birth experience and find it easier to cope physically and emotionally with the stress of labor. In addition, Saint Francis also offers Safe Sitter and sibling classes for children, so the whole family is involved in the process.

If you are interested in learning more about the Family BirthPlace or its educational offerings, please visit www.sfmc.net to take a virtual tour or call 877-231-BABY (2229).