Noah Alexander Padilla made history Saturday, March 25, as the first baby
born in Humboldt General Hospital’s new Mother and Baby Unit.
Noah wasn’t due until April 7, so when mom Tiffany Booth showed up
around 6:30 p.m. Friday, medical staff first tried to stop her labor,
but Noah wasn’t having any of that.
He was delivered by Dr. Brad Granath at 7:08 p.m. Saturday, weighing 5
pounds, 9 ounces, and measuring 19 inches in length. He joins six brothers
and one sister at home.
Tiffany said she was amazed at how much room the new unit has compared
to HGH’s former OB Department.
“There was a big difference,” she said. “It was a lot
roomier and a lot more comfortable.”
Dad Alexander Padilla said he was also struck by staff members’ efficiency
in such a new unit. “They were on top of it,” he said, “in
getting everything set up.”
Tiffany said it helped that Noah stalled at 9 centimeters. “That
gave them time to prep everything.”
Alexander said he was also impressed by how nice the staff was. “Every
single time,” agreed Tiffany, “they are so great and so nice.”
Even though Noah was early and small, by Monday, he was holding his weight
at 5 pounds, 1 ounce, and mom and dad were eager to take him home to join
the family.
“I’ve already got him on a good schedule,” laughed Tiffany.
“This is not my first rodeo, so I know it’s easier that way.”
The new Mother and Baby Unit officially opened at 7 a.m. Friday, March
24. The unit is part of major expansions to the hospital’s OB, OR
and ER departments.
In all, the new unit has five private Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum
rooms where regular delivery patients spend their entire stay.
There are also two private postpartum rooms for scheduled c-sections; the
unit also abuts the hospital’s OR Department in case of emergency
c-sections.
All fetal monitors in the unit are wireless to allow mothers to walk as
well as utilize the department’s birthing tubs, birthing balls,
birthing peanuts and other means of personal laboring.
Other amenities such as aromatherapy are also available to ease soon-to-be-mothers’
discomfort.