With a robust pre and post-delivery education program, Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center staff help to alleviate much of the anxiety of having and caring for a new baby. The state-of-the-art facility with its well-conceived delivery suites is designed to help mothers feel comfortable and safe when “it’s time!”. The comprehensive care provided for a new mother and baby includes services for high-risk pregnancies and neonatal intensive care.

Delivering, on average, 6,000 babies per year (that’s 16 babies per day) means the staff have built a level of experience that Fort Worth mothers find comfort in. It also means they are celebrating their 100,000^th delivery this month!

This monumental achievement is the culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work by a staff dedicated to providing the highest quality care for a new mother (and her baby).

Tanglewood Moms reached out to two of the fantastic doctors on staff at Andrews Women’s Hospital for their take on what it means to them to be a part of our community and to get to be the first to welcome so many new Fort Worthians into it.

“Having grown up in Tanglewood in the 60s and 70s, I would be glad to respond. Well before Baylor bought All Saints and Baylor and Scott & White joined forces, I worked one summer at All Saints as a surgical orderly. Fast forward twelve years and I came back to Fort Worth to practice in 1991 with my father. When the new Andrews Women’s Hospital first opened in 2008, we were excited to be a part of it, and to think less than 17 years later that we would have delivered over 100,000 tiny Texans is amazing. Andrews Women’s Hospital delivers more babies every year than any other hospital in the metroplex except for Parkland Hospital in Dallas. We are very fortunate to live in a city like Fort Worth and to have the backing of both our generous donors and the Baylor Scott & White system and hope to remain the Best Place to have a baby in Fort Worth.”

Jay Herd, MD
Executive Vice-President of Medical Affairs
Chief Medical Officer
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth

“Practicing medicine in general and specifically delivering babies in my hometown of Fort Worth is a dream come true for me. Fort Worth truly is a big city with a small town feel and often I will run into my patients with the children I have helped welcome into the world as I am out and about town – grocery shopping, running the Trinity Trails, or at sporting events watching my own children. I very much feel like an integral part of this community. Andrews Women’s Hospital has been a center for excellence in obstetrics and gynecology here in Fort Worth, thus giving me a home to serve women of my community with the highest quality of care.”

Jamie Lin Walker Erwin, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth

Tanglewood Moms would like to offer our thanks and congratulations to Doctors Herd and Erwin, and all the staff at Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center for their continued care of the women of Fort Worth and on their tremendous achievement of delivering 100,000 new babies into our community!

Bravo!

Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community, or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of Baylor Scott & White Health or those medical centers.

The post Welcoming 100,000 New Fort Worthians first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Photo courtesy of Baylor Scott & White

Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints stands ready to answer your questions and walk with you through your pregnancy. Whether you want a natural childbirth with a doula or an epidural with an OB/GYN, Andrews Women’s Hospital is the place to deliver!

I talked with Dr. Kathleen Cammack, an OB/GYN on the medical staff at Baylor Scott & White, about what you can expect from your experience at Andrews Women’s Hospital.

Photo courtesy of Kathleen Cammack

When preparing for pregnancy, Dr. Cammack offers these hints. Do your research! Choosing a physician and a hospital are the first steps in making sure your delivery goes as smoothly as possible. Some good questions to ask are:

• Do you care about your physician’s gender?
• Do you know who is in a call group with them in case you go into labor when your physician is off?
• Is the office and the hospital near your home?
• Is your physician in-network for your insurance?

Choosing a hospital used to involve a tour of the birthing center. To ensure your safety, you can now tour Andrews Women’s Hospital virtually, as well as taking online birthing classes.

I asked Dr. Cammack to address some of the misconceptions surrounding hospital births. She replied, “As an obstetrician, I will always recommend a hospital birth. The biggest reason to deliver in a hospital is to be prepared for the unknown and to keep you and your baby safe.” She went on to say that while her main goal is making sure the mother and child are safe, she wants to make sure that the mother’s birth plan is respected and that the birth of her child is one of the best days of her life.

“Birth plan?” I hear you ask. “What’s a birth plan?” Simply put, a birth plan is a list of things that the mother would like to have respected during delivery. It can be long and involved or short and sweet. If you have a birth plan, Dr. Cammack recommends talking through it with your physician so that you can tailor it to your desires, while making sure that you and your baby are safe.

There is a misconception that a hospital birth will automatically end in a cesarian section. Dr. Cammack assured me that is not the case. “There are times that intervention is necessary to keep babies and moms safe,” she said, but she stressed that she has never done a cesarian section when it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

When asked about having a “natural” birth, Dr. Cammack replied, “Unmedicated births are welcome… We have wireless monitoring so the mom doesn’t feel tied to the bed, and if the baby looks good, intermittent monitoring can also be done. Doulas… are typically welcome, though with COVID, this… is limited at this time.”

If necessary, Baylor Scott & White All Saints has a top notch neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). While the myth is that children’s hospitals’ NICUs are the best, that simply isn’t true. Dr. Cammack has nothing but praise for the NICU. “Our NICU at Baylor is fabulous. The providers, nurses, and level of care that they deliver to these babies are all top notch… Baylor balances both of their patients – the mom and the baby – in a way that supports both of their needs best.”

Photo courtesy of Baylor Scott & White

Having a baby during the coronavirus pandemic is not the same as it once was. Keep in mind that regulations are constantly changing, so your physician’s office and hospital requirements must change, as well. While you might not be able to have your family with you for every visit, but most physicians are happy to allow you to FaceTime or conference call so that everyone’s questions can be addressed. In addition, loved ones are typically allowed to come to essential visits, like ultrasound appointments.

In the hospital, COVID regulations have changed labor and delivery a little. Mothers are tested for COVID, either at the time she goes into labor or, if she’s scheduled for an induction or a cesarian section, two days prior to admission. Laboring mothers are allowed to have one guest stay with them throughout their stay. Dr. Cammack sees this as a positive. “… family members and friends come up at all hours to meet and see the new addition, and moms can be left feeling exhausted from delivering and trying to entertain… this time of distancing [can be used] as an opportunity to get to know your baby.” For families and friends, the hospital’s Magnolia Boutique offers “care packages” you can send to a new mother without coming into the hospital.

Yes, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the way pregnancy, labor, and delivery are managed, but Baylor Scott & White and its physicians want to make sure you have the safest, most comfortable, most supported experience possible. From prenatal care through labor and delivery to post-natal support, Baylor Scott & White will walk with you and your baby every step of the way!

If you had your baby at Baylor Scott & White All Saints, please share how they made your experience a safe, healthy, and happy one by voting for them in the annual DFW Child Best for Families: Moms and Babies. Click here to vote. Voting continues through October 26!

The post Andrews Women’s Hospital at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Really Delivers first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

If you’ve had a previous cesarean delivery, you may be wondering whether a vaginal birth is possible the next time around.

Years ago, it was a common practice for women to have repeat C-sections with subsequent deliveries. But the old saying, “Once a cesarean, always a cesarean” is no longer true. A Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, or VBAC, is widely discussed as cesarean deliveries are growing more common. In fact, C-sections now account for one in three births in the United States.

Having a baby vaginally after a C-section is associated with a number of benefits, including a decrease in maternal illness, elimination of abdominal surgery, lower risk of infection and a decrease in complications in future pregnancies.

With my first child, I had a primary C-section after pushing for more than three hours with no success. With my second, I elected for a Trial of Labor After Cesarean Section (TOLAC), which is a planned attempt to labor and delivery vaginally after a previous cesarean delivery. With TOLAC, the most common concern is the possible rupture of the cesarean scar on the uterus or rupture of the uterus itself. Although a rupture of the uterus is uncommon, it is very serious and may harm both you and your baby. Thankfully, my delivery resulted in a successful VBAC. I am able to relate to my patients and let them know about my experiences of a C-section, natural childbirth and a vaginal delivery with an epidural.

Although there are a number of benefits of VBACs, there is still much to consider. It is important to discuss your options with your provider to see what the best method is for you and your baby. Most of all, I want my patients to be safe, keep their uterus and have a healthy baby with the understanding that staying out of the operating room is our second goal.

For those wondering if they may be a candidate for a VBAC, here are seven elements to consider:

1. Comfort and Experience of your Provider

If a woman wants to have a VBAC, she should ask her provider if they routinely allow a TOLAC. We usually quote a woman a 60 to 80 percent chance of VBAC if she is a good candidate.

2. Type of Uterine Scar

The type of uterine scar is the most important consideration.  Women with a low transverse uterine scar from the prior C-section are considered good candidates for TOLAC. If a woman’s uterus was incised vertically, if she had previous removal of fibroids or previous rupture, there is a significant risk of uterine rupture and these women are not considered candidates for a TOLAC. That is why it is important for your doctor to have a copy of the previous operative reports to confirm the incision was a low transverse incision on the uterus.

3. Previous Vaginal Deliveries

Women who have previously had vaginal deliveries and then had a C-section for reasons such as breech presentation, fetal distress, or placenta previa have an excellent chance of having a VBAC.

4. Previous Number of Cesareans

The issue of TOLAC after two cesareans is controversial. The risk of uterine rupture after two C-sections is thought to be just under two percent, however, it is not universally accepted to allow TOLAC after two C-sections. The major concern is the condition of the uterus and the health of the mother.

5. Health History of the Mother

A woman who’s first C-section was for arrest of labor, for failure to progress, or for “dystocia” (baby not fitting) are less likely to have a successful VBAC. Other risks factors for a successful VBAC include advanced maternal age, a high BMI (body mass index), a big baby (8.5 to 9 pounds) and advanced gestational age at delivery.

6. Risks and Benefits of Both Options

Consider the risks when deciding if you are a good candidate for a VBAC, including uterine rupture, which could have significant implications on the baby’s well-being if not delivered immediately. The risk of uterine rupture is thought to be about 1 percent. However, risks for having a repeat C-section include progressively worsening scar tissue, which increases the risk of injuring the bowel or bladder, and increased blood loss. You may also be at risk for the placenta attaching itself to the uterine wall too deeply and not separating from the uterus after birth, which is a very serious condition and is increasing with more repeat C-sections. There are also risks inherent to surgery: developing a blood clot, developing wound infection and having a slower recovery than a vaginal birth.

7. Bigger Picture

When contemplating a VBAC, remember to keep the big picture in mind. I am particularly sensitive when patients need a C-section, whether it is their first or a repeat, as I recall the disappointment and fear I felt. I truly understand the desire of wanting to have a vaginal delivery, but sometimes it’s not in the cards. I really want patients to make decisions for themselves, but I hope to help make their expectations realistic.

For a referral to an OB/GYN on the medical staff at Andrews Women’s Hospital on the campus of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth, call 1.800.4.BAYLOR or visit BSWHealth.com/FortWorthWomen

Beatrice Kutzler, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN in Fort Worth, Texas, and is on the medical staff at Andrews Women’s Hospital on the campus of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth. She received her medical degree from University of Texas Medical School and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at University of Texas Health Science Center. She has been in practice for more than 25 years and still loves what she does. Even after all this time, she says she rarely wakes up and doesn’t want to go to work!

The post Am I a Candidate for a VBAC? first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.