Home visits for new moms offer a more robust social safety net in Tulsa
It’s mid-afternoon when the nurse arrives at the ranch house outside town. Inside, Cortny Reddell rests in a reclining chair cradling Brexley, her daughter, who was born premature a month earlier and spent her first three weeks in intensive care.
The nurse, Courtney McMahon, rests her portable scale on the coffee table and peeks at the swaddled baby. “Her color looks good,” she tells Ms. Reddell, lifting Brexley into her arms. “I’m going to weigh her and see how much she’s grown.”
This is Ms. McMahon’s second visit to check on Brexley, who it turns out has gained 9 ounces in a week. The nurse also wants to know how mom is doing so while she holds Brexley, Reddell fills out a survey that covers mental and physical health as well as relationships and housing. Before she goes, McMahon leaves a gift bag of diapers on the table.
Postpartum visits by registered nurses are routine
Overcoming resistance to servicesThe skill of talking to babyDecades of cuts