Feel Comfortable Welcoming Your New Baby [Brittney Green]

My name is Brittney Green. I am originally from San Antonio, Texas actually. I moved up here to South Dakota in 2009. I was visiting family in the summertime, babysitting for them, and they convinced me to go to SDSU, and I've just been here ever since. Never went back. I don't wanna go back. It's way too hot. I like the seasons here, so this works for me.

How Is Your New Baby?

So, his name is Jorah Charles Green, and he's just the happiest little baby, but I feel like we got really lucky. He's very chill, I would say. He's not a crier. He's just happy. He likes to smile, and laugh, and giggle, and everybody seems to like him. I like him.

Why Did You Choose Brookings Health System for Delivery?

I had the irrational fear of driving to Sioux Falls while in labor and giving birth on the side of, you know, the highway, but that was my first reason. And then once I started talking to some of my other friends who have given birth here and in Sioux Falls, a lot of people kind of liked...I got a lot of good feedback from people who came here, basically. And it kind of prompted me to do some research on the facility and the doctors here and pick a doctor that I liked.

What Was Your Impression of Dr. Abele?

I watched all the interviews that the doctors had done, and I don't know, I just resonated with her. I just felt connected to her. She's just a little different in a great way. She just seemed really relaxed, and that made me really comfortable, and I just decided to go with her. I showed her interview to my husband, and he fully agreed, we both felt really comfortable. And then once we met her, I was just reassured that she was the doctor for me.

How Was Your Care During Pregnancy?

It went really well. Any questions that I had, she was really good about directing me to information, different websites, classes here at the hospital that I did end up taking, YouTube channels, and just literature, basically. And so any questions I had, she was really good about it.

Yeah, I like to plan. So, I came at her with a lot of questions at first. You know, what do I do in this situation? What do I do if I have this happen, and this happened, and this happened? And she's very informative, so it's helpful.

How Did the Nursing Staff Support You?

They were amazing. I absolutely loved my nurses. I had Audra and Jess, were two of the nurses who helped me. I had Audra throughout the whole day. And then once it was time to start pushing and Dr. Abele came, I also had this nurse, Jess, come and she was just absolutely amazing. They were really helpful and caring, and they seemed like they wanted to be there and not just, like, "Here's another mom, let's get it done," if that makes sense.

How Did Dr. Abele Support Your Birth Plan?

We talked about natural birth versus C-section, and we talked about the medications that would possibly be available, and I guess pros and cons that I had questions about after I had taken the birthing classes and they talked about them. I didn't want him taken away right away. I wanted to hold him. And she was very adamant that she does do that. As soon as he comes out, she puts him on her chest and lets you bond with him for as long as you need to, unless something's wrong where they have to take him.

How Did Your Birth Plan Change During Delivery?

It was a long process. I labored for, I think, 12 hours. And so I got there, like I said, at 8:45. I labored until 7:00, and then they said, "Okay, let's start pushing." She let me push, and it sounds like a long time, for five hours. And so I was tired. It was like 1:00 in the morning, and he had gotten as far down as like a certain point. And after that, it was like, "Okay, these are your options. We can try the vacuum or we can do a C-section." And she knew I didn't wanna do a C-section, so I was like, "Let's give it a try." So, we did it. It didn't work. And so she told me, like, "Okay, Britt, like, it's time, hun, you know." And I freaked out. I started bawling, and like I said, I was exhausted.

How Did Dr. Abele Support You During the C-Section?

And I had never had surgery ever. I've never had any kind of surgery. I've never been put under. I've never gone through anything like that. And so it was just a very fast...like, it happened so fast. You know, she said, "Okay. This is what we're gonna do. It's an emergency now. We need to get going." And it wasn't like she was pushy or anything. She was very just... and, I mean, she's been sitting there for five hours, too, so I'm sure she's tired.

But she was very calm, and she made me feel comfortable. She kind of walked me through what was gonna happen first, and I was like, "Okay, you know, I don't have a choice." So I said, "Okay, you know, let's do this." So, you know, even though it was an emergency situation at that point, she didn't make me feel like we need to go, we need to go. I think that would have put me in more of in a panic, knowing that it was, like, a situation that needed to happen urgently.

What Did You Appreciate Most?

Honestly, the staff, as a whole. I really, really appreciated Dr. Abele, just her whole personality and demeanor. I was very comfortable. I was never hesitant about her taking care of me and the baby.

The anesthesiologist, Brian, was amazing. And, you know, he talked to John and comforted him, just the staff all around. I still can't just believe. I mean, it's just, like, they seem like they care about you, and they just want the best for you. It's not like you're just another mom in there, and they're just trying to get people in and out, and they just don't care. I feel like they really care, and I felt like Dr. Abele cared about me as a person, not just as a patient.

What Advice Would You Give To Expecting Moms?

Trust your doctors, trust the staff because, at the end of the day, they know what's best, and everyone has the end goal of bringing your child into this world safely and healthy. And I trusted her in that moment, and she did an amazing job.

What Would You Tell Moms Considering Delivery at Brookings Health System?

It's a really great place, and I know it's convenient for a lot of moms in town, but I wouldn't say just come here for the convenience. I just felt, like, very welcome here. And we just had a good team all around, like, all of our doctors and all of the nurses, and I just really appreciated them.

So, I can definitely wait to have another kid, but I can't wait to interact with those people again when I come back. And I hope I get the same people because they just made it for me.