Vanessa and Jason Beckstrom with their twins, Ayven and Liam.
Vanessa and Jason Beckstrom wanted to not only give their unborn twins the gift of the right hospital when bringing them into the world, the couple wanted to also give their babies the gift of a good quality of life. To do both, the couple made the decision to move from Chicago to Dallas mid-pregnancy.
For Texas native Vanessa, the move to Dallas meant being closer to family, friends and a strong support system as she and her husband prepared for the arrival of their first children. It also meant finding healthcare resources that would meet Vanessa’s needs for specialty obstetrical care. Her OB/GYN doctor in Chicago referred her to Hampton Richards, M.D., of Walnut Hill Obstetrics & Gynecology Associates on the campus of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. Coincidentally, Dr. Richards had gone to high school with her brother-in-law and her sister, also an OB/GYN, was familiar with his excellent reputation with high-risk pregnancies.
With great resources on tap, Vanessa and her husband made plans to move when mom-to-be was 32 weeks along but during a baby shower at 29 gestational weeks Vanessa began having contractions. Fortunately, she was already in state and was quickly treated for dehydration in a south Texas hospital. Once she received fluids, she was discharged with no further complications.
Ayven Sol and Liam Allen were born on July 1, 2014, at 37 weeks ― weighing in at a healthy 6 pounds, 1 ounce and 5 pounds, 10 ounces, respectively. In the Margot Perot Center for Women and Infants at Texas Health Dallas, Vanessa and Jason began the process of learning how to care for their newborns and transition to their new home in Dallas.
“I had a lot of questions throughout my pregnancy, especially at the end,” Vanessa said. “As a first-time mom, I really appreciated all the help the nurses and lactation consultants provided after delivery.”
“I wasn’t able to attend parent education classes in Chicago before we moved, so I called Texas Health Dallas to discuss what might be available on delivering and caring for multiples and was referred to Jill Johnson (childbirth education coordinator). Jill recommended several classes that would provide information regarding twins: Prepared Childbirth and Breastfeeding. Both were very helpful,” she added.
The connection Vanessa and her family made with the hospital and its educational resources didn’t end when the twins arrived. Instead, she learned about other offerings and quickly got involved.
First, she started attending the weekly Mommy Mixers as a way to engage with other moms and share parenting experiences. Once she was cleared to exercise after her six-week postpartum doctor’s appointment, Vanessa also signed up for the Fitness class and Mom and Baby Yoga class. She and the twins now enjoy twice-weekly outings that help them learn stretching techniques and help mom stay in shape. Just as important, Vanessa, Ayven and Liam are bonding with other moms and babies in and out of the classroom.
“I have met other moms and we have gotten together outside of class with our families,” Vanessa said. “The classes have been a great resource not only for bonding, but also for learning tips and tricks from moms with older babies. For example, I didn’t know what the NoseFrida was for clearing stuffy noses or about the Wonder Weeks app. Now I highly recommend both for new moms!”