Inspira Health: Redefining maternal and infant care in South Jersey

“Everything we do we do so parents feel supported and can start their journeys as successfully as possible.”

Keeping families healthy continues to be a priority for Inspira Health – and that starts at the very beginning, with maternal and infant care. Take a quick look around our communities and you will see Inspira’s strong commitment to the well-being of mothers and babies. New and expanding facilities, evidence-based care models, an emphasis on birthing options, and a strong focus on breastfeeding and bonding create an environment that empowers families and promotes healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and babies.

“We believe that pregnancy, labor, and delivery should be a collaboration, says Dawn Goffredo, Inspira’s Assistant Vice President of Maternal Child Health. “Our OB providers, maternal fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists, pediatricians, midwives, nursing staff, lactation consultants and support teams partner with our patients every day.”

Expansion in Mullica Hill

Since moving from Woodbury to Mullica Hill, Inspira has experienced a surge in demand for maternal health services, seeing a nearly 50% increase in deliveries. Growing families need growing resources, so Inspira is stepping up to meet that need with the expansion of its maternity department at Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill. But this expansion isn’t just about increasing capacity – it’s about improving maternal care experiences and outcomes.

“Our expansion will add 20 postpartum rooms to the maternity unit as well as additional beds to expand our intermediate care nursery,” says Goffredo. “Our occupancy has been consistently around 95% since opening. This expansion increases our ability to care for both mothers and babies in a comfortable, high-quality environment.”

Prestigious Baby-Friendly Designation

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill has earned the prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation from The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. The designation signifies that the hospital provides the treatment, information and support for successful mother-infant bonding and feeding.

“Many new moms really want that opportunity to breastfeed,” says Goffredo. “But sometimes it doesn’t come as naturally as some would expect. We’re here to give them that added support.”

This initiative includes 10 steps to improve the success of breastfeeding. It encourages immediate skin-to-skin contact and comprehensive lactation support. It also promotes “rooming-in,” where newborns stay in their mother’s hospital room as much as possible. Inspira Medical Center Vineland has also implemented the 10 steps as it pursues Baby Friendly designation.

Additionally, Inspira has gone a step further by introducing a donor breast milk program – an option for mothers who wish to exclusively feed their infants human milk – when babies need some additional nutritional support.

Midwifery at Mullica Hill

For expecting mothers seeking a more personalized, natural approach to birth, midwifery services offer an empowering option, says Goffredo. Inspira’s midwifery program is built on a patient-centered holistic approach, supporting mothers as they make informed choices throughout their pregnancy and delivery.

“Midwifery offers multiple approaches through the continuum of pregnancy. They partner with you to develop an in-depth birth plan and discuss an array of options for delivery,” says Goffredo.

Inspira provides a holistic approach to childbirth, including physiologic birth techniques designed to reduce the need for interventions like c-sections. With a laborist midwife on site 24/7, patients always have access to OB physicians and midwifery services. This approach enhances the birthing experience and contributes to lower intervention rates.

Team Birth: A Collaborative Approach

Communication is at the heart of safe, patient-centered care. That’s why Inspira has implemented Team Birth, a structured framework that ensures everyone involved in the birthing process – mothers, families, physicians, midwives and nurses – are all on the same page, throughout labor and delivery.

“In Team Birth, there is a huddle in the patient’s room every time a change is made to the care plan or if the mom wants to meet with her team,” says Goffredo. “It helps to make sure the mom is empowered to make decisions for herself and her baby.”

The Team Birth model has been shown to increase patient satisfaction, improve trust in providers and enhance birth outcomes.

Angel Eye Technology

For families with babies in the Deborah F. Sager Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Inspira Medical Center Vineland, separation can be one of the most challenging experiences. Angel Eye technology bridges that gap, allowing families to stay connected with their newborns even when they can’t be physically present.

“Angel Eye lets parents and siblings see their baby in the NICU through a live video stream from the bedside, which they can access on their phone or any connected device,” says Goffredo. “Families can share a secure link with friends and family so everyone can see the baby before they get a chance to meet in person and older siblings can see the baby before they come home. It’s truly special.”

Currently available in Vineland’s Deborah F. Sager NICU, with plans to expand to Mullica Hill, Angel Eye provides real-time video access to infants receiving critical care. This technology not only comforts parents but also strengthens the bond between families and their newborns.

“One of our dads was preparing for military deployment, and he was able to get Angel Eye,” says Goffredo. “The baby did end up going home before dad left, but he was reassured that if he had to go, he would be able to see his baby every day.”

Eat, Sleep, Console

Caring for infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome – when a newborn experiences withdrawal from exposure to certain drugs while in utero – requires a gentle, nurturing approach. Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC) is a model that moves away from pharmacological treatments and focuses on responsive care.

“Many times, prior to ESC, babies received medication and then were slowly weaned off them,” says Goffredo. “With this program, we focus on feeding, making sure the baby is sleeping well, and comfort measures, such as swaddling and skin-to-skin contact.

ESC eliminates or minimizes the need for medications, shortens hospital stays and improves bonding between mothers and infants. Inspira’s cuddler program also trains volunteers to provide specialized care for these babies, ensuring they receive the comfort and attention they need.

The results have been remarkable. In 2024, only 3 of the 37 babies in Inspira’s ESC program required pharmacological treatment, a significant improvement over past years.

“Everything we do,” adds Goffredo, “we do so parents feel supported and can start their journeys as successfully as possible.”