Angie Cizadlo and Jenna Nielsen each gave birth to their second child a day apart at the Maple Grove Hospital. The Family Birth Center at the hospital logged an incredible 2,100 deliveries in its first year in 2010, so it is not unusual for any two women to give birth there. The curious coincidence concerning Cizadlo and Nielsen is that they are sisters.
The center was a convenient location for the sisters, who both live in the Osseo/Maple Grove area. “We were impressed with the facility, the quiet, family-oriented atmosphere,” Nielsen says. They both liked the “non-hospital-like” environment and idea that friends could drop in comfortably. And it didn’t hurt that their parents could visit both families at once.
The center’s quiet, communal ambience is no accident. It starts at the door with curved walls of warm, muted colors and varying textures. Oversized photos of babies compel a smile and leave no doubt of your location. A friendly voice is the first thing you’ll hear upon entering. But what you do not hear is, perhaps, is the facility’s largest unconventional trait: No overhead speaker summons “Dr. Johnson” or blares “code blue”—setting nerves on edge.
Years of planning went into the Birthing Center’s design, which focuses not on what is done, but how it is done. For example, nurses flagged spending an inordinate amount of time ‘looking’ for things. So, a dedicated storage area in each room is stocked with a three-day supply of needed items. When something runs low, a computerized call system alerts the need, and the cabinet is restocked from the back.
Incorporation of the latest and greatest in technology supports a philosophy that puts the patient’s desires first. From the 42-inch flat-screen TV with educational info, to the entertainment video-on-demand, satellite radio, Wi-Fi, remote-controlled shades, temperature and zoned lighting, the patient is given sway.
Comfort is at the top of the patient needs list. High-end sheets, plush robes and towels greet a laboring mother; a pull-out Tempur-Pedic bed accommodates overnight guests; and hot meals are available any time.
After delivery, the newborn can be bathed in the room, the room’s personal safe can hold jewelry brought for pictures with the new one taken by visitors who are welcomed 24/7. To top it off, an afternoon tea cart makes daily rounds with tea and healthy snacks for all present.
Grabbing that precious first image is a must, and the in-hospital service of First Day Photo offers professional portraits that include mom, dad and siblings. “Far and away the most popular item is our image disc,” remarks Jessica Person, of First Day Photo. It grants parents the ability to use the high-resolution images to make their own prints, birth announcements and scrapbooks, and can be shared online in a password-protected web gallery.
Bavia Health is another unique postnatal option that makes birthing a pleasure. Their award-winning gentle massage, heat and guided relaxation helps new moms heal faster. The hospital room is transformed into a spa-spital room with low lighting, aromatherapy and soothing music. “I had the head, neck and shoulders massage,” says Connie Ha, new mother of Evelyn Joy. “I’ve given birth to two boys, so I knew what I would feel like!”
The Family Birth Center has successfully created more than an extraordinary building. They’ve created a culture where patients experience what Director of Physician Development and Guest/Public Relations Jennifer Krippner calls “the Maple Grove way”, characterized by “being present” on the units. “Physicians act as part of a team,” she says. “Managers visit patients, family members are supported when feeling stressed, visitors are made to feel at home.”
The center originally projected 900 births for the first year. With the philosophy of never turning away a laboring mother, administrators quickly reevaluated, expanded staff and nearly doubled their space. Hype of the quiet culture of the Maple Grove Hospital’s Family Birth Center is the only loud thing about it.
Did You Know?
Special services that deliver healing and memories:
Bavia Health, baviahealth.com
Sleepy Head - Head, neck and shoulder massage, $65
Couples We-treat- Mom relishes in a 60-minute full-body massage, while dad enjoys a Sleepy Head treatment, $214
First Day Photo, firstdayphoto.com
Many packages available; inquire upon admittance.
