June 3, 2014

By Amy Aiken Puglia

When Steven and I decided to grow our family, we had no idea it would happen so soon. It really took us by surprise when those two pink lines appeared! That’s why it was so comforting to know that I would have access to great quality care just a hop, skip, and a jump away at the Pavilion for Women. While I haven’t been skipping, hopping, or jumping to any of my recent appointments being seven months pregnant, it is with an even greater confidence and trust that I check in at each visit with my new women’s specialist, Dr. Codi Weiner. I have found the Women’s Specialists of Houston, and particularly Dr. Weiner and her staff, to be very responsive to all of my worried first-time-mom calls and emails. Also, they have readily worked with me in re-booking appointments when I have any scheduling blunders that need sorting out.


Click above to view the very creative announcement “trailer.”

Some of the most amazing experiences we’ve had since the three of us started this new journey include hearing our daughter’s heartbeat for the first time when she was just seven weeks old and then seeing her for the first time during our anatomy scan sonogram appointment at nineteen weeks. As we looked into my “womb with a view” and saw our little girl, it was as though she knew mommy and daddy were watching. She began to wiggle, stretch, and tap dance her way deeper into our hearts. Towards the end of the appointment, she began to get sleepy (as you can tell from the clip at the end of our video). She let out a big yawn and then nestled down for a nap. So cute! We just cannot wait to meet her and get to know her as the newest member of the Puglia family. 

​About Amy Puglia: Amy is the manager of emergency management. She and her husband, Steven, are expecting their first on July 25.

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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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

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!

April 22, 2014

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You know when all the magazines, books and all your friends begin to tell you that the second trimester of your pregnancy will be this euphoric honeymoon filled with bunnies and sunshine? You’ll gain all your energy back, you’ll glow with perfect skin and shiny hair, you’ll basically be able to take on the world and find the solution for world peace… You know what I think? I think they have all conspired against me (and the rest of the pregnant population) and are partially lying.

Yes, I gained some energy back – but instead of reorganizing furniture, cleaning my gutters, hand washing my car in the front drive or crocheting a blanket – I took all those 4 extra minutes of energy and spent them eating everything in my kitchen. Literally, everything. You know you’ve hit a low in your adult life when your husband catches you eating a grilled cheese in the bathtub late at night. I was caught, like a deer in headlights, enjoying the ooey-gooey-cheesy goodness (in PEACE!) when he “thought something was wrong” and busted in the bathroom like Hercules. No, nothing was wrong. It’s just me, your wife, sitting in the bubble-less tub, eating a golden crispy grilled cheese at 9:20 p.m. I figured I would rather get crumbs in the drainable tub and multi-task (I am becoming a mom right?) than waste any more precious time by having tub time pre or post grilled cheese. Men – then just don’t get it.

So besides eating everything in sight (HEB is still in business because of me) and also thinking about going over to the neighbor’s house to eat their food, since they have a teenage boy and I can assume their pantry is well stocked, one lovely pregnancy symptom decided to rear its annoying little head, headaches. I’m not prone to headaches, and now I can say with true humbleness – those who are headache sufferers, I don’t know how you manage. Anything I did gave me a headache! Reading, driving, cooking, thinking, feeding the dogs. I succumbed to my ailment and decided to pull one of the limited “Can you do this for me” cards I have during my pregnancy – and handed over my domestic duties to my husband. I literally would lie in bed for hours just thinking about what I could do, to make the ache behind my eyeballs go away. I am not a girl who enjoys taking medicine (crazy I work at TCH and all the doctors reading this are putting me on their black list), but my philosophy is: if you are vomiting or bleeding to death – then it’s OK to pop an Advil. I waddled over to our measly medicine cabinet, took out a Tylenol and a steak knife, and proceeded to cut the pill in half. My husband walked in, took one look at me with a steak knife and pill bottle, and briskly walked right out. When this brilliant idea didn’t do jack for my headache – I finally sent a message via the TCH-MyChart App to my OB nurse at the Pavilion, who is on Dr. Ivey’s team. She immediately called me and said “Wait Kelli, you actually cut the Tylenol pill in half? (I think I heard her and the rest of the third floor Pavilion laughing) “That’s really not going to do anything.” I was defeated by her giggles and the Tylenol bottle that was staring and mocking me. Finally, under her direction, I took a whole two Tylenol pills and whaa-laa, headache gone. Doctors are miracle workers! I secretly continued to say I was achy, so my sweet and doting husband would feed the dogs, and clean up the bathroom since there were grilled cheese crumbs pretty much everywhere. The moral of this story: headaches are terrible, food is awesome, but the TCH – Pavilion OB Staff is incredible and the MyChart App is a lifesaver! If you don’t have it, download it! My nurse replied to my cries for help, within minutes.

One thing I will say about the second trimester that is AMAZING, is feeling the first little kick. I was sitting in the parking lot, otherwise known as 610 at San Felipe, when I felt this teeny tiny flick. I immediately stopped singing Foreigner at the top of my lungs, and waited in silence for more flicks. About two more flicks happened, then little Baby Calderwood decided it had enough exercise for one day. It was truly amazing. I called my husband at work and was screaming on the phone like a little girl who sees Cinderella’s castle for the very first time up close and personal. Again, I think he is keeping a list of all my crazies so he has evidence when I say “I’ve never acted like that.” Anyway, it was a blessing and a miracle to feel those teeny tiny flicks. Ever since that day, Baby Calderwood has made it a habit to give me at least a few good kicks during the day.

In the last week my mind has been preoccupied with flowers, dresses and bows. We recently found out that Baby Calderwood is a GIRL! Of course my husband and I would be SUPER excited with any baby the stork wanted to bring us – but I think having a girl is really special. WE GET ANOTHER ME! (Just what my husband has always wanted.) My husband looked at me in the gender appointment, like he had just been hit with a Taser and said, “But the money – jewelry and weddings…… and boys.” I laughed pretty hard (at him, not with him) and told him to relax; we had some time before all that happened. He quickly snapped back with, “You didn’t know me as a little boy – we start flirting with the ladies early”….. So while Rico Suave comes up with a master plan of how to keep our beautiful baby girl out of the prowling eyes of toddler boys – I’ll keep awaiting her August arrival (and buying her bows and dresses!) Seven more weeks till the third trimester – then it’s game time!

Lastly, we decided to name our sweet baby girl, Amelia Grace Calderwood.

To read the first trimester experiences again, click here. Comment below and tell us what most shocked you about pregnancy!