Blogs

ALBUQUERQUE, July 27, 2020 –– Lovelace Medical Center and Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center have donated $35,000 to the New Mexico Heart Institute Foundation to help promote cardiovascular health and education in the state of New Mexico.

Heidi Niclas, RN, a mother-baby nurse in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was drawn to healthcare at a young age. Inspired by her grandmother, who was an emergency room nurse, Heidi dreamed of following in her footsteps to make a difference in the lives of others. In 2007, this dream was fulfilled, not only launching Heidi’s nursing career at Lovelace Women’s Hospital, but also putting her on a path to provide compassionate patient care more than 10,000 miles away from home.

A Mission of Mercy Sets Sail  

Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) are on the rise for the fifth straight year and quite preventable. A STI, formerly known as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an infection passed from one person to another through sexual contact like vaginal, oral or anal sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows an alarming rise in cases of syphilis, the highest since 1991. There is no room for stigma or shame when a person understands the consequences of not being treated.

Every day, new information surfaces on the spread of the coronavirus. And while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that children may be at a lower risk for COVID-19, a new pediatric health condition associated with the coronavirus has begun to make an appearance.

Introducing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As we navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, it is vitally important to continue with routine infant immunizations. New Mexico has seen a 20 percent decrease in immunizations given over the course of the past several months.

In addition to taking precautions to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to your children, it is important to continue with taking precautions to prevent other childhood preventable illnesses.

Chances are you know someone with a food allergy or diet restriction of some kind. We may worry about what to make, where to go, how to act and what is the social decorum for our friends with food allergies? The main concepts to remember are to ask, listen and respect. People are at different places with their food allergies. When a person is brand new at eating in a completely different way, it can be emotional and difficult for him or her. If he or she says no to a particular food, please don’t pressure them.

Babies cry. There is no way around it. They can’t talk and tell you what is upsetting them, so they cry. As your baby becomes familiar with the many nuances of life outside the womb, it may help to remember all the changes he or she is experiencing.

Twenty years ago, I huddled around an empty chocolate tin. I had three kids and a husband. It was New Year’s Eve in Y2K (the year 2000). We decided to make a time capsule. We would open it in 2020. Back then, 2020 felt like eons away. On New Year’s Day of this year, that same family, now with four kids, opened that time capsule. I can only remember one tiny item we placed inside that chocolate tin of hopes, dreams, and remembrances. It was a tiny diaper for the now 22-year-old! She was very impressed by it.

The history of midwifery in New Mexico comes from a long linage of rural, indigenous, and modern midwives. Midwives are often much more to their patients and communities than birth assistants. They are the caregivers and empowerers of women and thusly families and communities. A women’s reproductive life starts long before she has a child and lasts throughout the lifespan.

Lovelace Women’s Hospital is filled with employees who are ready and prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic we are facing. We are lucky to have people who are innovative, smart and pride themselves on giving our patients exceptional care, while maintaining a safe environment for all involved.