Delta, CO (June 20, 2022) – Each year more than 100 babies are born at Stork’s Landing, the Delta Health Birthing Center. But the journey of starting a family is different for everyone. For Hannah and Jack Yates, it looked like pursuing parenthood even after experiencing the heartache of a miscarriage.
“One year ago we received the great news that we were pregnant with a little boy, but that experience was filled with the fear that we would lose this baby as well,” said Hannah. “When I met Dr. Angles for the first time, she immediately made me feel comfortable about opening up. She made me feel heard and protected.”
The Yates family decided that Dr. Amber Angles from the Delta Health Family Medicine Clinic, was going to be their Family Practice Obstetrics Provider (FPOB), and Dr. Angles provided care for Hannah pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and postpartum. On January 21, 2022, the Yates family welcomed their son Augustus into the world.
“Throughout the pregnancy, there were some hiccups and I was really afraid of having my first long-term pregnancy,” said Hannah. “I had to go in for testing and Dr. Angles told me that no matter what happens we would work through it together. It let me know I wasn’t alone in this process.”
One of the benefits of having an FPOB is that the provider gets to care for the whole family throughout the entire process. From family planning and fertility advice, all the way through to pregnancy and pediatric care; patients get to stay with the same provider who they’ve built a relationship with.
“It’s a unique opportunity to have the same doctor that gets to know you so well, and it’s a wonderful way to really get to know our patients,” said Dr. Angles. “It’s a fun journey to watch the baby grow from the size of a grape all the way to a newborn and beyond. Practicing obstetrics really is one of the biggest joys in my practice.”
Part of the care process during pregnancy is to bring patients in for non-stress tests. When Hannah came in for hers, there was protein in her urine and she had high blood pressure. Her care team decided the best thing to do was to induce her.
“Our priority is always the health of the moms and babies we’re caring for,” said Dr. Angles. “We know it’s a scary time to go through, and sometimes medical conditions require additional monitoring in the third trimester. In those situations, we can provide fetal heart rate monitoring and ultrasounds to prenatally check on the babies’ health. This provides a lot of comfort for families.”
Not only did Hannah feel like the physicians went above and beyond to provide exceptional care, but the nurses and support staff also made her feel comforted throughout the entire process.
“When it came time to push, [Dr. Angles] came into the room, she took a deep breath, we made eye contact and she said ‘everything is going to be OK,’” said Hannah. “When I did start pushing she told me that she was there to support and to do whatever I needed her to do. She told me that I was in charge. It made me feel empowered and like my husband and I had the support that we needed.”
Trusting her care team was crucial for Hannah and her husband, and it was equally as important to find a birthing facility that they felt comfortable with. Stork’s Landing was their top choice because it was secure and close to home.
“I would absolutely recommend Stork’s Landing to all of my friends and family,” said Hannah. “I felt so cared for there. Being from Hotchkiss it’s a long drive to Grand Junction to receive care, but at Delta Health I know that if something happened they would be quick to get me the care we’d need.”
Stork’s Landing is a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility; meaning they are globally designated by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund recognizing the optimal level of care provided by staff for all mothers and their babies.
“At Stork’s Landing we really pride ourselves on being able to provide a relaxing, home-like atmosphere for patients with compassionate staff that are there to help mothers and babies every step of the way,” said Carol Swingle, RN, BSN, CLC and the OB/Nursery Manager at Stork’s Landing. “We want to support families with our educational and prenatal care, but also by providing exceptional labor and delivery care. A majority of our nurses are also Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultants.”
The Lactation Consultants were a huge help to Hannah and were always checking in on her to make sure everything was going smoothly and that the baby was latching properly.
“They were a huge help,” said Hannah. “And I could tell my opinion mattered to them when it came to my breastfeeding journey. The first part of my breastfeeding journey was painful, but everyone was supportive and made sure I didn’t leave the hospital afraid of breastfeeding. I was able to call them to ask for support and advice and it helped ease my nerves.”
Hannah also said that during labor the care team at Stork’s Landing made sure that her husband was equally involved.
“The staff made Jack feel just as important as me and the baby were,” said Hannah. “When Augustus was born they let Jack cut the cord, and he was nervous about that, but Dr. Angles reassured him that it would be OK. That made him feel really proud. They also made sure Jack got to do skin to skin with Augustus and they made sure they were bonding and that he remained involved.”
After having Augustus, the Yates decided to continue receiving care with Dr. Angles at the Delta Health Family Medicine Clinic. They are able to receive care for the entire family.
“It’s not just another patient for Dr. Angles; she knows every aspect of his life so far.” said Hannah. “Our visits don’t feel rushed, she’s not just checking off a list. She sits there and she listens and she asks questions and goes through them with you. Another thing I loved about Dr. Angles is that every time we came in she would notice something different about Augustus and it feels like she knows him personally and really cares.”
“The experience was amazing,” said Hannah. “Everything about it felt so comfortable and the people that were here [at Delta Health stood] beside me in my hardest times – they now feel like family.”
To learn more about Stork’s Landing and the FPOB Providers available at Delta Health Family Medicine and Delta Health West Elk Hotchkiss, call 970.874.2255 or visit deltahealthco.org/storks-landing/.
