At a time when birthrates continue to fall across much of the United States, Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital is seeing a significant increase in deliveries.

Intermountain St. Mary’s is experiencing a 15% increase in births compared with the previous year, while new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that national birth rates remain in decline.  

The growth is being driven by families from across the greater Grand Junction area who are choosing to deliver at Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital.  

"The national data highlights just how notable this increase is for our region,” said Holly Smith, nurse clinical leader at Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital. “We’re seeing strong demand from families right here in our community.” 

One of those families is Nevaeh LeBlanc, a 21-year-old first-time mother whose son, Klyde, was born 10 weeks early on April 19. 

Following his premature birth, Klyde was admitted to the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where he received specialized care for severe jaundice. 

“Coming into the NICU for the first time ever in my life was overwhelming,” LeBlanc said. “But they were the sweetest people. They’ve honestly been like friends to me through all of it.” 

After spending his first days under phototherapy, Klyde has continued to make steady progress and is now gaining weight and growing stronger. 

“He’s doing really, really good,” LeBlanc said. “He seems like he’s thriving right now.” 

Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital provides childbirth services that support a wide range of medical needs and birth plans, from uncomplicated pregnancies to high-risk care, ensuring families receive individualized support every step of the way. 

“Our goal is to empower patients with choice and ensure they feel supported throughout their birth experience,” Smith said. “Whether that means a low intervention or unmedicated labor, different pain‑management options, a planned Cesarean section, or specialized care for complications, we’re equipped to meet each mother’s individual needs.” 

Care is delivered by a coordinated team of certified nurse‑midwives, OB‑GYNs, nurses, and specialty staff who support mothers, babies, and families throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery. 

Labor and delivery rooms are designed to promote comfort, mobility, and bonding, while maintaining immediate access to advanced medical technology and clinical support. 

“Providing these options within a hospital setting gives families flexibility while knowing advanced care is immediately available if needed,” Smith said. 

That advanced care includes the only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Western Colorado, offering specialized treatment for premature infants and newborns with complex medical conditions. 

The NICU is staffed by neonatologists, specially trained nurses, and pediatric subspecialists, and is equipped to support babies who may require assistance with breathing, feeding, or other medical interventions. 

For LeBlanc, that combination of clinical expertise and emotional support made all the difference during an unexpected and stressful start to motherhood. 

“They’ve been really helpful, especially with me being a new mom,” she said. “They answered all my questions, helped me find resources and support groups, and were there every step of the way.” 

As national birthrates continue to decline, Smith says the local increase reflects continued trust in maternity care at Intermountain St. Mary’s Regional Hospital. 

“We are proud to support families during one of the most important moments of their lives,” Smith said. 

For more information on Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Hospital maternity care, visit here. 

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A group of physicians at Intermountain Health Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver care for some of the hospital’s tiniest patients, but their impact on families is enormous. 

Six neonatologists work 24/7/365 in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), focusing on the medical care of newborn infants, including those who are ill or born early.  

“The neonatologists are the reason our son is alive,” said Briana Meketuk of Keenesburg, Colorado, whose son, Lowell, spent 168 days at Intermountain Saint Joseph Hospital’s NICU. “We will forever be grateful for everything they did that allowed us to bring our son home.” 

Amber Gieri, MD, an Intermountain board-certified neonatologist, said her field requires intricate knowledge and compassionate caregiving skills to care for some of the most vulnerable patients. 

“The physiology in babies is very different from that of adults and requires a specialist trained in the care of premature or critically ill full-term neonates,” she said. 

The primary responsibilities of a neonatologist include diagnosis and treatment, working with healthcare teams, and guiding and supporting parents.  

Neonatologists diagnose and treat newborns with a variety of conditions ranging from respiratory distress, infections, and birth defects to more complex issues like congenital heart disease and genetic disorders. They continuously observe the vital signs and overall health of newborns and adjust care as needed to help with stability and recovery. 

Collaboration with the larger healthcare team is critical to the care provided in the NICU. 

Neonatologists work closely with nurses, respiratory therapists, surgeons, dietitians, and developmental therapists to develop and implement comprehensive care plans for each newborn. 

Dr. Gieri has been on the medial staff at Saint Joseph Hospital for six years while the other neonatologists have been there as long as 20. 

Until recently, they were employed by an independent large physician group. When that group announced it would no longer provide neonatal care at Intermountain Health, Dr. Gieri and her colleagues decided to change employers so they could maintain their work at Saint Joseph.  

“It really is a special NICU,” Dr. Gieri said. "Many factors played into all of us wanting to stay. The history of this unit is unique. It is very well established with a committed staff of nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and dietitians who are all invested in the best outcomes for our patients and their families.”  

She said the team at Intermountain Saint Joseph has a history of being progressive and patient- and family-centered. She noted the hospital was an early adopter in using donor breast milk because they recognized the benefits to the babies.  

“There is a commitment amongst all our staff and providers to ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. That unwavering commitment made us want to stay,” she said. 

Later this spring two additional neonatologists will join the group. Together they support all four Intermountain Health hospitals in the Denver metro area.  

In addition to caring for babies, neonatologists also provide critical emotional and informational support to parents, helping them understand their child’s condition, treatment options, and prognosis. 

They guide parents on how to care for their newborn once they are discharged from the hospital. Babies and their families often stay in the NICU for several months and develop close relationships with their caregivers, she said.  

“We walk (parents) through what’s going to be a long NICU stay. It can be scary at times, but getting a baby to the date of discharge is very rewarding,” she said. “We enjoy the opportunity to partner with families, and that is key to the babies doing well.”  

Meketuk said neonatologists stopped every day and involved her and her husband in daily discussions, so they were aware of what the plan was for that day or if any changes were necessary for Lowell’s care.  

Lowell, now 2 years old, was born at 24 weeks gestation due to preterm, premature rupture of her membranes.  

“In the early days of his life when things were scary, they would always come in and check on us to make sure we were doing OK and made sure we had a good understanding of what care he was receiving,” she said. 

Meketuk said one of the hardest things about having an extremely premature baby is feeling like you are a parent. She said the care team always made sure she and her husband could do as much as possible when it came to caring for their baby.  

“We always knew our son was receiving the best care possible with the neonatologists we had,” she said.  

Intermountain Health welcomes the six neonatologists currently caring for newborns and families in the NICUs at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette, Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Platte Valley Hospital in Brighton, and Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. 

The physicians are: 

Amber Gieri, MD 

Anette Kunig, MD 

Ann Ryan, MD 

Brittany Butler, MD 

Corrie Alonzo, MD 

Yin Stein, MD

Somehow, Santa Claus seems to always know what people want for Christmas.

For parents who have a baby in the neonatal ICU at the hospital during the holiday season, it can be sad to not be able to take their baby home to be with family, or bring the baby along to holiday parties, family traditions, or visit Santa at the mall.

Instead, Santa Claus made a special visit to see the tiny, newborn babies in the neonatal ICU at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray and posed for photos with each newborn on his lap.

Santa’s elves – who also happen to be neonatal nurses and hospital volunteers – spent time knitting caps for each baby to wear and as a keepsake for parents.

“It’s nice to have some normalcy from ‘outside’ when you have a baby in the neonatal ICU. It helps take your mind off the seriousness of it, even if for just a short time,” said Shamie Campbell, a parent coordinator in the newborn intensive care unit at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

Nurses at Intermountain Medical Center dressed up the babies in their knit caps and wrapped them up in blankets and bows to look like Christmas presents.

Another elf, who is a talented photographer, took photos of these precious newborn babies who need specialized hospital care because they were born prematurely or with complications.

“Parents are so grateful to get a picture of their baby to share on their Christmas cards or social media. I can't explain the cheer I see on parents’ faces when they watch the photoshoot and receive the photos,” said Campbell.

“With parents’ permission, we post the photos at the entrance of our neonatal ICU, and they brighten the day of everyone who walks past. You can’t help but smile, looking at their cute faces in their little Christmas hats,” said Alice Casper, RN, nurse manager of the neonatal ICU at Intermountain Medical Center.

“So far in 2024, we’ve had more than 3,000 babies born at Intermountain Medical Center and we’ve cared for 574 babies in our neonatal ICU,” added Casper.

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La reunión anual de graduados de la Unidad neonatal de cuidados intensivos (NICU, por sus siglas en inglés) de Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital se realizará el sábado 21 de septiembre, de 9 a. m. a 12 p. m. 

La reunión está dirigida a todos los pacientes y los familiares que hayan recibido atención en la NICU de Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. 

La reunión de la NICU permite a las familias y a los cuidadores de Intermountain celebrar el éxito de estas familias en Thunder Junction All Abilities Park, 1850 S. Dixie Drive, en St. George. 

Se ofrecerán bocadillo y bebidas y se realizarán actividades divertidas como pinturas en la cara y habrá personas disfrazadas de personajes infantiles conocidos. En el parque, los niños tienen la posibilidad de jugar en la plataforma de chapoteo, el área de creación musical, los toboganes, las zonas para escalar y mucho más. 

“El personal de la NICU de Intermountain St. George Regional espera este evento todo el año, ya que llegamos a conocer bien a estas familias durante su estadía en el hospital y existe un vínculo profundo que perdura años después”, afirma el Dr. Patrick Carroll, director médico del Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. “También podemos ver cómo crecieron los bebés ya que, la última vez que los vimos, eran tan chicos y se encontraban en un estado tan vulnerable”. 

Sandy White y su familia asisten a las reuniones de la NICU desde el 2009. 

Sus hijas mellizas, Maci y Jani, nacieron en la semana 23, 17 semanas antes de lo previsto, el 19 de octubre de 2008. Jani falleció después de su primer mes de vida y Maci, que pesó una libra y cinco onzas (un kilo y medio) cuando nació, estuvo en el hospital hasta que finalmente se fue a casa el 5 de febrero, cuatro días después de la fecha original de parto de las mellizas. 

“Los cuidadores se convirtieron en nuestra familia durante los más de tres meses que pasamos en la NICU”, afirma Sandy. “Formas una familia. Una familia capacitada que puede ayudar a tu bebé como tú no puedes hacerlo durante ese tiempo”. 

Dice que la experiencia sigue teniendo un impacto hoy en día. 

El personal decoró la puerta con mariquitas; y ahora, las mariquitas se convirtieron en el tema central en su vida con Maci, que ahora tiene 15 años. Las mariquitas la hacen pensar en la vida de Jani y le dan la sensación de cercanía. 

Como parte de la celebración de la reunión, Intermountain Life Flight realizará un sobrevuelo especial a las 10:30 a. m. Luego, se realizará una ceremonia en memoria de los niños fallecidos en la que los participantes soltarán mariposas a las 11 a. m. 

Este es el segundo año en que se sueltan mariposas y la familia White recuerda que fue muy emotivo. 

Maci White dijo que lloró cuando se soltaron las mariposas al pensar en su hermana melliza. 

“Te unes a esa mariposa, una parte de tu corazón, y le deseas lo mejor”, dijo White. 

Varios miembros del personal de enfermería también soltaron mariposas con las familias de un bebé al que cuidaron y que les ocasionó un profundo impacto. 

La NICU de Intermountain St. George Hospital es una unidad de nivel III con 24 camas que se inauguró en 2005 y que ofrece atención reconocida a nivel nacional y centrada en la familia para recién nacidos con enfermedades graves y necesidades de atención complejas. 

La sala para recién nacidos especializada también atiende a las mujeres con embarazos de alto riesgo y a los bebés nacidos a término que necesitan apoyo y atención adicional inesperada. 

El equipo de la NICU ofrece una gama completa de servicios médicos altamente especializados para recién nacidos prematuros. Esto puede incluir una gama de tratamientos para atender a los bebés más enfermos, incluidos los que requieren lo siguiente: 
• Una máquina que los ayude a respirar (requieren ventilación asistida convencional y de alta frecuencia). 
• Tratamiento con óxido nítrico para combatir los problemas pulmonares. 
• Hipotermia terapéutica u otros tratamientos neuroprotectores, ya que tienen mayor riesgo de padecer problemas de neurodesarrollo o lesiones cerebrales. 
• Atención altamente especializada para problemas médicos complejos. 
• Cirugía láser de los ojos. 
• El hospital también cuenta con el equipo de transporte Life Flight de la NICU, que presta servicios de transporte a las comunidades circundantes y, en caso necesario, a todo el país. 
 
Para obtener más información, llame a Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital al 435-251-5200 o envíe un correo electrónico a SGNICUReunion@imail.org. 

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The annual reunion for graduates of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital is Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The reunion is open to all former patients and families who have received care from the Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital NICU. 

The NICU reunion brings families and Intermountain caregivers together to celebrate the success of these families at Thunder Junction All Abilities Park, 1850 S. Dixie Drive, in St. George.

Snacks and drinks are provided, with fun activities such as face painting and well-known children's characters in costume. The park gives children the chance to play at the splash pad, music creation area, slides, climbing areas, and more.  

“The staff at Intermountain St. George Regional NICU look forward to this event all year as we get to know these families well during their time spent at the hospital and there is a deep bond that exists years later,” said Dr. Patrick Carroll, medical director of Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. “We also get to see how the babies have grown since we last saw them in such a young, vulnerable state.”  

Sandy White and her family have attended the NICU reunions since 2009.

Her twin daughters, Maci and Jani, were born at 23 weeks, which was 17 weeks early on October 19, 2008. Jani passed away after her first month of life, while Maci, born at one pound and 5 ounces, remained in the hospital until she finally went home on February 5, four days after the twins’ original due date. 

"The caregivers became family to us during our three-plus months stay in the NICU,” said Sandy. “You join a family – an educated family that can do for your baby what you are not able to during that time.”

She said their experience still impacts them today.

The staff decorated their door with ladybugs; and now, ladybugs have become a central theme in her life with Maci, who is now 15 years old. Ladybugs bring her thoughts of Jani’s life and feeling she is near.

As part of the reunion celebration, Intermountain Life Flight will be performing a special flyover at 10:30 a.m. Following that, there will be a memorial ceremony for infants who have passed with participants releasing butterflies at 11 a.m.  

This is the second year for the butterfly release, and the White family recalled how emotional it was.

Maci White said there were tears as the butterflies were released as she thought of her twin sister. 

“You attach yourself to that butterfly, a piece of your heart, and you wish it well,” said White.

Several nurses also release butterflies with the families for an infant they cared for that made a profound impact on them. 

Intermountain St. George Hospital’s NICU is a 24 bed, Level III unit that opened in 2005 and provides nationally recognized, family-centered care for critically ill newborns with complex care needs.

The specialized nursery also provides care for those with high-risk pregnancies and full-term babies who need unexpected, extra support and care. 

The NICU team provides a full range of highly specialized medical services for preterm newborns. This can include a range of therapies to care for the sickest babies, including those who: 

• Need a machine to help them breathe (require conventional and high frequency assisted ventilation). 
• Require nitric oxide therapy to help combat lung problems. 
• Are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental problems or brain injuries and require therapeutic cooling or other neuroprotective therapies. 
• Need highly specialized care for complex medical problems. 
• Laser eye surgeries 
• The hospital also has the NICU Life Flight Transport Team that provides transport services to surrounding communities and as needed throughout the country. 

For more information, call Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital at 435-251-5200 or email SGNICUReunion@imail.org. 

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Good Samaritan Medical Center unveiled its new state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) on May 10. This $9M modernization project will allow Good Samaritan to provide the highest quality of care for our tiniest, fragile patients and their families, helping in their development and promoting healing. More than 1,800 babies are born at Good Samaritan each year and last year, 127 spent some time in the NICU.

Good Samaritan boasts 12 single-family, private NICU rooms so parents can sleep and stay with their precious babies around the clock. The rooms each have natural light and the unit has a cutting-edge circadian rhythm light system that supports the babies’ wake and sleep cycles. The new space will also include a family kitchen and lounge and a “nutrition room” where mothers’ milk and donor human milk will be stored.

“We have seen that when the family is nearby, the baby heals faster and can go home sooner,” said Samantha Coleman, NICU Manager. “Having a baby in the NICU can be a really stressful time for families and we want our care to be family-centered. We are so grateful to be able to bring the latest in NICU technology and design to our community’s growing families.” 

A core team of neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners and physician assistants are specially trained and experienced at providing high quality, expert care to premature and critically ill infants. All rooms are within the visual site of a nursing charting station or main desk to ensure direct visualization of all infants.

To create single-family rooms, the third floor of the hospital expanded to more than 8,200 square feet in the past year. The new space is four times larger than the space of the original NICU. The latest construction techniques were used to minimize noise and vibration so the current NICU could continue to safely serve the community. An interdisciplinary team worked together to design the new space, which includes special lighting and flooring for optimal neural development and healing, and a special room for twins who need NICU care.

“This exciting redesign will make life easier for our NICU parents, allowing them to have a home base at the hospital for the entirety of their stay, whether that is for just a few days or for several months,” said Tonya Chapin, Nursing Director of The Baby Place at Good Samaritan Medical Center. “Traditionally we have been able to support NICU parents staying overnight in a separate room of the hospital, but the new NICU will allow them to be in the same room as their babies at all times.”

Good Samaritan was the first Colorado hospital to be a designated Baby-Friendly Hospital and has been ranked “high-performing” in maternity care by U.S. News and World Report. We are a community hospital that consistently provides compassionate, safe and high quality care for our newborns, while providing parents with the information and resources they need to support their growing healthy family.

Carmen Hart went into labor and delivered her daughter when she was just 27 weeks pregnant in July 2016. Born three months early, Penelope, or Penny as her family calls her, spent the first 101 days of her life in the NICU at Saint Joseph Hospital. 

Carmen remembers the experience after Penny was born when Saint Joe’s literally became their home during that time. The cafeteria became her husband’s office and the Dazbog counter inside the hospital became their neighborhood coffee shop because they were there every single day. They ate almost all of their meals on the patio off the fourth floor near Penny’s room and they watched football games in the NICU parent lounge. 

“We weren’t planning on having her at Saint Joe’s, but we’re so glad we did,” said Carmen. “The doctors, nurses and therapists did so much for Penny and our family and we are so thankful.” After more than three months of expert and compassionate care from the Saint Joseph Hospital NICU team and non-stop support from her family, Penny Hart went home. 

“I’ll never forget the day we left the hospital because I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. The problem was that I didn’t know how to go around the NICU to say thank you for everything the staff did for us.”

So, Carmen took that immense gratitude, along with inspiration from her daughter, and wrote a children’s book called Penny and Her Butterfly that is dedicated to all the NICU staff who provide care to the tiniest and most fragile humans. 

“The book was a way for me to say thank you in the best way that I could,” Carmen said. “It’s a tribute to all of the staff that took care of Penny, but it’s done in a very light, playful and fun way.” 

The plot of the book is that when Penny's favorite butterfly picture goes missing, she heads out to search in the hospital and asks for help from the NICU team and her family. 

The book features Penny’s caregivers including Neonatologists Dr. Annie, Dr. John, Dr. Ellina and Dr. Mark, along with her primary day nurse Krista, primary night nurse Angie and occupational therapist Shannon. In total, there are 15 characters, including Penny, her parents and 12 other members of the Saint Joe’s NICU team. 

Carmen wrote the words and Mark Nino Balita, an illustrator from the Philippines, drew the pictures. The characters in the book are wonderfully illustrated as animals, and each page is a shout-out to the real-life team at Saint Joe’s. “We had a really tall nurse who is depicted as a giraffe. Another nurse had a long gray ponytail so she’s depicted as a gray horse.” Carmen credits Mark for really bringing the books to life.  

SPOILER ALERT: Penny eventually finds the picture and after 101 days, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, she is able to fly home. This beautiful tribute to prematurity is about a little girl's fierce determination and the power of love from those around her. 

Penny and Her Butterfly was five years in the making. Originally, Carmen set a goal of having it finished by Penny’s first birthday, but life got busy. The Hart family had another baby girl and Penny has grown into a healthy, happy and vibrant 5-year-old girl, who loves playing with her baby sister and is preparing to start kindergarten in the fall.

“This whole thing was a very unexpected situation, but looking back, it has turned into a very special time in our lives,” Carmen said. “Our family is forever grateful for the care we received at Saint Joe’s, and this book allowed us to capture that.”

Penny and Her Butterfly can be purchased on Amazon, and is also sold in the gift shop at Saint Joseph Hospital. Proceeds from the book will be donated to organizations that help NICU families. They include March of Dimes, which funds lifesaving research and programs to end premature birth, and the Saint Joseph Hospital Parent2Parent Support Group that helps families currently experiencing a NICU stay. Carmen is part of the Parent2Parent support group and remains friends with some of the staff who took care of her baby girl to this day.