May 27, 2014

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By Dr. Tiffany McKee-Garrett

When a baby is born, parents want nothing more than to love and protect their child. Part of that protection starts right after birth with the administration of a vitamin K injection. Babies are not born with sufficient vitamin K levels and cannot get adequate amounts of vitamin K from breast milk, so this injection, given within the first hour after birth, is crucial because it helps a baby’s blood to clot normally, which prevents vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) in newborns.\

A dangerous trend
A recent CDC report confirmed that there has been a nationwide increase in parents refusing the vitamin K shot for their newborns – and this dangerous trend, often based on inaccurate information found online and faulty science, is causing more babies to experience hemorrhaging that is preventable and may cause brain damage or even death in some cases.

In the United States, administration of intramuscular vitamin K at birth to prevent all forms of VKDB has been standard practice since first recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1961. Without the shot, the incidence of early and classical VKDB ranges from 0.25 percent to 1.7 percent of births and the incidence of late VKDB ranges from 4.4 to 7.2 per 100,000 infants. The relative risk for developing late VKDB has been estimated at 81 times greater among infants who do not receive intramuscular vitamin K than in infants who do receive it.

Early VKBD usually presents in previously healthy appearing infants as unexpected bleeding during the first two weeks of age, usually between the second and fifth day after birth. The bleeding can present as oozing from the umbilical cord area, bleeding from the circumcision site, persistent oozing from puncture sites, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and/or bleeding into the brain, which can result in significant neurological complications that have a lifelong impact on a child.

Late VKDB is an indication of severe vitamin K deficiency and presents as unexpected bleeding, including brain bleeds in infants 2-12 weeks of age. Complications of late VKDB may be severe, including death. It classically presents in exclusively breastfed infants who received either no or inadequate neonatal vitamin K. It can also present in infants with intestinal malabosorption defects.

The myths
One myth about vitamin-k injections is that they are linked to leukemia, but studies show absolutely no relationship between getting vitamin K as a baby and an increased risk of leukemia. Another myth is that the vitamin K injection increases the risk of jaundice – which is inaccurate. Jaundice associated with vitamin K has been observed only in high risk babies (such as premature babies) in doses 30-60 times higher than the dose we give.

Some parents also argue that injections cause babies pain, but this pain is very brief and the benefits of the injection are very much worth a short period of discomfort. Parents are encouraged to mitigate this brief uncomfortable experience by holding baby skin to skin before and after the injection or allowing the baby to breastfeed before, during and/or after getting the injection.

In the not so distant past, infants and children had high rates of dying early in life. During the 20th century alone, the infant mortality rate declined greater than 90 percent and the maternal mortality rate declined 99 percent! Much of this is due to advancements in modern medicine. While it might seem nice to do things completely naturally, modern medicine has saved the lives of countless mothers and babies.

May 20, 2014

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By Julie Griffith

I am a planner by nature. I typically have my major life milestones mapped out before me and am driven by successfully completing goals. My life plan was as follows: 1) Play soccer at Texas A & M – check! 2) Marry an amazing man – check! 3) Complete graduate school – check! 4) Buy a home – check! 5) Establish myself in my dream career at Texas Children’s – check! 6) Start a family – check……finally!

Like most young, healthy couples, we thought it would be a breeze for us to conceive. After more than a year of trying and no sign of a second pink line anywhere in sight, we decided to turn to the Family Fertility Center at the Pavilion for Women last October. After being given a small chance of conceiving naturally, we made the decision to take the next step and pursue IVF. Even though it can be emotionally challenging at times working at children’s hospital and being surrounded by pregnant women, we knew we were in the right place to achieve our goal of starting a family. Our revised baby making plan was as follows: 1) Complete all the necessary doctor’s appointments – check! 2) Attend the IVF class – check! 3) Sign the 27 page consent form – check! 4) “Take a break” and wait to begin the IVF process in the new year.

Then, one Sunday morning in November, on a bit of a whim, I decided to take a test. It had probably been more than six months since I had taken a pregnancy test, because I felt that my heart couldn’t handle the disappointment each month. Well, on this particular day those two beautiful pink lines shined through in all of their glory! I was flooded with emotion, from disbelief to extreme happiness! There was a part of me felt that it was cliché to finally get pregnant while “on a break,” but honestly, I could have cared less how it happened!

My husband, Tyler, was at the gym that morning and the 45 minute wait for him to get home was excruciating! As soon as he got home, I showed him the evidence (three positive pregnancy tests) that would change our lives forever. There were moments of shock and then joy knowing this was really happening!

We believe that our longer than anticipated journey towards starting a family has made us more appreciative of the many wonderful blessings of pregnancy and even more connected to our ultimate goal of having a healthy baby. I am now in my third trimester and have been fortunate to have a happy and healthy pregnancy so far. I think my doctor, Dr. Putterman, with Partners in Ob/Gyn Care, said it best, “Good things come to those who wait.” We have been actively taking advantage of all of the incredible classes and resources available to us at the Pavilion and are looking forward to sharing our journey to parenthood on Bump Watch.

Here’s to conquering life’s next milestones and preparing for our baby boy’s arrival this July!

May 13, 2014

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Dr. Maggie McClure is petite but with a large presence. McClure, one of the founders of Magnet and former Chief Nursing Officer at NYU Medical Center, was the guest of honor at one of the first events to kick off Nurses Week 2014. She spoke to a group of nursing leaders giving an inspirational speech about how Magnet was first established. Magnet is a program which recognizes health care organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Texas Children’s is among the less than 10 percent of hospitals nationwide designated as Magnet facilities.

“When you have great nurses, you have great outcomes,” said McClure. “I don’t know an outcome that is not nursing-related.”

McClure spoke to the heart of nursing and brought laughter to the audience as she shared her experience as a nurse leader in the 70s when there was a shortage of nurses. For McClure, what is now the Magnet program, started out as research to decide what determined nurse retention. McClure’s story is one of collaboration. With the help of three other nurse leaders across the nation, findings were published as a learning experience for all nursing organizations.

Click here to jump to the photo gallery from Nurses Week 2014 below

Celebrations
The speech by McClure was just the beginning of a week of events and activities. Throughout the week, Chief Nursing Office Lori Armstrong made special stops to different units with treats to show her appreciation for all of the hard work by the incredible team of 2,500 nurses. Nurses were treated to a special chair massage, received a blessing of the hands and held a presentation of posters showing the work they’ve done over the last 365 days.

“It’s my goal that by the end of the week, you know how special you are,” Armstrong said, addressing a group of nurses.

Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses honorees
Among the week’s celebrations included three award ceremonies. The Houston Chronicle Salute to Nurses awarded Janet Treadwell from Texas Children’s Health Plan, as one of the top 10 nurses of 2014. Another 10 nurses were honored in the top 100 including Adrian McKinney, Sandy Heartwell, Cynthia Kennedy, Adrienne Kocher, Patricia Bondurant, Raymund Benigay, Cristina Hernandez, Jennifer Pearson, Jennifer Lusk and Jeremy Thierry.

Texas Children’s Nursing Excellence Award recipients
The second annual Texas Children’s Nursing Excellence Awards Luncheon honored nurses who go above and beyond on a daily basis to make a difference in the lives of our patients. Armstrong opened the awards ceremony which included remarks by President and CEO Mark A. Wallace and Physician-in-Chief Dr. Mark W. Kline as well as closing remarks by Executive Vice President Susan MacDonald.

The honors went to:
Mary Pfeffer – rookie
Danielle Gregory – staff nurse
Brenda Balayut – preceptor
Lauren McCracken – certified nurse
Dr. Nancy Hurst – nurse researcher
Deitra Brown – nurse leader
Julie Kuzin – advanced practice nurse
Forensic Nursing Team – nursing team of the year
Dr. Tony Mott – friend of nursing

The week concluded with a Daisy Award presentation and a statue dedication in front of the Children’s Chapel in West Tower. The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses is awarded each month to nurses based on nominations by patient families or peers. The latest recipient of the Daisy Award is Elise Chabot, 15 West Tower.

Mary Pfeffer, BSN, RN ~ Rookie

Mary Pfeffer is a 2012 Magna cum Laude graduate of the William F. Connell School of Nursing. She is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Mary is a staff nurse on 14WT, our Pulmonary Adolescent unit. Although she is relatively new to the nursing profession, Mary has distinguished herself as a leader. She is well-known for constantly seeking out new information and ways to better equip herself to deliver the highest quality care possible to her patients and their families. For example, when new initiatives are discussed, Mary frequently volunteers to take an active part in the new process. Despite being a new nurse, Mary is committed to the nursing profession – and takes the responsibility of being a nurse very seriously. For example, she was recently the first responder to an auto-pedestrian accident. She immediately jumped out of her car, began CPR and instructed others who arrived on appropriate steps for support. She stayed with the injured man until EMS arrived to assume care. In the words of Mary’s manager, “Mary’s compassionate touch, positive demeanor, and family engagement in care make her a tremendous asset to the patients and families she cares for.”

Brenda Balayut, BSN, RN ~ Preceptor

Brenda attended nursing school in Pampanga, Philippines. She began working at Texas Children’s in 2009 on 14WT, our Pulmonary Adolescent unit. Brenda takes pride in being a life-long learner – she is BSN prepared and is currently working towards obtaining her CPN certification. Brenda has been described as a “natural nurturer to novice nurses.” Her background of having worked as a clinical instructor in the Philippines has contributed to her success as a preceptor. In the words of one of her orientees, “As a graduate nurse, I was thrilled yet nervous to begin my nursing career at Texas Children’s, and Brenda helped me confidently transition into my role as an RN. During my orientation time, Brenda encouraged me as I faced challenges and helped in still qualities in me that I will continue demonstrate throughout my nursing career.”

Lauren McCracken, BSN, RN, CCRN ~ Certified

Lauren began working as a staff nurse in our PICU in 2005. She is certified by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses. She has been a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses since 2005. Lauren became a part of the PICU Transport Team in 2010. As part of the team, she transports patients from 23 weeks gestation to adults from outlying hospitals to our Intensive Care Units. In the words of Dr. Graff, “Lauren embodies the best professional values of a staff nurse. The rigorous, highly pressured transport environment requires calm, deliberate critical thinking, immediate problem solving and a willingness to ‘go the extra mile.’ Lauren excels as a transport provider in all these aspects.”

Nancy Hurst PhD, RN, IBCLC ~ Nurse Researcher

Nancy began her career at Texas Children’s at 1984 as a lactation consultant. She currently serves as the director of Women’s Support Services – she has been in that role since 2010. Nancy is well known for having a longstanding program of research in lactation and breastfeeding the preterm neonate. She is currently the Principal Investigator on a study entitled, ‘Effects of freezing and thawing cycles and storage on the quality of human milk.” Dr. Steven Abrams noted that, “with Nancy’s effort Texas Children’s Hospital is recognized throughout the country and even in other countries as a leader in using human milk to help infants thrive and survive preterm birth or other critical illnesses.”

Forensic Nursing ~ Nursing Team

The forensic team is comprised of nurses that primarily work in the emergency center conducting medical forensic exams for sexual assault cases. At the heart of the forensic nursing team is an undeniable drive to provide quality healthcare to victims of child abuse. Each member of the team reports that their motivation to work in this highly specific and somewhat challenging role is to provide remarkable, compassionate, specialized care for patients and families enduring the unimaginable trauma of sexual abuse. In the words of social work colleague John Bickel, “Having worked with this team for several years, I am constantly amazed by their thoughtfulness, caring and authenticity with these children. We can’t ‘fix’ these children, but we can give them a new and happier ‘normal.’”

Dr. Tony Mott ~ Friend of Nursing

Dr. Tony Mott is a cardiologist and Medical Director of 15WT. Dr. Mott is well regarded for his collaborative leadership style and support of nursing. He takes an active part in the hiring of new nurses on 15WT – by sitting in on interviews or sending a personally emailing the candidate a welcome note of support and partnership. During daily unit rounds he takes the time to assess the nursing workload and advocates alongside nurse leaders to meet bedside nurse, patient and family needs. Dr. Mott always includes nurses in patient care discussions and consistently communicates to nurses how valuable their insight is. One of Dr. Mott’s supporters commented, “Dr. Mott has brought an era of hope and respect that has been pivotal in changing our culture and clinical knowledge on 15WT. He is not only academically brilliant; he is compassionate, understanding, and genuine. His admiration and respect for our profession leaves me speechless.”

Danielle Gregory, BSN, RN, CNRN ~ Staff Nurse

Danielle is a 2011 graduate of the UT Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing, where she was on the Dean’s List and also the recipient of the Ann Poage Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement and Leadership. She is a certified neuroscience nurse and member of the Society of Pediatric Nurses. She is a staff nurse on 10WT – where she has taken on several projects and roles. For example, she is a member of the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) core team, a member of the unit quality practice committee (UQPC) and also serves as a preceptor for new nurses. Danielle has been described as someone that, “embodies perfection as a nurse and colleague. She is a loving, caring individual who is committed to her patients and peers. Her passion is evident in each of the tasks she performs and each of the lives she touches.”

Deitra Brown, MHA, RN, CCRN ~ Nurse Leader

Deitra has served as the nurse manager of the CVICU since 2010. She is certified critical care nurse and a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). Last fall she was elected as the AACN Houston Gulf Coast Chapter Secretary – elect. Deitra serves as the director of Camp Pump it Up, and collaborates with staff from various departments to coordinate a safe and fun weekend camp for cardiac patients and their siblings. Deitra makes every effort to “lead by example” in how she interacts with other departments, patients and families, staff and physicians. In the words of Dr. Tume, “She has shown that in times of stress in the unit one is able to encourage constructive attitude and enable others to overcome system’s challenges. She is well liked and respected by our nursing and physician team.”

Julie Kuzin ~ Advanced Practice

Julie is a pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) with the Cardiology service. Julie’s colleagues describe her as being “relentless about professional advancement, scholarly endeavors and involvement in professional organizations.” She is well-known for her integrity, ethical behavior, extraordinary teaching skills and her ability to maintain focus on ‘priority number one’ – providing outstanding patient and family centered care. Julie is an active member of the Houston chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners – and serves as their legislative chair. Julie’s newest venture includes a recent appointment as recurrent faculty at Texas Tech School of Nursing where she is developing the curriculum for the new acute care PNP program.

Janet Treadwell, RN, director of care coordination at Texas Children’s Health Plan.
Nominated by fellow nurses Gail Bean, RN; Marie Jackson, RN; and Colleen Carpenter, RN, BSN

Believe it or not, Janet Treadwell’s introduction to nursing came while she was clowning around.

“My father was a member of one of the Shiners Clown Patrol Units and they regularly entertained in their clown suits while children and their parents were waiting,” Treadwell said. “When I was in fifth grade, my mother made me a clown costume so I could go with my father and entertain.

“I could see the kids smile and see them become engaged, not so scared as they were, and I decided then I wanted to be a nurse. Later, in high school, I traded my clown suit for a Candy Striper uniform and after I graduated, attended DePaul Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, earning my associate degree in nursing in 1975. My family has always been compassionate toward others, and I was fortunate to have this role model of doing unto others,” she said, and although her responsibilities as director of care coordination focus on the basics and building relationships, she continues to see the value of doing unto others.

A believer in lifelong learning, Treadwell, originally a diploma grad, has returned to the classroom numerous times. After earning a BSN, she went on to complete a master’s degree in community health nursing from Southern Illinois University. Then, changing from an acute care focus to a career using her nursing skills in the area of managed care, she pursued a PhD in business. These degrees were all accomplished while working full time, raising a family and being active in community activities.

In the midst of obtaining the degrees, Treadwell has achieved certification in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), as an Accredited Case Manager (ACM), Certified Care Manager (CCM), Certified Managed Healthcare Nurse (CMCN) and Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt (LSSGB).

She is now completing her doctorate in nursing practice. Her research area – intercollaborative nursing – connects the dots between relationships, education, outreach and support for chronic disease and the Affordable Care Act.

But her academic accomplishments are only one facet of this multifaceted, multitasking nursing professional.

As one nominator described her:
“Janet Treadwell has a passion for nursing, believing it is a profession where a person should never become bored. Janet’s strengths are in the areas of development – of both people and programs.”

In another nomination:
“Janet is innovative, collaborative and in the forefront of adopting new approaches to the health plan. She is a leader in care management and ahead of most areas of the country in implementing programs to positively impact the lives of those patients served by our health plan.”

Another colleague said:
“Janet is exceptional in her work. Janet influences all people she touches to excel beyond their potential and she is one of the most caring and compassionate people I know.”

In her experience, the greatest challenge in nursing today is the high level of change.

“Because change comes so rapidly and so often, collaboration and being flexible (nurses historically have been the most flexible) is essential,” she said. “I’ll also say the people going into nursing are great multitaskers and are at their best, connecting patients with facilities with entities in the community. Of course, juggling those things is always a challenge, so in addition to our clinical knowledge, there’s that psycho-social knowledge we also must apply.”

Treadwell remembered a time, earlier in her career, when she was working on a geriatric medical unit in a small hospital.

“I always had the sense that people were not merely ‘diagnoses,’ but people with families and a past and such rich stories to tell. It was during that time I mastered the skill of considering people within the whole context of who they are,” she said, “and there was more time to listen. Through it all, those patients could tell you were treating them with caring, compassion and respect, as well as doing what you needed to do in giving them treatment.”

Nurses Week Gallery

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By Elizabeth Shackouls

My precious children,

It’s hard to believe that this Saturday marks one year since we met. Exactly 365 days since I officially assumed the role as mama – the most challenging yet greatest job I have ever had, and the title I will always be the most proud to bare.

Although your daddy and I thought we took all the steps necessary prior to your arrival, nothing truly prepared me for the moment I met you both. On May 17, 2013 at 7:25 p.m. and again at 7:27 p.m., you entered the world and my heart immediately exploded into a million pieces.

51414BWShackhouls640-2Words cannot do justice in describing just how grateful I am God chose me to be your mom. You have changed my life in immeasurable ways and have undoubtedly made me a better person. You have taught me humility, selflessness and patience. Above all, I have learned the meaning of a mother’s love.

This has been the fastest and longest year of my life. Some days never seemed to end, but now it seems as though it has gone by in a flash. I hardly recognize the 5 and 6 pound infants in the newborn photos. It’s crazy to see just how much you’ve grown in size and in personality in such a short time period.

My favorite memories and moments with you are endless but the one that pulls at my heartstrings over and over again is the time I spend outside your nursery door each morning. I just stand there and listen to the two of you “talk.” The cooing, babbling and laughing literally melts my heart. After several seconds I open the door and am always greeted by the biggest smiles. No matter if one of you is sick or hasn’t slept a wink, in those first moments the exchange of adoration and pure happiness is all that is felt (then usually the screaming ensues). And the way you interact with each other is so special. I’m thrilled you both will always have such a unique bond.

The day you were born will always be the best day of my life. Life truly gets better every second you’re here. The road to the one year milestone certainly hasn’t been easy, but I can honestly say it has been wonderful. That’s the thing about motherhood. As difficult as it is, the good far outweighs the hard parts and the challenges are nothing compared to the rewards.

I know the day will come when you roll your eyes behind my back and my overall existence, especially in public, will make you shutter with embarrassment. So I am soaking up every minute of each new stage because I know it won’t last forever. I will use the memories of you needing me, crying for me and actually wanting my kisses for the teenage years when you’ll likely not want much to do with me. But now, and forever more, I will make sure you know and feel just how fiercely you are loved and how honored I am to be your mama.

51414BWShackhouls640-3As your first birthday approaches, I have been left wondering not only how it is even possible for time to pass by so quickly, but what it is I want for you in life. There are many things I look forward to teaching and showing you, and endless dreams I hold for you both. First and foremost, I wish you happiness. I want you to always focus on your blessings and recognize the goodness that surrounds you. Even in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak, learn to find the silver lining. I want you to be open-minded, adventurous, and learn to say “yes” more often than not. Be brave and strong and free. Be compassionate and ever mindful of the needs of others. Keep your hearts wide open. And on the days when this great big world makes you feel small, be calm and still. Remember the values instilled in you and the strength of your roots. These alone will allow you to stretch far.

So, my sweet babies, I want you to go into the world and let your little lights shine. And always remember you are loved and blessed and the littlest ones that ever stole my heart.

All my love forever and always,
Mama

May 6, 2014

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By Dr. Susan Leong-Kee

One year ago, I was on my Labor and Delivery weekend call for 24 hours at the Pavilion for Women working with new moms on Mother’s Day and thought to myself, a year from now, I will be celebrating with two new babies! What a wild and crazy ride this year has been so far!

Although I have had the privilege of caring for so many mothers as an Ob/GYN during one of the most special moments of their lives, no one can ever truly prepare you for motherhood. I know I am very early in this new role of the past eight months, but I already see how Mother’s Day is not only a celebration of love but ultimate survival. I’ve quickly learned that motherhood is a 24hr “call” that never ends – there are no more post-call naps and the baby “pager” does not turn off. The first four months after the twins came home from their 16 day stint in the Texas Children’s Hospital NICU is a blur, but I do remember a lot of shushing, swaddling, rocking, cuddling, breast pumping, sleepless nights, and unforgettable crying…from both babies and mommy! Somehow my husband and I survived double the spit-ups, the diaper blowouts, the colic, the meltdowns, the mysterious hives, the “surprise” roll off the couch, and the unbelievable Niagara Falls of drool. All the challenging times, however, are quickly overlooked when we experience the toothless, gummy smiles, the belly laughs, and the kissable chubby cheeks. Each month I think, “this is the BEST month yet,” and then am surprised the following month that it just keeps on getting better. It’s so amazing to see them develop and reach their milestones and a joy to observe them experience new things for the first time. Right now, the new things the babies are doing are crawling, eating pureed foods, and babbling and touching each other through their cribs – it’s so heart-warming to see them finally acknowledge each other and keep each other company. I think the #1 question from friends and family is if the twins are sleeping through the night. We were SO lucky to report that they have been sleeping in the same room for a full 11-12 hours since they were 4 ½ months. I think the first glorious night this phenomenon happened was life changing, and I thought to myself “Wow, we can really do this!”

One of the most wonderful experiences thus far, however, is watching my own mother progress into her new role as a grandmother. She has been essential to our survival as new parents, and I was comforted to know she would be home with the babies and my nanny when I went back to work full time. I can certainly say that she loves her role as “PoPo,” which is what we call her in Chinese for grandmother. I have always had the utmost admiration for what she has accomplished as a single mom as she raised my two sisters and me on her own after my father passed away unexpectedly. As a new mom, I have even more respect for her achievement of raising us to be accomplished women. One interesting note about my mother is the greatest joy in her life is feeding other people. She is now showing her love to the twins by making up her own “gourmet” baby food and happily watching them gobble the food down with fervor. Who else would make the most delicious leek and carrot puree cooked in homemade pork broth but PoPo? She should really bottle this stuff up and sell it! Each day I come home from work, she is excited and proud to tell me how the twins “looooved” her new concoction. It is exciting to see how she has become more active and creative than I’ve seen her a long time, and I love how she is now sharing more stories of us growing up that I’ve never heard before. We are so blessed to have her live with us and be a part of our daily lives.

Becoming a new mom eight months ago has truly changed the meaning of Mother’s Day for me, and it made me love and respect my mother even more. I applaud all the wonderful and loving mothers out there. It is truly the most difficult yet rewarding job. I now truly understand the quote, “being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed,” by Linda Wooten. As far as how we will be celebrating Mother’s Day this year, I am happy to report I will not be celebrating my first Mother’s Day on a 24hr call this time, and my husband says he is planning a surprise involving the perfect combination of “food and family.” Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible moms out there – you are all a true testament of unconditional love and sacrifice.

April 29, 2014

connect anywhere

Texas Children’s is a big place with lots going on, and sometimes it’s tough to keep a pulse on it all. With that in mind, Texas Children’s Internal and Corporate Communications team has launched a new website – www.texaschildrensnews.org – to put all of the organization’s top news at employees’ fingertips.

Texaschildrensnews.org launched in February and already has had nearly 18,000 views.

“The best thing about this site is that we finally have created a place where staff and employees can access Texas Children’s news easily,” said Angela Hudson, assistant director of Internal and Corporate Communications.

The site was launched to complement the team’s weekly news cycle. The team updates the Connect intranet site every Tuesday with five to six top news stories, which rotate in the homepage photo carousel. On Wednesdays, the team emails the Connect News enewsletter to all staff and employees featuring the week’s new headlines.

“Connect News now links you directly to the new texaschildrensnews.org, and you can get there from a mobile phone, tablet or computer at home or work,” Hudson said. “This was really important to us – It’s important to provide this access to our audience. There’s no logging in, no passwords, no firewalls. Just hop on, take a quick read and stay informed.”

In addition to the new site, the team also will debut a refreshed design for the weekly Connect News enewsletter this week. Connect News first launched in summer 2012 and was significant in helping decrease the amount of global email traffic within the organization. The new, cleaner look complements the Connect site and the new external news site and will continue to be emailed weekly.

“We’re committed to telling and sharing the Texas Children’s story internally,” Hudson said. “After all, our ‘story’ revolves around our staff and employees and their amazing work. Our team’s goal is to get them information they want and need, when they need it, as easily as possible.”

Get Connect News sent to your home email
If you don’t have access to your Texas Children’s email on your phone or don’t typically have time to check your email at work, we can send the weekly Connect News enewsletter to a home email address. Just email us at connectnews@texaschildrens.org.

By Veronika Javor-

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. For some time after her birth I did a combination of nursing and pumping and even after lots of help from the incredible lactation support team here at the Pavilion for Women, I made the choice to exclusively pump so that I could continue to provide breast milk for my baby who was having a difficult time nursing.

Returning to work after having a baby brings about many challenges, and one of the most major ones is continuing to nurse. Staying motivated and having the right support system and resources in place is essential for any mom who would like to continue to provide breast milk for her baby.

After exclusively pumping for the last year, here are my best tips for making it through to reach your nursing goal:

harper bottle21. Get into a routine – start pumping before you return to work, if possible. Get your body used to the pump and try to pump the same times you would at work so your body gets into a rhythm. This will make it less of an adjustment when you return to work because you’ll already have a routine established.

2. Plan ahead – how many times will you need to pump at work and for how long? How will you make sure you bring the supplies you need each day? Where will you pump and store your milk? Addressing these questions about a week before you arrive back to work will allow you to have a solid plan to integrate pumping into your day. Remember that we have a wonderful Milk Bank where employees can pump located on the fourth floor of the West Tower. If you work off-campus, make sure there is a room or office you can pump in prior to returning to work.

3. Build a support network – some days, what got me through was talking to coworkers and friends who pumped. Their stories and words of encouragement motivated me. If you’re a mom who pumped at work, offer encouragement to moms returning to work. Sometimes a simple “you’re doing a great job!” can make someone’s day.

4. Get your partner involved – my husband has been very supportive and I could not be more thankful. Each morning he packs a Ziploc bag containing my pumping parts for the day as well as a cooler bag. It’s one less thing for me to think about in the morning.

5. Make small goals – though my ultimate goal was to provide my daughter with breast milk for the entire first year of her life, I made smaller goals as a way to take pressure off of myself. My first goal was six months, then nine. By the time I made it to nine months, getting to 12 didn’t seem so far away.

6. Celebrate! Speaking of making goals, it’s just as important to reward yourself for meeting each goal. Maybe it’s a fancy dinner or a new pair of shoes. Maybe it’s simply enjoying your favorite dessert after dinner – celebrate each breastfeeding milestone. You deserve it!

bottle parts7. Be productive – though pumping limits what you can do, there are ways to make that time count. Answer emails on your smartphone, tablet or laptop, review lengthier documents that require proofing or clean out and organize your inbox. You could also pump during your lunch break and eat at the same time. If you’re using your lunch break to pump, make that your “me time” which you don’t get a lot of as a new mom and do something you enjoy!

8. The light at the end of the tunnel – try to remember pumping isn’t forever and remind yourself about the important benefits you’re providing to your baby. Anytime I had a rough day and hated the idea of pumping (yet again) I reminded myself that it’s temporary and I focused on how my daughter is growing the thriving with the nutrition only I can provide for her.

9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help – that’s what our lactation support and milk bank staff are for. I’ve called many times myself.

10. Don’t be too hard on yourself – deciding to stop breastfeeding can cause a lot of guilt. If you find you don’t want to or cannot continue, don’t focus on what you’ll no longer provide- focus on what you have provided to your child. Breastfeeding has cumulative benefits so each day counts! Celebrate what you provided, no matter how long or short a time.

I hope this helps all of the new moms who are returning to work and trying to manage new schedules. Take it one day at a time and remember, YOU CAN DO IT!