Maria’s choices were detailed prior to her arrival at The Valley Hospital in her birth path, an important component of the hospital’s Holistic Birth Program. This program, the only one of its kind in a northern New Jersey hospital, offers pregnant women personalized, holistic techniques during labor that promote confidence in the ability to give birth naturally and without such interventions as epidural pain medications or continuous fetal monitoring, which confines a patient to bed.

           

A cornerstone of the program is education. Maria met with the Holistic Birth Program’s Heidi Brenner three times during her pregnancy to prepare her birth path and discuss options for her labor. Even though Maria’s labor did not go as she expected and she needed medication to help her labor progress, she says she was encouraged by her nurses’ support during intense contractions.

           

“Because I had my wishes written in my birth path, my family, doctors, and nurses knew what I wanted and never considered asking me about narcotics or a cesarean section,” says Maria, who delivered seven-pound Alexander 34 hours after her water broke. “My labor was physically, emotionally, and spiritually hard, but the Holistic Birth Program helped me through the process to a place I can look back on without regret. I recommend this program to every pregnant woman.”

           

Valley’s Holistic Birth Program is a natural progression of the hospital’s award-winning Center for Advancement of Holistic Knowledge and Practice. More than 100 Valley nurses, including one-half of all labor and delivery nurses, have completed the hospital’s Integrative Healing Arts Program. In addition to the benefits holistic nursing brings to patients, holistic practice encourages nurses to take care of themselves so that they can bring their best to their patients. Following childbirth, the Holistic Birth Program also extends to the mother-baby nurses in the hospital’s post-partum unit, the newborn nursery, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

           

In the Czech Republic, where Fair Lawn resident Veronika Thompson was born and raised, epidurals are not covered by health insurance and thus are not routinely requested by laboring women. During labor with her first two children, Veronika’s wishes for no pain medication were honored, but she wanted more with her third baby.

           

“With the first two, I felt as if I was being rushed and told what to do,” she recalls. “With Kolbey, my Valley nurse Patty worked with me to have the birth experience I wanted. She told me to trust her, and I did.”

           

Patty used various holistic techniques, including massage, hot towels, and hands-on movements, to help Kolbey’s head drop into the proper position for birth. Veronika, was able to walk throughout most of the labor and did not request any type of pain medication.

           

“I didn’t want to be numb; I wanted to talk and touch my belly,” she says. “I was able to drink, rock on a chair, and take a shower without someone checking on my cervix every half-hour.”

           

Once eight-pound, three-ounce Kolbey was born, he was put on Veronika’s chest, where he was wiped clean and foot-printed.

           

Expectant parents who are interested in the Holistic Birth Program are encouraged to call Heidi Brenner at any time during their pregnancy. They are welcome to meet with her for several free consultations before labor.

           

Violet Steensma of Emerson told Heidi she preferred a natural, spiritual birth with no interventions, but because her baby wasn’t growing in the 37^th and 38^th week of pregnancy, her labor has to be induced with medication.

           

“I was very anxious, but Heidi was my cheerleader,” she says. “It gave me peace of mind to have all my options written out on paper and put in my chart before I came to the hospital. My daughter came fast after my contractions began, and I did not request an epidural. My nurses followed my birth path so Rachel Alexis’ birth was a wonderful experience.”

           

For more information about Valley’s Holistic Birth Program, call Heidi Brenner at 201-447-8233 or visit www.valleyhealth.com.