- General Page Tier 3BlogBonding with your baby is an incredible process that starts with hearing their heartbeat, feeling those first kicks and meeting them for the very first time. Every moment becomes a milestone and if you’re a nursing mother, that first latch can be the beginning of an incredible breastfeeding journey. Nursing your newborn can be both rewarding and challenging in those first few weeks. While every mother and every baby are different, these tips can help answer some common questions you might have when navigating this new relationship and routine. How do I know if baby is hungry? When they aren’t sleeping, newborn babies seem to eat almost constantly. This is completely normal. In the first few days after birth, babies need to remain in close contact with your breasts. This not only provides easier access for frequent feedings, but also helps stimulate your milk supply. Current recommendations are to ensure newborns have access to meals around the clock and should average out to be at least eight feedings in a 24-hour period. What if baby is sleeping? In the early days, it is common to need to wake a drowsy baby so they know it’s mealtime. Sleepy babies don’t tend to eat for long, so try to wake your little one by removing an article of clothing or changing their diaper. Gently rub the tummy or feet and place baby skin to skin, all while talking to, and encouraging them to leave their dreamy state. How do I keep baby awake during feedings? Sometimes babies become so relaxed during feedings they drift off to sleep, even if they’ve only been eating for a few minutes. If this happens, gently play with their feet, rub their cheeks, talk to your little one, or gently blow on their arms. With extra sleepy babies it can be helpful to gently rub a wet washcloth on them to help remind them it’s time to eat. Signs of a good feed are active suckling at the breast with occasional audible swallows. What is reclined latching? Reclined latching, also known as “baby led latching,” can be a wonderful breastfeeding position. If you have a chair that reclines, sit in it and gently recline the head back so you are in a comfortable position. Place baby parallel to your chest so that baby has access to your breast. Allow them to bob and move their head around, and eventually they will reach the bullseye and latch on. This position is great for giving baby a deeper latch. If you notice nipple pain, gently detach the baby from the breast and try again. How should I handle nighttime feedings? During night feedings, try to keep mealtimes as quiet and boring as possible. Dim the lights and avoid changing a diaper if you don’t have to. Once baby wakes up fully they tend to be up and ready for playtime, despite it being 3:30 in the morning. Where can I find support? Leaning on friends and family who are nursing or who have breastfed can make a world of difference during the early days of your journey. You can also find professional support. Do not hesitate to seek the guidance of a lactation consultant. They are professionals who went through additional training all with the desire to help during this learning process. Remember to breathe — you will find your routine. The first few weeks of the newborn stage can be exhausting; there is no doubt about it. This is a learning experience for both of you. Remember baby is trying to figure out this whole breastfeeding thing just as much as you are. Sleep when baby is sleeping. Dirty laundry and dishes can wait just a little while longer. Be patient with yourself, and eventually the family will settle into a routine. It does get easier! Author Ginny Bowers is a Certified Nurse Midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) at Chesapeake Women’s Health in Easton. Breastfeeding Resources AAMC offers several breastfeeding support classes, all of which have gone virtual due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. See a complete schedule here. Breastfeeding Warm Line: Anne Arundel Medical Center’s lactation staff is available to answer any questions you might have about breastfeeding. You can reach our consultants seven days a week via our Warm Line at 443-481-6977. Simply leave a message and they’ll return your call between 9 am and 4 pm the same day. You can also e-mail our lactation staff anytime at [email protected]. Find a Lactation Consultant: A board-certified lactation consultant can help address your breastfeeding concerns or challenges. You can find one in your area through the United States Lactation Consultant Association directory. AAMC Smart Parents: Join our Facebook community focused on the journey of parenthood. This is a safe, non-judgmental group to ask questions and get answers from local moms and dads, and AAMC experts. Originally published Feb. 4, 2019. Last updated Aug. 3, 2020.
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogA heart attack sounds scary, and with good reason. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. But life after a heart attack doesn’t have to be fraught with fear. Chuck Raines, who survived a heart attack in August thanks to the cardiac catheterization team at Anne Arundel Medical Center, is discovering that life goes on. Life-Saving Intervention In August 2015, Chuck, a 53-year-old experienced marathoner, felt some chest pain after a routine run. The next morning, the pain returned with sweating and nausea. His wife Trang called 911. An ambulance rushed Chuck from his home in Owings to AAMC, where the cardiac catheterization team was ready. The team was ready because Chuck’s electrocardiogram (EKG) results arrived wirelessly from the ambulance directly to the emergency room. Interventional cardiologist Elizabeth Reineck, MD, placed a catheter through Chuck’s wrist to the blocked artery in his heart and inserted a stent, opening the artery and ending Chuck’s heart attack. “They saved my life, so I was pretty excited,” says Chuck, who returned home after a week in the critical care unit. But at the same time, the shock of what had happened led to a sense of depression. “I thought, ‘I’m never going to be able to do the things I like again,’” he says. A Common Feeling “A lot of people can develop depression after a heart attack,” says Baran Kilical, MD, Chuck’s cardiologist. In fact, studies show that up to 33 percent of heart attack patients develop some degree of depression. “Patients typically were doing something when the heart attack happened, so now they’re afraid that their heart is delicate and they’re afraid to do common activities,” says Dr. Kilical. “I tell them, ‘You’re going to go back to your usual life, as long as you take the right steps.’” Those steps include faithfully taking prescribed medications, eating a healthy diet and exercising. All these steps can be aided by cardiac rehabilitation. Cardiac rehab provides a safe, monitored environment to begin increasing physical fitness. AAMC’s Outpatient Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program includes counseling to help patients improve their health and reduce the risk of future heart problems. “Patients who choose to participate in cardiac rehab do better than those who don’t,” says Dr. Kilical. A Healthy Future Chuck is motivated to take the right steps by Trang, who is his marathon partner, and his three young children. “Now I’m running again,” says Chuck. “Not as much as before, but I’ll get there.” He hopes to run the Big Sur Marathon with Trang in April. “Don’t feel like your life is over just because you had a heart attack,” Chuck advises. “You can get back.” Read more about Chuck in Quick Heart Attack Treatment Saves Runner. Find out your heart age and heart disease risk factors with our free online heart health profiler. Learn more about AAMC’s commitment to quick heart attack treatment. Contributor Baran Kilical, MD, is a cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist with Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe quality of an interventional cardiac care program is largely measured by its door-to-balloon time. That’s the amount of time from the moment a heart attack patient arrives in the ER to when the blocked artery is opened with an angioplasty balloon. According to the American Heart Association, only 25 percent of hospitals in the nation are qualified to perform emergency cardiac catheterization. AAMC is one of those hospitals. “We have a system that is so efficient that once you call 911 within our area, you can pretty much be guaranteed that your artery is going to be open within 90 minutes of that call,” says Jonathan Altschuler, MD, medical director of AAMC’s cardiac catheterization lab. “The state’s benchmark for competency, as set by the Maryland Health Care Commission, is that 75 percent of patients have a door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes,” says Dr. Altschuler. “At AAMC, 96 percent have a door-to-balloon time of less than 90 minutes. Actually, 70 percent are less than 60 minutes.” A successful program requires having a cardiac catheterization team ready to be activated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It also requires coordinating with top-notch emergency technicians, as well as multiple departments within the hospital. That effort has paid off with national and state recognition for the level of cardiac care at AAMC. But in the end, it’s the patient who wins. Find out your heart age, and if you are at risk for heart disease, with our free online heart health profiler. Contributor Jonathan Altschuler, MD, is an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Return to Quick Heart Attack Treatment Saves Runner.
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Heart Care, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogChuck Raines and his wife Trang have run six marathons together since 2011. They don’t smoke, avoid junk food and stay active with their kids. A heart attack was the last thing on the healthy 53-year-old’s mind. But he found out that it can happen to anybody. After an easy run on a Sunday afternoon in August, Chuck noticed chest pain. “I sat down and took a break, and then I didn’t think much of it,” he says. The next morning, the chest pain returned. This time it was worse. The retired Army master sergeant was no stranger to pushing through pain. “Being the person I am, I said, ‘It’s just going to go away.’” Instead, the pain began radiating down his arm and into his jaw. He began sweating and feeling nauseated. He called Trang and said, “I think I need to go to the doctor when you get home.” But she insisted on dialing 911. “Never in a million years did I think a heart attack would happen to me,” says Chuck. “I was in so much denial when it happened, even though the symptoms were right there in my face.” A Critical Process When Trang called 911, she set in motion a chain of events that were critical to saving Chuck’s life. An ambulance equipped with an electrocardiogram (EKG) monitor rushed to Chuck’s home in Owings. On the way to Anne Arundel Medical Center, technicians sent real-time EKG results to the emergency room (ER). Chuck Raines enjoys a run. “We have a digital network that transmits from the ambulance to a central station in the emergency room,” says Jonathan Altschuler, MD, medical director of AAMC’s cardiac catheterization lab. “A doctor looks at it, and a decision is made to activate the cardiac catheterization team. Often our team gets there before the patient does.” When Chuck arrived at the ER, Elizabeth Reineck, MD, an interventional cardiologist, met him at the door and whisked him to the cardiac catheterization lab. “The artery supplying blood to the back of the heart was completely blocked,” says Dr. Reineck. “We opened the artery with a balloon and then stabilized it with a stent.” The team completed the procedure 65 minutes after Chuck arrived at the ER. This period of time, called “door-to-balloon time,” is a critical measure of cardiac care. AAMC’s average door-to-balloon time is well below the national standard of 90 minutes. “In our business, time is heart muscle,” says Dr. Reineck. “By opening the artery quickly, we minimize heart damage.” AAMC's Door-to-Balloon Time Door-to-balloon time is critical in successfully treating heart attack patients. Read more about how important reducing door-to-balloon time is at AAMC. An Innovative Approach Dr. Reineck used a new approach to cardiac catheterization, reaching Chuck’s heart through the radial artery in his wrist. Nationally, radial access is used in about 25 percent of stenting procedures and in fewer than 10 percent of patients with emergency heart attacks. “Radial catheterization has fewer vascular complications and less bleeding,” says Dr. Reineck. “For the patient, this means an easier recovery than the traditional route through the femoral artery in the groin.” “When Chuck left the hospital, his heart function was normal,” says Dr. Reineck. “This was the best case scenario. Chuck acted fast in seeking medical attention, emergency medical technicians sent information from the field and our cath lab team quickly re-opened the culprit artery. By working together, we prevented damage to Chuck’s heart, giving him the best possible outcome.” Chuck returned home after a week in the hospital. He enjoys swimming with his kids again. He’s back to work as an analyst for the federal government. And his doctors recently gave him the okay to resume running. Chuck and Trang are registered for the Big Sur Marathon in California this spring. “I’m a firm believer that I’m going to be out there running in April,” he says. When he does, it will be lucky number seven. Web Exclusive: Life After a Heart Attack Chuck, like many patients, experienced feelings of depression as he recovered from his heart attack. Read more about how he overcame these feelings and got his life back on track. Are you at risk? Learn your heart age and risk for heart disease with our free online heart health profiler. Contributors Jonathan Altschuler, MD, is an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Elizabeth Reineck, MD, is an interventional cardiologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe foods you choose to fuel your body with today, affect your heart health tomorrow. You can do your part to keep your heart healthy by eating a healthy diet. Need some motivation? Studies show up to 70 percent of heart disease cases can be prevented with the right food choices. You have the power to help prevent heart disease by changing what you eat. And the good news is you don’t have to give up all the foods you love. Focus on making smart, healthy choices at home, work, restaurants and the grocery store. Try this heart-healthy recipe that’s perfect for cold winter months. Vegetarian Black Bean Soup Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, sweet/yellow, diced ½ cup carrots, chopped ½ cup celery, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 tablespoon cumin ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 cans black beans, drained but not rinsed 3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium Juice from one lime Optional for garnish: ½ cup chopped cilantro, ½ avocado, ½ cup diced green onion/scallions Directions: In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil and add onion and garlic, stirring until translucent. Stir in carrots and celery. Cook for five to 10 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for one minute. Add black beans and vegetable broth. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, add lime juice and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. For a thicker-textured soup, use an immersion blender or blender to puree two cups of the soup and add it back into the pot. Serve with desired toppings. Follow these tips to get on the path to a healthier heart: Even if a packaged food item looks healthy, it’s best to read the label. Ingredients and nutrient content can vary. When choosing between items, compare nutrition information on package labels. Select foods with the lowest amounts of sodium, added sugars, saturated and trans fat. Avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils. Look for the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark in the grocery store to identify foods that can be part of a healthy diet. Learn more at HeartCheck.org. Watch your calorie intake. To maintain your current weight, consume only as many calories as you use up through physical activity. If you need to lose weight, consume fewer calories and burn more. Eat reasonable portions. Most restaurants serve you more food than you should eat. It’s easy to snack on foods like dips and finger-food snacks without knowing how much you actually ate. It’s best to limit these foods to avoid gaining weight. Cook healthy meals at home. This way you have more control over ingredients and portion sizes. It may help you save money by not eating out, too. Eat a wide variety of foods to get all the nutrients your body needs. Fruits and vegetables are a healthy choice and full of essential nutrients to keep your heart, and your body, healthy. Make it fun. Get creative and find snacks that feature vegetables and fruits for special occasions, like the Super Bowl. Authors By Ann Caldwell and Maureen Shackelford, nutritionists and registered dietitians at Anne Arundel Medical Center. To reach them call 443-481-5555.
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?