Why Baby-Friendly hospitals are the gold standard for new moms and babies

This article is part of The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

Logansport Memorial Hospital is proud to be a hospital with a Baby-Friendly designation. In simple terms, this means that our Family Birth Center team has received special training to keep the well-being of moms and their babies as the highest priority—before, during, and after birth.

As a Baby-Friendly hospital, we practice evidence-based maternity care that promotes healthy bonding between parents and children. We have expertly trained doctors and nurses on staff to ensure that you and your baby have the best resources to begin breastfeeding and bonding as soon as possible.

What to do when you're faced with infertility

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

Infertility is a common struggle that one in eight couples in the United States experience each year, according to the CDC. Infertility isn’t just a woman’s problem. In fact, only about one third of infertility cases can be traced back to the female. Another third can be traced back to the male, and a combination of factors make up the remainder of infertility cases.

What to do after finding out you’re pregnant

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

The news that you’re pregnant can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially if this is your first baby. After you’ve confirmed that you're pregnant and calculated your baby’s due date, your next step should be making your first prenatal appointment with an obstetrician within the first ten weeks of gestation.

As part of your first obstetrics visit, you'll schedule follow-up appointments, arrange laboratory tests, and do a thorough review of your medical history.

Getting a cervical cancer screening just might save your life

Early detection is a vital and important step in detecting and preventing cervical cancer. Cervical cancer develops slowly over time, but it is detectable by Pap smear (or Pap test). More cervical cancer awareness and testing is important because this type of cancer is easily prevented. Despite being detectable, it is the second most common type of cancer for females, with more than 12,000 women in the United States diagnosed each year.

Folic acid and pregnancy: The vital vitamin for a healthy baby

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

January 7–13, 2018, is Folic Acid Awareness Week. Folic acid is a B vitamin that your body needs daily to function properly.

The nutrient packs a lot of benefits. Folic acid is essential for men and women because it promotes cell reproduction and growth, but it’s especially important for women to have a sufficient supply of folic acid. That’s because getting enough—before and during early pregnancy—is key to preventing some serious birth defects, like spina bifida and anencephaly, that can happen during the first weeks of fetal development, when you might not even know that you’re pregnant.

How to support a friend with breast cancer

When your friend tells you they have breast cancer, it is a very sobering day. You may feel helpless in the face of the diagnosis and not sure what you can do. Take heart, your support is an important part of treatment. Many studies have shown that cancer survivors with strong emotional support adjust better to the changes cancer brings to their lives and report a better quality of life.

Questions to ask about breast cancer screening

When you prepare for your annual check-up, take some time to consider questions that you want to ask your doctor. Remember, the annual physical is a chance for you and your doctor to be proactive about preventative health care and screening tests are an important part of that - including breast cancer screening for women. Here are a few questions related to breast cancer screening that you might want to add to your list.

Common reasons for breast surgery

As with many types of general surgery, there are a variety of reasons that can cause a doctor to recommend breast surgery. Likewise, there are many different types of breast surgery. Knowing a bit about the most common reasons for breast surgery can help take away some of the natural concern people have when they are facing surgery.

Important health scans for people over 40

Take charge of your health and your body will thank you for it! Regular check-ups are important because they help find problems before they start. And finding problems early improves your chances for treatment and a cure. As you get older, health screenings become a regular part of your check-ups. They help you be proactive and spot potential problems early. Let's review some important health screenings for everyone over 40.

Living well with Logansport Memorial Hospital: top health concerns for women over 50

Turning 50 is a big milestone in our society. It's also a time that involves lots of changes in your family and in your body. You may have kids going to college or getting married, challenges at work that you haven't had before and other increased stresses in life. It's also hard to escape the fact that your body is getting older. You're not bouncing back as quickly as you used to and you might tire more easily. The risks for many common health problems increase as you age and 50 is a good time to take stock and make some healthy changes. What health concerns should you watch for?

Don't ignore these common symptoms of alcohol use disorder

Drinking too much alcohol causes serious short and long-term health effects. In fact, studies from the CDC state that an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes each year. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that doctors diagnose when a patient’s drinking causes distress or harm. It can be mild, moderate or severe but at any level, alcohol abuse and dependency is bad for your health. How do you know when it's time to seek help for a potential drinking problem?

Family planning tips

Are you thinking about having a baby? There are some things you can do now to improve your odds of becoming pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. Get your baby's life started on the best foot possible by following these family planning tips.

Managing gestational diabetes

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that begins during pregnancy and usually resolves after the baby is born. Most women can control gestational diabetes with lifestyle changes alongside careful monitoring during prenatal visits. Learn more about this pregnancy complication including tips for managing gestational diabetes.

Pregnancy and high blood pressure: what you need to know

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

Even if there was no high blood pressure before pregnancy, a pregnant woman can experience an increase in blood pressure that can cause serious complications for both mom and baby. Known as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia, the primary symptom is a sudden increase in blood pressure. Prenatal doctor visits are the best way to monitor any issues. What else should you know about preeclampsia?

Preparing your child for a new baby in the family

A new baby is an exciting event for the whole family! Big brothers or sisters are experiencing a lot of feelings as they watch mom's belly grow and hear all the talk about the new baby coming. As the parent, you might be wondering how you can best help your child transition to your new family dynamic. What is the best way to tell children about a new baby coming? Are there tips for making the announcement as positive as possible?

Are you a woman suffering from chronic pain?

Chronic pain may arise from an injury, an illness or have no clear cause. Migraines, pelvic pain, abdominal pain... all have been shown to be more common in women than men. Chronic pain from these sources and others disrupts the quality of life of women throughout Logansport and North Central Indiana. Seeking relief can feel like an insurmountable task but with patience and care, relief can be found.

Important facts about cervical cancer

Cancer is a disease in which cells start to grow abnormally and it can strike in any area of the body. Normally, our cells divide in a controlled manner to replace old or damaged cells. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue called a tumor forms. A tumor can be benign or malignant. A benign tumor is not cancer and will not spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor is cancer.

Some women experience abnormal cell growth in their cervix, the canal that connects the lower part of the uterus to the upper part of the vagina. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, more than 12,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. Cervical cancer is the second most common type of cancer for women worldwide but, because it develops over time, it is also one of the most preventable types of cancer.

Pelvic Pain: What does it mean?

Many women experience pelvic pain - pain located between the belly button, hips and groin - and too many of those women don't take it seriously. Women often feel their symptoms or discomfort don't qualify as pelvic pain that needs to be discussed with a doctor. However, pelvic pain can be caused by problems in reproductive organs, intestines, nerves, bladder or muscles - and some of those problems are disorders that need treatment or they will only progress and get worse.

Five tips to make your third trimester more comfortable

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy.

The third trimester of pregnancy is an exciting time for a mom-to-be! The baby is growing by leaps and bounds and all that growing means growing for the mom too. Let's admit it, the third trimester can be uncomfortable - even as you're happily counting the days until you meet your little one. Learn more about five common issues for women in their third trimester and a few tips to help with each.

Breast cancer surgery

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer will need surgery as part of their treatment. There are different types of breast cancer surgery depending on each patient's needs. If you or a loved one are diagnosed with breast cancer, you should learn more about surgical options for breast cancer care. Then talk to your doctor about which surgery is best for you.