Sep 1, 2020 Reporting from Niles, MI
We Were In Great Hands - Anjana Gupta
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/medical-services/womens-health-services/pregnancy-care/our-patients-say-it-best/Detail/we-were-in-great-hands/?utm_source=We_Were_In_Great_Hands&utm_medium=PatientStory_Landing&utm_campaign=InternalPages
Sep 1, 2020
Sep 1, 2020
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
As a first-time mom, 37-year-old, Anjana Gupta of St. Joseph didn’t expect to deliver her baby five weeks early. Throughout her pregnancy, Anjana and her baby required additional monitoring and she was admitted to Lakeland Medical Center in St.
We Were In Great Hands - Anjana Gupta
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
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We Were In Great Hands - Anjana Gupta
Sep, 2020
As a first-time mom, 37-year-old, Anjana Gupta of St. Joseph didn’t expect to deliver her baby five weeks early. Throughout her pregnancy, Anjana and her baby required additional monitoring and she was admitted to Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph four times between May 1 and 17. When she arrived the final time, doctors told her it was time to deliver.
“Every time I was admitted to the hospital it was a great experience,” said Anjana. “I was comfortable, and the nurses answered all of my questions.”
Anjana delivered Alice Kumari Brown via caesarian section on May 17, 2019. Five days after labor, Anjana was able to be discharged home. But since her daughter was delivered prematurely, she was not able to eat on her own yet and needed to stay at the hospital a little longer. Fortunately, if mothers are discharged before their newborns, they can stay until their baby is released too. Anjana and her husband were able to remain by their daughter’s side until they brought her home–which meant the world to them as first time parents.
“There was no way I would have left my baby,” she said. “The best part is I was able to stay in my room. Everyone was always helpful. I never felt like a bother to them.”
While Anjana appreciated her entire care team, it was the interaction with the nurses in the nursery that meant the most to her.
“They were always supportive,” she said. “They encouraged me to take breaks, and I received incredible training on how to care for a premature baby. We’re not used to having a four-pound baby, so the education they provided was incredible.”
Lactation consultant, Denise Lendardson, RN, met with Anjana every day. All the nurses were also trained to help with breastfeeding. Within those four days, Anjana’s daughter went from syringe feeding to bottles to trying to breastfeed.
“I cried when we left, because I did not want to leave the nurses,” she said. “Everyone was incredible. We knew we were in great hands.”
Anjana hopes to ease the minds of other expecting mothers, reassuring them of the excellent care she received at the Lakeland BirthPlace.;
“Trust the professionals,” she said. “They know what they’re doing. If you relax, trust, and listen, you and your baby will be fine.”