Ever hear of a baby boom like this? On Friday, April 22, which happened to be Earth Day with a full moon, six baby boys were delivered at St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center, south of Ketchum.
"It was a really cool day," said Ketchum obstetrician Dr. Melani Harker, who delivered four of the newborns.
"The obstetrical unit was quiet at 4 a.m.," Harker related. "The only patient at that point was a new mother and her baby. Then three women in labor arrived at nearly the same time.
"The night nurses, Joan Post and Cynthia Preston, quickly mobilized the troops. Extra nurses were willingly recruited from their beds at home to come assist the laboring mothers."
Head nurse Marion Constable, who ended up working for 22 straight hours, and nurse Leslie Chapman, both came in early for their shifts.
Two of the deliveries happened back to back. The morning nurses came in, and three of the mothers and babies were moved to make room for the next round.
Harker delivered the first four babies. Dr. Kathryn Woods caught the afternoon baby and Dr. Joseph Rodriquez finished the day's delivering frenzy at midnight.
"The most extraordinary were the nurses who pitched in because they care," Harker said. "They all worked so hard."
Other nurses who were on hand were Amy Downing, Kathy Gouley and Donna Wright. Unit secretary Jenny Brooks handled the phones, charts and security door.
"I don't know if people know how hard the nurses and staff work," Harker said. "It was such a great experience for everyone.
"The families were all on hand. We encourage a very family centered birth. It's like a home birth in a setting where should something happen, it can be taken care of quickly. The mothers can wear their own clothes, take a hot tub or stand on their head if they want."
Harker was particularly happy about how all the patients fared. "There were no Caesarean sections, and they were all normal vaginal deliveries. It was a stellar community of employees who pitched in for the patients and the new families."
