Seton Baby Talk

Dena Wilson was 43 when she found out she was pregnant. Her age alone placed her in the high-risk category, but when she and husband Rob learned that she was carrying triplets, “high risk” took on a whole new meaning.

“We were excited but also a little scared,” smiles Dena.

To complicate matters, Dena and Rob live in Llano, Texas, a small town approximately 75 miles west of downtown Austin. The local hospital could not provide the complexity of care Dena and her babies would require.

Dena needed to be closely monitored by her obstetrician, Dr. Nancy Binford, as well as maternal-fetal specialist Dr. David Berry. Additionally, the triplets would require a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) once they arrived. Dena needed to deliver her babies at Seton Medical Center Austin (SMCA).

“Before I was admitted to the hospital, Rob and I were able to take a tour of the NICU and talk to some of the staff. It helped us get an idea of what to expect,” says Dena.

Twenty weeks into her pregnancy, Dena was placed on bed rest. When she reached 30 weeks, her blood pressure climbed and she began having contractions. “We drove to the hospital four times in the middle of the night,” recalls Dena. “It was an hour-and-a-half drive, not to mention deer season, so we were kind of relieved when my doctors admitted me on the fourth visit.”

On Nov. 24, 2008, one week after being admitted to SMCA, Dena delivered three healthy baby girls – Emma, Addison and Grace.

The girls, who were seven weeks premature, were immediately transferred to the NICU. “I’ll never forget the shock of seeing them hooked up to all the machines and monitors,” says Dena. “I remember how tiny and helpless they looked. But the nurses were always so positive and encouraging. They kept reminding us that the girls were healthy.”

The triplets spent seven weeks in the NICU. During their stay, a NICU case manager arranged for Dena and Rob to stay at the Ronald McDonald House and secured a free parking pass for the hospital garage. “At one point it looked like Addison would be released before the other two girls, which is why we were placed in the Ronald McDonald House. They’re set up for families,” says Dena, whose own parents stayed at the Seton League House while she was in the hospital. (The Seton League House is a bed-and-bath facility for family members with loved ones in the hospital.)

“All of us were grateful to have a temporary ‘home’ in Austin,” adds Dena.

Dena and Rob also had the opportunity to room-in with the girls before leaving the hospital. Parents with children in the NICU can stay the night in a special room down the hall from the unit. The room is equipped with the same equipment as the NICU and is monitored remotely by NICU staff, giving parents an opportunity to practice taking care of their child on their own.

“Rooming-in was great – especially since Addison was on an apnea monitor,” Dena adds. “We weren’t really sure what we were doing, so that gave us hands-on practice.”

During the girls’ stay in the NICU, Dena says she and Rob received special training from the nurses. “They taught us everything,” recalls Dena. “We learned how to bathe them, feed them, take their temperature, how to do CPR and even what not to worry about. They made us feel so at ease.”

Remarkably, all three girls were released from the NICU on the same day. They continue to thrive and enjoy having one another around.

“Seton is more compassionate and has a different philosophy about preemies than other area hospitals,” says Dena. “I was very impressed with the NICU. We were so glad to have access to such a high level of care.”