About a year after opening the Shane G. Lalani Family Birth Center at Livingston
HealthCare (LHC), doctors, staff and—most importantly—parents
Ross and Megan Winfrey welcomed the medical center’s first set of twins.
Libby and Vanessa Winfrey arrived the evening of October 28, 2016 and represent
the fourth generation of Winfrey’s born at LHC. The twin girls joined
their brother Cooper (2) and big sister Lydia (4), who were born at Livingston
HealthCare’s previous location.
Megan said having her babies at LHC was important to her because she knew
from experience her family was going to be well cared for by the LHC team.
The Winfrey’s relationships were the deciding factor that bolstered
Megan’s confidence when her third and most challenging pregnancy
came to pass. “We have delivered all four of our children at LHC.
We love the way the doctors listen, the familiarity of the OB nurses and
how much they love their patients and babies,” said Megan.
A Team of Experts in One Location
About five months into her care at LHC’s prenatal clinic—just
downstairs from the Family Birth Center— the Winfrey’s discovered
Megan was carrying twins. This revelation prompted her primary care physician,
LHC Medical Director Scott Coleman, MD to call in his colleague, Denise
Helin, MD, OB/GYN for added expertise.
After reviewing Megan’s pregnancy and health history with the high-risk
obstetrics specialty providers at LHC affiliate Billings Clinic, Dr. Helin
reassured the Winfreys that they could safely continue their special pregnancy
close to home in Livingston. She recommended the pregnancy be limited
to 38 weeks for the health and safety of mother and babies, and regularly
shared the progress of Megan’s pregnancy with other members of the
birth center team. Megan toured the LHC birth center and adjacent operating
room, just upstairs from the clinic where she had her regular appointments.
PERSONALIZED CARE
After her pregnancy progressed without complication, Megan and Ross strongly
believed it was best to carry the babies to full term (40 weeks). Having
close relationships with their medical providers allowed the family to
create a plan with the care team that ensured a safe delivery and honored
their wishes to await natural labor. As it turns out, Dr. Kyra Piñango—the
newest family medicine/OB physician on LHC’s staff—was on
call to deliver the first twin, Libby.
Thanks to good communication and planning, the team was prepared for high
risk interventions. The fourth Winfrey child, Vanessa, was delivered by
Dr. Helin in the operating room during an emergency Cesarean section.
“When the labor started to cause distress for Vanessa, Dr. Helin
saved us," says Megan. "She is an amazing surgeon.”
Megan adds that she’s “the type of mom who would have babies
at home if I could—I’m totally about the natural.” But
the delivery at LHC was “the next best thing. I wanted that team
there if I needed it. And they were. Even with the complications, it was
perfect.”
