Disclosure: I am partnering with Good Samaritan. All opinions are my own.
Having babies is hard work, and choosing where to have your babies can be very stressful. Good Samaritan in Lafayette, Colorado was our choice with our second child and one that we would absolutely make again. I had a very traumatic birth with my first born at a hospital that was completely unprepared and uneducated in how to handle severe eclampsia. I blame a lot of my birth trauma on them and their lack luster care. The fact that my son and I lived was a literal miracle. So when we became pregnant with our daughter, we really spent a lot of time looking for OB care and a hospital that would be able to handle any situation and keep us safe.
Choosing A Hospital
I am part of Kaisers network, but I did have a lot of choices when it came to OB care and hospitals. I really took the time to tour each hospital and to ask questions about how they handle emergencies, meet some of the staff, learn about their baby friendly stance and breastfeeding support as well as explain my circumstances. Good Samaritan Medical Center was the most friendly, thorough and calming during our tour. They answered every question we had, took us into a portion of the NICU and were very open and clear about how they support new families. In addition, the facility came highly recommended and was stunning. With individual delivery rooms and large recovery rooms along with several comfort amenities like massages, a take home meal and lactation consultants, Good Samaritan was our top choice for delivery.
The Nurses and Caregivers are Amazing
The day of delivery, I walked in with a typed birth plan. No joke, I had a list of 20 things that I wanted them to adhere to as long as mom and baby were safe. I expected the nurse to scoff at my requests, and instead she read it over, listened to our previous experience (which she already knew because she read my chart before and assured me that I was her only focus and patient for the day), and then relayed it to our anesthesiologist and delivery doctor. They all came in and talked to use before taking me back to the OR and were so supportive and compassionate. Through the delivery, the staff was very upbeat but focused and wonderful at helping my husband and I relax. That upbeat, focused and skilled care was consistent throughout our entire 5 day stay (yes, 5 days, because my body apparently hates giving birth). I felt so incredible and so supported and well taken care of.
Baby Friendly is Key
With my son, I was separated from him and kept away from him. No skin to skin, no breastfeeding, no contact. It was very upsetting and completely destroyed me in those first months of his life. I needed baby friendly, I needed support and I needed them to understand my experiences and fears. Good Samaritan’s staff and hospital understood that and went above and beyond to make sure that our daughter and I bonded from the moment she was born. Although my delivery was not textbook with her either, they made sure to bring her straight to me, to make sure that I had skin to skin for as long as possible, the kept us together as much as possible and really helped us with breastfeeding and even dealing with my extreme overproduction of milk. I was given every single choice over her care (which was not the case at the other hospital with my son) and felt very connected and comfortable there.
Good Samaritan Medical Center is actually Colorado’s first baby friendly hospital recognized by WHO and UNICEF. Baby friendly hospitals are important for many reasons, including:
- Healthy babies – Scientific studies show that breastfed children have fewer and less serious illnesses than children who aren’t.
- Healthy moms ̶ Studies also show that mothers who breastfeed have decreased risk for certain cancers and illnesses.
- Highest standards ̶ Baby-Friendly hospitals’ staff and facilities must meet guidelines and follow specific steps created by a team of global experts to ensure the best possible environment for breastfeeding.
- Cost savings ̶ Breast milk is free, and healthier children mean lower healthcare costs.
- Emotional bond ̶ You and your baby can enjoy the special bond formed through breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding Support You Can’t Beat
Breastfeeding is very important to me. I felt like it was the main reason I was able to reconnect with my son after his delivery and was adamant that I would be nursing our daughter as well. In the recovery room at Good Samaritan, the nurse worked with me to help her latch and get us both comfortable (especially as I was dealing with post-operative pain), I was visited by the lactation consultants at least twice a day and our regular nurse was also very knowledgeable and helpful when we experienced a few setbacks. One set back was that our daughter was choking a lot and was not getting a deep latch, with their support, we were able to address both those issues before we left the hospital and feel confident that our breastfeeding journey was starting on a good path.
I am so thankful for our delivery and postpartum experience at Good Samaritan Medical Center. It was redeeming and healing for me to go to a hospital with incredible spotlight on care, with high standards and a baby friendly focus. I highly encourage any new parents in Colorado to look at Good Samaritan for their birth experience and please feel free to ask questions.
