Deployments are riddled with conflict, separation, and a plethora of problems for married couples.

Perhaps the only good thing about a deployment is the soldier's homecoming.

During the first couple of months after the soldier's return home, some couples take a family trip, and even more couples take a romantic trip to get reacquainted.  Regardless of what they do as a family, many of the couples announce a baby on the way within the first year home.

Last year, after a surge of troops returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, (JBLM), Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC) delivered a record breaking 2,454 babies.

"When a lot of people deploy at the same time and come home together, we usually see an increase in the number of babies born here," said Major Jason Pates, a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician at MAMC.

Though labor and delivery handled the increased patient load without missing a beat, top officials have explored ways to improve the expectant mother's healthcare experience, he said.

"We explored how we could streamline triage to labor and delivery, and then to postpartum care," said Pates who has worked at MAMC the past three years.

Although planning is in the early stages for a possible surge of pregnant women this fall, Labor and Delivery is working to implement the most efficient daily practices to allow them to cover the increased patient volume without drastic changes.

However, when you look at baby deliveries, it's always feast or famine, said Col. Peter G. Napolitano, the director of maternal fetal medicine at MAMC.

"Last year in March we delivered 250 babies," Napolitano said. "This month we are down to 160."

Part of preparing for the surge, is understanding, why it occurs, he said.

"The troops come back to base, and within two months their wives return to the base and within a short period the intakes for pregnant women goes through the roof," Napolitano explained.  "Roughly seven months later we see the pre-term labor and delivery admissions jump through the roof."

These expectant parents will reap the benefits of the ongoing recent changes.  First, a new state-of-the-art team center has been constructed.  Second, antepartum rooms have been remodeled, and finally two labor and delivery rooms have been added, he said.

Also they have implemented better communication practices to help move patients through the system in a smooth and safe way, Pates said.

"When we have more births, we obviously have more activity," Pates said. "We have more team huddles and a lot more cross talk between providers.  Madigan watches trends and responds proactively."

Additionally, new providers have been hired in the last six months, including two nurse practitioners, one midwife, and three more physicians, Pates said.

"Our goal is to increase hiring, which we gauge by OB intakes," he said. "We are trying to optimize our appointments and continuity of care. Our patients will see the same team of providers.  They may not see the same doctor, but they will see a doctor on their team."

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