Every expectant mother hopes for the same thing when going into labor: a safe delivery and a healthy baby.
Sometimes, the unexpected happens. It's important to know- Abilene hospitals are ready.
"When we have a baby we watch it very closely," Says Dina Davis, Nurse Manager at Hendrick Medical Center.
One out of every seven babies born in Texas is premature and requires a little extra time in the hospital.
Hendrick Medical Center has a level 2-b nursery. Meaning, they can handle most neonatal cases in house.
"Some of the things that we watch for are temperature instability, any kind of respiratory stress, feeding issues. When they're premature of course.. we're already on it. We know the certain things we need to look for," Said Davis.
For more serious cases, Abilene Regional Medical Center has the cities only neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
"It's not your routine nursery where they're born today they go home tomorrow or the next day. They could be here for weeks, they could be here for months," Says Dr. Snehal Doshi, Neo-natologist at Abilene Regional Medical Center.
Doctor Doshi is the only certified neo-natologist between Fort Worth and Midland.
"We're a level 3-B so that means we can take care of just about every baby except for the ones that need surgical intervention," Said Doshi.
In a surgical case, like a heart defect, the baby would be flown elsewhere.
But at both hospitals here- there is a special kind of bond formed during that extra time the baby needs.
"Sometimes you build friendships during that time and you bond with the family as well as with the child. And you get to see a nervous parent with a sick child go home hopefully with a healthy baby, and a parent who feels much more comfortable taking care of them," Said Doshi.
Sometimes, the unexpected happens. It's important to know- Abilene hospitals are ready.
"When we have a baby we watch it very closely," Says Dina Davis, Nurse Manager at Hendrick Medical Center.
One out of every seven babies born in Texas is premature and requires a little extra time in the hospital.
Hendrick Medical Center has a level 2-b nursery. Meaning, they can handle most neonatal cases in house.
"Some of the things that we watch for are temperature instability, any kind of respiratory stress, feeding issues. When they're premature of course.. we're already on it. We know the certain things we need to look for," Said Davis.
For more serious cases, Abilene Regional Medical Center has the cities only neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
"It's not your routine nursery where they're born today they go home tomorrow or the next day. They could be here for weeks, they could be here for months," Says Dr. Snehal Doshi, Neo-natologist at Abilene Regional Medical Center.
Doctor Doshi is the only certified neo-natologist between Fort Worth and Midland.
"We're a level 3-B so that means we can take care of just about every baby except for the ones that need surgical intervention," Said Doshi.
In a surgical case, like a heart defect, the baby would be flown elsewhere.
But at both hospitals here- there is a special kind of bond formed during that extra time the baby needs.
"Sometimes you build friendships during that time and you bond with the family as well as with the child. And you get to see a nervous parent with a sick child go home hopefully with a healthy baby, and a parent who feels much more comfortable taking care of them," Said Doshi.
