PREPARING FOR YOUR BABY’S BEST BIRTH
July 8, 2010 by Dr. Frederick
Filed under General Info, Healthcare, Medicine, OB/GYN, Women's Health
For some, pregnancy can be one of the most exciting nine months of their lives. For others, it can be confusing and anxiety ridden as they try to work out every little detail of their baby’s future. After calming the fears of so many soon-to-be mothers, I realized those who think through these basic points tend to be more relaxed and thus have better births. Interested?
Pick the doctor that best fits your personality. Most offices offer “Meet and Greets” with the practitioners. Interview them and find out if their medical philosophy fits your ultimate goal. In the end, however, make sure you like them as a person. After all, you’re going to see their smiling face quite a bit over the next year.
Work with them to create a pre-determined birth plan. Do your research. Take the hospital tours and decide which one best suits your expectations. It is also important to discuss your child birthing options. You will deliver vaginally or via c-section but depending on your history, some doctors allow for a vaginal birth after c-section. There are also alternative ways of facilitating your vaginal delivery; water birth, hydrotherapy, Lamaze, hypnobirthing, with or without epidural, etc…
Be flexible and remain calm. Your baby will ultimately decide when/how they will enter the world. You and the medical staff are simply the baby’s guides. While the majority of deliveries go as intended, in some cases the baby may have other plans. It is up to you and the hospital staff to proceed prudently depending on the medical situation. The health of your baby depends on your remaining calm and being flexible.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT – solutions are easier than you might think
May 11, 2010 by Dr. Frederick
Filed under General Info, Healthcare, Medicine, OB/GYN, Women's Health
Eat More, Drink More, Lose More Weight. There is no disputing the fact that exercise is important in any weight loss goal. However, what is often overlooked but crucial is diet – and not in the traditional sense of the word. Proper nutrition is THE most important step in any successful weight loss program. There are many variations of exercise which work for different body types to achieve weight loss goals. But if these efforts are not combined with proper nutrition your results will be short lived. Slow metabolism is your worst enemy…even more so than the double-bacon cheeseburger or triple-dip hot fudge sundae at your favorite restaurant. Slow metabolism is the result of poor nutrition, yo-yo dieting and inactivity.
For more information on this and other ways to accomplish your goals, call ISIS at 770.521.2229.
Fixing a Good Problem to Have
February 1, 2010 by Dr. Frederick
Filed under General Info, Healthcare, Medicine, OB/GYN, Women's Health
My office manager excitedly brought something to my attention a few months ago. She said my schedule was booked about a month out. That’s the goal in a medical practice, right? To be busy with a schedule full of patients each time you’re in the office.
I suppose but there is something that doesn’t feel right about that.
In other words, if a woman called today, it would be about a month before she could get assistance? In my opinion, that’s a problem. Being busy is a good problem to have, but not the best option for patients.
An obvious solution would be to add more hours to the week. Unfortunately, between delivering babies and a packed operating schedule I can’t do that and still tuck my little ones in at night. The next best option is to add another practitioner. Bingo!
We searched for months to find the type of person that would best serve ISIS patients. They would need to have a track record of providing excellent care, have a great bedside manner and demonstrate strong ethical judgment.
After several interviews we found just that person. Allow me to introduce Deborah Jones. She is a seasoned nurse practitioner caring for patients over the past 14 years. When she came to the office for her final meeting, the entire staff enjoyed her demeanor from the moment she stepped into the waiting room. Done. I am proud to say that she will begin seeing patients on February 1, 2010.
Problem solved.
Now, women no longer have to wait weeks to get an appointment with an ISIS practitioner. They say some problems are good to have but I am glad to get this one fixed.
Hughan
H1N1 Vaccinations available at ISIS!
November 9, 2009 by Dr. Frederick
Filed under General Info
ISIS OB/GYN is now offering H1N1 shots to the public! All guests welcome starting at the age of 4. Vaccines begin at 8:30am and the last one is administered at 3:30pm. The office is closed from 12:30 to 1:30 for lunch. Cost is $20 cash or check.
Is There Proper H1N1 Etiquette?
September 24, 2009 by Dr. Frederick
Filed under General Info
(All provided information below has been quoted directly from a combination of medical websites)
My wife came to me the other day and asked if she would invite her team from work over to our house for dinner. I knew something about her request smelled funny. Usually, she simply tells me her plans, “By the way, I’ve invited my team over.” There is never really an option. I show up where and when I am told.
So I asked the question. “Why are you asking?”
She said one teammate’s daughter and wife seven days ago became ill with H1N1. He is not sick, but he has been exposed. “Is it ok for him to come over” she wondered “or are we putting our family at risk?”
Good question.
See we have two boys. One is 20 months old and the other is 9 weeks old. Even though her coworker is showing no symptoms of the flu, could he be carrying something that might adversely affect our little ones?
This prompted me to do some digging that I thought I’d share with you all.
H1N1 Symptoms and How It Spreads
Swine flu symptoms are similar to symptoms of other flu viruses. These include fever, cough, headaches, chills, body aches, a sore throat and fatigue. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported with this virus. It is important to remember that other conditions can cause these same symptoms. To determine for sure if you have swine flu versus another strain of flu or other condition, you will need to go to your doctor for a lab test.
Flu is similar to a cold virus in that it is typically spread from one person to another when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can pass through an infected person’s lungs, throat or nose, sending particles into the air that can pass to anyone that person comes in close contact with. The other main way the virus spreads is from touching surfaces that are contaminated with the virus and then touching your eyes, mouth or nose.
Infants and Children and the Novel H1N1 Virus
Little is currently known about how this novel influenza A (H1N1) virus circulating in people may affect children. However, seasonal influenza and past pandemics, it is known that children, especially those younger than 5 years of age and those who have high-risk medical conditions are at increased risk of influenza-related complications. Among children less than 5 years, the risk for severe complications from seasonal influenza is highest among children less than 2 years old.
Illnesses caused by influenza virus infection are difficult to distinguish from illnesses caused by other respiratory pathogens based on symptoms alone. Young children are less likely to have typical influenza symptoms (e.g., fever and cough) and infants may present to medical care with fever and lethargy, and may not have cough or other respiratory symptoms or signs.
Why Pregnant Women and New Mothers are Particularly Vulnerable to H1N1
The growing fetus in a pregnant woman presses upward and compresses the lungs. Compression reduces the ability of the lungs to fill and expel fluid. As a result, pregnant women are susceptible to pneumonia.
Pregnancy and birth demand substantial changes in a mother’s immune system to accommodate a foreign body and subsequently to enhance inflammation enough to deliver a baby. These dramatic shifts in the immune system make a mother more vulnerable to infection and make flu infections more dangerous.
Prevention of Infection of Pregnant Mothers and Newborns is Imperative
Since infection poses high risks for pregnant mothers and their babies, the first priority to prevent infection. Isolation and hygiene must be encouraged. In England, women have been discouraged from becoming pregnant until after the current H1N1 outbreak has subsided. The CDC has not yet made that recommendation, but they do direct pregnant women to be vigilant about avoiding contact with infected individuals, to minimize contact of siblings with potential sources of infection and discourage visitors to newborns.
*H1N1 shots now available at ISIS OB/GYN for $20 cash. Open to all public, male or female, starting at the age of 4.
