Overland Park Regional Medical Center

Labor and Delivery: What to Expect Just After Your Baby Is Born

If you are a first-time mother preparing to give birth, you may be curious about what happens in the hospital immediately after your baby is born. At Overland Park Regional Medical Center, we work to ensure that you and your baby have the most attentive and complete postpartum care so that your child gets the best possible start for a lifetime of good health. While OPRMC leads the region in the most advanced care for mother and baby, each delivery is exceptionally unique to your needs.  Here is a look at how we will care for your family after the birth of your child:

Ensuring your baby’s security
You, your baby, and your spouse will be given matching bracelets for identification as soon as your baby arrives. You can feel safe knowing that the facilities are equipped with a state-of-the-art electronic infant security system within the secured Women’s Care unit.

Initial health assessment
Immediately after your baby is born, it is important to assess his or her vital signs and screen for potential complications that could compromise your newborn’s health. Part of this screening process is the APGAR Test, which measures your baby’s responsiveness and respiration. Low scores on this test or other signs of serious conditions may require care in our NICU, which provides around-the-clock specialized lifesaving care and support services for families.

Bonding with your new baby
While it is necessary to perform immediate tests following your delivery, we will provide you with plenty of time to bond with your child. A nurse may help you make your first attempts at breastfeeding and help you through some of the basics of newborn care during your stay at our hospital.

For a closer look at the Women & Infant Care services at Overland Park Regional Medical Center and a virtual tour of our Neonatal ICU, visit our website today. You can also find a pediatrician or sign up for childbirth preparation classes by calling our healthcare referral line at (913) 752-9337.

Ways to Preserve Your Bone and Joint Health As You Get Older

Fractures are one of the leading causes of hospitalization for seniors, and these injuries are generally associated with bone density loss from osteoporosis. Joint degeneration is another common cause for injuries among the elderly, but issues of this nature can be avoided with some healthy habits that will keep your bones and joints strong. Here are some easy changes you can make in your life for the sake of your bone health.

Clear walkways in your home
Falls in the home can often be avoided through practices such as clearing the floor in high-traffic walkways, using carpets to create traction on slick floors, and installing handrails in harder to navigate areas of the house. Using hand rails and wall supports in the bathroom is also helpful, as the bathroom tends to be a common area for fall-related injuries.

Increase your physical activity
When you remain active by walking, swimming, or biking, you will strengthen the muscles that support your bones and joints. This will reduce the impact of daily activities on your bones and sustain healthy bone regeneration. Physical activity will also help you manage your weight, which is important for keeping pressure off the joints in the lower body.

Schedule a bone densitometry
The most common symptom associated with osteoporosis is bone fractures, so you might consider scheduling a bone densitometry to screen for bone density loss before an injury takes place. This test is a quick and painless procedure that uses X-ray energy to measure the density of the bone tissue in areas prone to osteoporosis such as the lower spine and hips.

At Overland Park Regional Medical Center, we can provide you with even more tips on keeping your bones healthy with the experienced and specialized staff at our Bone & Joint Care Center. You can schedule services with us today by visiting our website or calling our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (913) 752-9337.

Learn the Importance of Childhood Immunizations with This Video

If you want to provide your child with the best possible medical care, it is important to follow a recommended schedule of immunizations from birth through the age of 18. While many parents have concerns about vaccines, vaccines have been shown to be the most effective measures for managing conditions such as whooping cough, the measles, and influenza.

This video from the CDC features answers to some candid parent questions about vaccinations so that you can learn why immunizations are necessary. Watch the whole clip for some straightforward answers to questions you may have for the pediatrician.

For answers to any pediatric care questions not addressed here, contact Overland Park Regional Medical Center through our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare line at (913) 752-9337. We can provide you and your child with the complete care you need to stay healthy from your child’s first moments.

Colorectal Cancer Screening: Get the Facts

If you are over the age of 50, your doctor may talk to you about scheduling a colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. You can learn what to expect from this type of screening and discover why it is important by watching this short clip from the American Cancer Society.

The colonoscopy screening is intended to identify polyps, or non-cancerous growths, in the colon. These growths do have the potential to become cancerous, so it is valuable to spot them early on in their development. There are some other screenings that are more catered to finding cancer rather than pre-cancerous polyps, and you can learn about them in the video.

To schedule your colorectal cancer screening, contact Overland Park Regional Medical Center by calling (913) 752-9337. You can find information about our complete range of cancer care services by following this link to our website.

National Nutrition Month: Spotlight on Diabetes Nutrition

If you have diabetes or prediabetes, good nutrition is an important part of maintaining your overall health. While medication and blood sugar monitoring are valuable aspects of diabetes management, these steps alone are not enough to keep your condition under control. Consuming a better diet designed to keep your blood sugar stable will help you stay in the driver’s seat as you work to keep your diabetes in check.

What Diabetics Should Eat
It is possible to dine on a wide variety of foods without posing a threat to your blood sugar. To do this, you simply need to rethink the way your food is prepared and the portions in which you are serving it. For example, if you enjoy fried vegetables, you might find them just as delicious when they are sautéed in olive oil or roasted with herbs in the oven. Measuring and weighing your portions will also help you stay on the right track with your nutrition.

What Foods Should Be Avoided
There are some foods that you will want to strictly limit in your diet. Foods in this category include processed foods, high sodium snacks, soda, packaged fruits with added sugar, and full-fat dairy products. While it may be okay to indulge in these foods on rare occasions, they should not be a part of your daily diet.

Why Diet Matters for Diabetes
When you do manage your diet with a focus on better nutrition, you will find that you feel better day in and day out. This is because you will most likely have lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol as a result of your healthy eating habits. You might also find it easier to maintain a healthy weight and find energy to exercise.

At Overland Park Regional Medical Center, we understand that it can be a challenge to make the right food choices when you have just been diagnosed with diabetes. To help our patients better manage their care, we offer diabetes education that includes personalized nutritional guidance. You can learn more about our diabetes care services on our website, and you can find a doctor to oversee your care through our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (913) 752-9337.