T.J. Samson | Destination Health | December 2020

Make sure your kids get a good night’s rest Want to help your kids start each day off right? Make sure they hit the pil- low early enough each night. Getting enough sleep benefits children in many ways. For starters, well-rested kids tend to behave bet- ter. They learn better too. And they may have fewer illnesses since sleep is good for the immune system. For sleepy kids, it’s a different story. Being drowsy can make kids crabby. And it’s hard to concentrate on school work when they’re tired. Worse, chronically sleepy kids may have a higher risk for some health problems. These include obesity, high blood pressure, headaches and depression. Help kids sleep tight Experts say kids need this much sleep (including naps): ■ Infants—12 to 16 hours. ■ Toddlers—11 to 14 hours. ■ Preschoolers—10 to 13 hours. ■ Grade-schoolers—9 to 12 hours. ■ Teens—8 to 10 hours. These tips may help if your child has trouble falling asleep despite sticking to a bedtime: Wind down. As bedtime draws near, keep noises to a minimum. Dim the lights. Darkness promotes mela- tonin (a sleep-inducing hormone). Turn off the tech. Avoid letting kids watch or listen to upsetting or scary content within two hours of bed, and make sure they avoid TV, smartphone, tablet or other screens within an hour of their bedtime. Some content can be too stimulat- ing. And the blue light from screens can interfere with the body’s release of melatonin. Start a relaxing routine. You might have your kids brush their teeth and read a book or take a warm bath before heading off to sleep. Turn down the heat. It’s easier to fall asleep in a bedroom that is a little bit on the cool side. Watch the caffeine. Encourage your kids to limit or avoid caffeinated beverages four to six hours before bed. Set a good example. Go to bed on time yourself. Source: American Academy of Pediatrics The road to parenthood can be easy for some, but others experience a challenging and bumpy ride that leads them to search for more nontraditional ways to have a baby. These days, that often includes ART (assisted reproductive technology), which was used in the first ever surrogate birth at T.J. Samson Community Hospital, on Oct. 1, 2020. After successfully having a healthy baby girl, a New York couple had been trying to have a second child with the help of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, which is one of several options for assisted repro- duction. After multiple failed rounds of IVF, the couple began to consider using a surrogate to carry their child. They found their surrogate here in south cen- tral Kentucky with the help of an agency, Newborn Advantage Surrogacy, which helped them navigate the logistics of the complicated process. “Having an agency was so important,” the couple says. “They really helped us answer so many medical, legal and financial questions.” According to Mindy Berkson, the agency’s founder, there are many things to consider besides getting pregnant and delivering, so it’s important to work through a reputable agency and to have a case manager to guide parents and surrogates through the process. “There are legalities and costs to work through, and we want to ensure that the psychological needs of everyone involved are being met,” Berkson says. “It’s an emotional process, so we map out an indi- vidual plan to meet each client’s needs.” A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN The couple interviewed multiple possible surrogates, but they both knew right away when they met the right person, whom they call “an angel sent to us,” to go with them on their surrogacy journey. It ap- peared to be a match made in heaven, and the tim- ing was perfect. The surrogate had multiple children of her own and had experienced easy pregnancies and labor with each of them. She felt in her heart that she wanted to pay it forward and let someone else have the same wonderful experience of motherhood. Before the pandemic put a damper on travel, she made two trips to New York.The first embryo transfer was success- ful, and just a few weeks later, they heard the baby’s tiny heartbeat for the first time. From then on, everything went better than either family ever imagined.The surrogate had no morning sickness, and she experienced an easy pregnancy and delivery. And now the proud parents have a second baby girl who looks just like her big sister. ‘JUST A MIRACLE’ The experience was a first—for the biological par- ents, the surrogate, and for Kelly Dirig, MD, and the Labor and Delivery team at T.J. Samson, whom both families called amazing. Each family stated that everything was handled very well, the facility was wonderful, and that the staff was incredibly support- ive and understanding of their unique situation. Both families agree that surrogacy is a beautiful gift of life, and they hope that their story will take some of the mystery out of the process. “It sounds so scary, but it’s really just a miracle,” says the couple. “The more people understand and learn about it, the less scary it will seem. And through this journey, we have gained lifelong friends.” “Sometimes people need a little bit of help to make their family complete,” the surrogate says. “It’s wonderful when God answers prayers, but to have God use you to answer someone else’s prayers is just phenomenal.” She is at home and recover- ing well, while the proud parents and new big sister are enjoying their new baby girl at their home in New York. Thank you to both families for allowing the T.J. team to be part of your precious baby journey! The ART and extraordinary generosity of surrogate birth A phenomenal, first-time experience at T.J. Samson Community Hospital 6 DESTINATION HEALTH Family health