Free Birthing Classes at Naval Hospital Pensacola

Photo By Jason Bortz | Lt. Juliana Gutierrez, the obstetric care coordinator for Naval Hospital Pensacola, explains how baby monitors work during a childbirth preparation class at NHP. The hospital’s Comprehensive Women’s Health Center offers free child birthing classes to all TRICARE beneficiaries.  

UNITED STATES

08.21.2018

Story by Jason Bortz 

NMRTC Pensacola

Naval Hospital Pensacola’s Comprehensive Women’s Health Center offers free classes for expecting mothers.

The classes are available to all TRICARE beneficiaries and cover everything from what to expect when going into labor to post-pregnancy care.

“We wanted to offer TRICARE beneficiaries different birthing classes at no charge,” said Lt. Cynthia Dehart, clinic manager for the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center. “We want patients to have a successful pregnancy and the classes provide a ton of useful information.”

Currently, three classes are available through the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center: a childbirth preparation class, a breastfeeding class and a post-delivery class. Dehart recommends that expectant mothers wait until their third trimester to take the classes and spouses or partners are encouraged to attend.

The childbirth preparation class covers what to expect when going into labor, what is early labor, ways to manage labor pain, when to seek medical care and more. The class is offered once a month from 5 – 7 .p.m. and is especially great for first time parents.

“The childbirth preparation class is ideal for first time parents because it provides information that will help decrease some of the anxiety that comes with delivering a child,” said Lt. Juliana Gutierrez, the obstetric care coordinator for NHP. “We’ll answer any questions parents have and prepare them for what to expect during the delivery process.”

Dehart, a certified lactation counselor, offers the breastfeeding class twice a month from 5 – 7 p.m. for mothers interested in breastfeeding. During the class, Dehart discusses the many benefits to breastfeeding and provides tips on how to effectively breastfeed.

“Breastfeeding provides a lot of benefits to both the mother and the infant,” said Dehart. “Breastfeeding helps build the immune system for the infant, decreases childhood obesity and reduces infant illnesses such as ear infections, asthma and allergies. For the mother, it provides a mother-infant bonding experience and has even been shown to reduce the chances of woman developing breast or ovarian cancer.”

The post-delivery class offered is titled “Empowering Moms: Pregnancy and Post-Partum Support for Mom and Baby.” The class is offered on the fourth Thursday of each month from 10 a.m. – noon and covers information regarding care after the delivery. Information includes newborn and pediatric care, signs and methods for coping with post-partum depression, post-pregnancy gynecology care and resources available from military and civilian agencies. The class also covers how to enroll a newborn into DEERS and has representatives from the local Fleet and Family Support Center, Child Development Center and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Space for the classes are limited, so beneficiaries are encouraged to call the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center at [phone] to reserve a spot or for more information. All of the classes are held at the Family Medicine Clinic at NHP.

“We want to form a partnership with patients to help them have a successful pregnancy and follow-on care,” said Dehart, ”and the classes allow us to assist patients during what is sometimes a stressful time of their life. We have years of experience and many of us are mothers too. We just want to help anyone who has questions or concerns.”

In addition to providing free birthing classes, the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center provides other services specifically for women of all ages to include annual gynecological preventive health, infertility evaluation and treatment, treatment for sexually transmitted infections, menstrual bleeding disorders, cosmetic vaginal surgery and much more. Please contact the center at [phone] for more information.

• Date Taken: 08.21.2018
• Date Posted: 08.21.2018 12:19
• Story ID: 289650
• Location: US