Petaluma Clinic Reaches out to Pregnant Novato Women

The Petaluma Health Center is reaching out to pregnant women in Novato by offering pregnancy and childbirth classes in English and Spanish.

The Marin Maternity Services office in Novato, operated by Marin County Health and Human Services, closed earlier this year, as did an office in San Rafael.

The five-class series covers The five-class series will include nutrition, prenatal fitness, fetal development, childbirth preparation, breastfeeding and newborn care. Classes are at the Petaluma location, which was recently expanded to 53,000 square feet.

The nonprofit health center’s services are open to those with insurance and those with limited ability to pay in southern Sonoma County and Marin County.

With obstetrics/gynecology physicians, family practice doctors, and certified nurse- midwives on staff, Petaluma Health Center is serving as the “medical home” for pregnant women and their families.

As part of the integrated approach at PHC, clients can have a variety of their health and wellness needs met on site with appointments to dentists, nutritionists, behavioral health specialists or acupuncturists.

PHC doctors and midwives deliver an estimated 40 babies monthly at Petaluma Valley Hospital, and its new family birthing center is an inviting place for pregnant women and their families. Health center families represent at least 80 percent of babies born at PVH.

The hospital has a nurse anesthetist available specifically for the obstetrics department, and the facility recently became equipped to serve women who are attempting vaginal birth following a previous cesarean section delivery. PHC physicians and midwives are available to assist with high-risk or low-risk obstetrics.

New moms are regularly seen by a hospital lactation educator to help with any breastfeeding issues, and 90 percent of infants born at PVH are breastfed as newborns. Babies who begin life breastfeeding are less susceptible later on to illness and allergies, said PHC nurse-midwife LeAnn James. Petaluma Valley Hospital has the highest breastfeeding rate in Sonoma County, and is ranked third in California for small hospitals.

The health center team closely monitors a patient and her baby’s health immediately after childbirth. Midwives usually meet with postpartum women soon after delivery, and newborn babies typically have a doctor’s appointment scheduled within its first week of life.

The personalized care at PHC often includes health education during physician and midwife visits, said James.

“It’s an opportunity to talk about what’s healthy for the mom to eat during and after pregnancy, and what’s good for her new baby. It’s also a chance to share family parenting skills. If someone needs to see a mental health professional, we can make a referral to a practitioner right here at the health center,” she said.

“What’s good about this place is it’s really a medical home and there are so many options. That’s what makes us special,” said James.

The health center also offers pregnancy counseling and confidential testing, and appointments can be scheduled with bilingual/bicultural counselors on staff.

New and experienced parents are welcome to visit the facility.  The classes are free for PHC patients and cost $15 per session for non-patients. It is not necessary to sign up for the entire series, and people may attend as many classes as they like.

Find the center at 1179 North McDowell Blvd. or call 707 559-7696 for details about the classes.