UNC Rex 'I gave birth' initiative helps keep mothers safe after childbirth

UNC Rex Hospital is starting a new initiative aimed at helping women who recently gave birth to better manage their health.

Blue bracelets with the words ‘I Gave Birth’ are being given to each woman who delivers a child at Rex Women’s Center in Raleigh.

The goal is for the bracelets to remind mothers to recognize warning signs within their bodies and to be aware of common postpartum health conditions.

“It’s a great initiative aimed at the fact that North Carolina ranks 20th in maternal deaths,” said April Lalumiere, director of women’s and children’s services at UNC Rex Hospital.

The new moms are asked to wear the bracelets for the first ten weeks after giving birth. That is the time frame in which two-thirds of postpartum deaths occur.

Lalumiere explained this initiative is aimed at reducing those numbers by making a new mom and everyone around her aware of common warning signs.

“Women who have just given birth, there are different things that happen with them that may look different than other patients,” she said. “For example, hypertension. Your high blood pressure post-birth we treat differently than if you were a patient that hadn’t had a baby recently.”

The hospital worked with Wake County EMS to ensure first responders were trained on the meaning of the new bracelet in the event they responded to a call for a patient outside of the hospital.

“I think a lot of times we take for granted the fact that so many pregnancies go well and so many births go fantastic, that we don’t think about how many implications there are to the woman’s body,” said Lalumiere.

Staff say the initiative is especially important when it comes to Black mothers who have some of the highest maternal mortality rates.

“This bracelet is a visual reminder of the risk factors and it takes away all the color and any education you may have. It just shows the risk factors and increases awareness,” explained Christine Debnam.

Debnam works in the hospital as the mother-baby manager.

When speaking with moms who have been given bracelets, she said everyone has been thankful the program was launched.

Christine Buchanan was among the first moms to receive a bracelet through the ‘I Gave Birth’ initiative.

“They presented it to me at discharge,” she explained.

She recently became a mother of two after delivering her daughter Caelah during last week’s solar eclipse.

At 42, Christine’s pregnancy was considered high risk.

“Often times I think women think once they have a baby, it’s just done,” said Christine. “There are a lot of things that can happen after. There are a lot of different medical, even mental health, issues that go unaddressed for so long.”

She continued, “Women don’t get diagnosed with postpartum early enough in the process so that they can help themselves cope better. I do think the resources they provide are very hopeful.”

Christine’s husband Jesse shared the initiative has allowed him to be more observant of things his wife is experiencing.

“I can speak up for her and I can also be like ‘Hey, I saw this concern. Maybe you should bring it up to your doctor on your next visit or call your doctor and not wait on it,’” said Jesse. “It is just kind of good to me because I don’t know all of the things she’s going through.”

Jesse said it has made him feel like he can be more supportive of Christine.

“She has endured everything to help us be able to add to our family,” the husband expressed.

The hospital said plans are in the works to expand the initiative to Holly Springs soon.

Debnam hopes it won’t stop there.

“I hope it’s everywhere. I think we think about our system, but I want it to spread to every hospital in our county and beyond because this is more important than our individual entities; this is about our patients,” she said.

Common signs of post-birth health complications include high fever, chest pain, headaches, bleeding and depression.