Tag Archive - ages & stages

Neonatal Care at It’s Finest

November 10, 2011 in Baby/Infant, Women: Ages & Stages with 2 Comments

The NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) at St. David’s Medical Center was recently voted: “Best Preemie Team” by the Austin Chronicle – 2011 Best of Austin edition!

Our team comes with experience, compassion, dedication to neonates and their families; but their top priority is the exceptional care they are able to give.

“Each baby and each family has unique needs.  We strive to understand those needs so that we can provide the best care for our patients and their family.” say’s NICU director Rhonda Sageser.

The NICU provides care to babies that are born prematurely, which is less than 37 weeks gestation, as well as infants that are born needing extra help.  For some babies, it may just be some transitional difficulties with breathing.  But for other babies, it could be something life threatening that requires closely managed expert care or possibly even surgery.

Whether the issue is big or small, our NICU team at St. David’s Medical Center can handle it all.

Check back for upcoming interviews with neonatologist Dr. Jennifer Desireddi & more information about our Baby Matters program!

~*~Meg

5 Myths about Breast Cancer – Knowledge is Power

October 6, 2011 in Cancer Care, Lifestyle Tips, Women, Women: Ages & Stages with 0 Comments

To kick off Breast Cancer awareness month here are 5 myths about breast cancer from Brenda Baumann, director of The Breast Center here at St. David’s Medical Center

Myth 1: I don’t need a mammogram until 50 years of age-

A new study by researchers at the University of Missouri found that screenings in women ages 40 to 49 detected smaller cancers with less chance of spreading to the lymph nodes- which makes them easier to treat –and these cancers might not have been detected on a clinical exam.

Mammograms save lives of women in their 40’s. Women should begin screenings at age 40 and annually thereafter.

Myth 2: Mammograms cause cancer-

The radiation dose during a mammogram is low. It is the amount you would receive from flying for LA to Paris – a trip most of us would not give a second thought about taking.

Myth 3: If Breast cancer does not run in your family, you are not at risk-

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a family history and many who do have a family history will never develop the disease. The danger lies in a false sense of security. Every woman should talk to her doctor about her individual risks, including age, hormonal factors, and breast density.

Myth 4: Monthly self exams are not necessary-

Though you may have heard advice suggesting self exams do not save lives, many experts still encourage them since mammography and clinical exams are not perfect. Using all three methods is your best chance of early detection. Early detection can improve your odds of being cancer free with less dramatic treatments. Download an instructional self exam card here.

Myth 5: Breast cancer always appears as a lump-

Signs of breast cancer can take many different forms. See you doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:

  • A change in the size or shape of your breast
  • A dimpled or puckered appearance to the skin that resembles an orange peel
  • An itchy, scaly area
  • Nipple discharge other that breast milk
  • Pain on one spot
  • Swelling or redness of the breast
  • An inverted (pulled inward) nipple if it has not always appeared this way
  • A lump

Join us this month in supporting awareness and raising money to find a cure! If you would like to join the St. David’s Healthcare team, simply log on to komenaustin.org, click “join existing team” and search for St. David’s Healthcare.

Thanks for all the great information Brenda!

-Meg

A Family Tradition

July 7, 2011 in Baby/Infant, Children, Community, Women, Women: Ages & Stages with 0 Comments

Hello and welcome to the Women: Ages and Stages blog! We’re so happy you’re here.

I’m Meg, a labor & delivery nurse with St. David’s Medical Center downtown. I’m inviting you into our special world of everything women! This blog is intended to provide education about women’s needs across a continuum of life. Here at St. David’s Medical Center, WE care about YOU. We want to provide you with the best resources, the best information and THE BEST CARE that you deserve. St. David’s Medical Center has been delivering babies and providing Austin women with exceptional care since 1924.

A little about me, Meg! When I moved to Austin 5 years ago and told my family that I was going to be interviewing around town at different hospitals for a position as a labor & delivery nurse, my Aunt Tera said “if you are going to have a baby in Austin, St. David’s Medical Center is the place you want to be”. Naturally, I wanted to work for this place that was obviously well respected in the community.

I interviewed with Laraine McIntyre, the Director of Women’s Services and soon found myself working alongside the most talented women in the city. Coincidentally, Laraine was the delivery nurse who took care of my aunt when she delivered her twins in 1990 and again when my aunt delivered in 1993.

Tera raved about her nursing care and her ob/gyn Dr. Douglas McIntyre. Now as a nurse who is lucky to call these people my colleagues, I’m able to see what drew my family here. It’s the simple fact that WE ARE FAMILY, connected by caring for women and their needs.

At St. David’s Medical Center, we see countless family connections. They are mothers and daughters, they are sisters, they are aunts, they are nieces, and they are friends.

We hope that we are part of your family story, or that we will get to be part of your story someday soon.

- Meg

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