8 girls born at Jamestown hospital in 4 days

JAMESTOWN, N.D. — Jamestown Hospital’s nursery has been packed with pink blankets.

Eight babies — all girls — were born at the hospital in four days. By Wednesday, each bed in the nursery wing was full, said Cindy Gohner, registered nurse and vice president of clinical services.

The first of the eight babies in Jamestown Hospital’s nursery was a set of twins born Sunday. Four more babies were born Monday, one was born Tuesday and two more were born Wednesday.

The hospital sees about one baby delivered each day, said Teresa Formo, the hospital’s maternal child health unit manager. The babies and their mothers typically stay in the hospital for a few days, so about three babies are in the nursery on any given day.

Eight babies are “a lot for us right now,” Formo said.

The department increased its staff from the typical two nurses to four or five nurses on a shift, she said.

The number of births varies depending on the week, month and year, Formo said. Last week, for example, the nursery was slow. Many times, deliveries are influenced by the lunar cycle, she said, and more births occur around a full moon.

A full moon occurred Thursday morning, according to the U.S. Navy. The next one is expected Sept. 4.

In plans for the new Jamestown Hospital, officials are planning the nursery near the other nursing units. Currently, the nursery and such other nursing units as cardiology and audiology are on different floors, Gohner said.

The hospital is planning to build a new facility near Interstate 94 and the U.S. Highway 281 bypass. Construction is expected to begin next spring.

Locating the units on the same floor means it will be easier for hospital staff to care for patients if there are so many that they overflow into other departments, Gohner said.

The hospital is building in anticipation of more births, she said. The obstetrics unit in Carrington closed about two years ago, the unit in Valley City closed in January and the unit in Oakes closed in June. Many people from those areas may instead receive care from Jamestown.

“We have been able to serve that population,” Gohner said.

Tylea Chamberlain of Sykeston, whose daughter, Kaylynn, was born Monday, said nurses were busy but she had no complaints about her care. Kaylynn was the fourth of the eight babies born.

Chamberlain’s first daughter was born 2 1/2 years ago.

“This one was easy,” Chamberlain said.

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