When Jessica left the Birth Center with her newborn in her arms, she also carried something else – an at-home blood pressure cuff, provided at no cost through a grant from the Northfield Hospital Foundation. It’s a small device with a big impact, made possible by generous donor support. For Jessica, it turned out to be lifesaving.

“I’m really grateful,” she said. “They gave me one right off the bat when I was discharging. They gave me some training, but I’m a nurse myself, so I knew how to use it.”

During labor, Jessica experienced preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening condition. It had been managed successfully in the hospital, but preeclampsia can resurface – and worsen – after delivery.

Even though Jessica’s blood pressure was stable at the time of discharge, her care team still sent her home with a cuff – just in case. That precaution turned out to be critical.

“I didn’t have to try to get out to Walgreens and go get one, especially having a newborn and being in pain postpartum,” she said. “You don’t want to go to the store, and it was like 11 degrees the day we were discharged in December. So, it was just really nice to already have one.”

During her first night at home, Jessica began feeling short of breath. “I was like, I don’t know what’s going on. My blood pressure was managed, but I’ll just check it in case,” she said.

She used the cuff the next morning and found her blood pressure was dangerously high. Without that device, she would not have known to act. But thanks to it – and her quick thinking – she contacted a nurse, who urged her to return to the hospital immediately.

“I got sent back to the ER because the triage nurse at Northfield Hospital recommended I go back,” Jessica said. “They readmitted me to the hospital – for another three days – for postpartum severe preeclampsia. It was definitely not a great first week.”

Though her situation was serious, Jessica’s story could have taken a much worse turn without the early warning that the cuff provided. “A lot of people have been saying, ‘I’m so glad you checked your blood pressure,’ because if this wasn’t handled in a timely manner, you could have had worse complications.”

Unfortunately, blood pressure cuffs are not typically covered by insurance. But thanks to generous donors to the Northfield Hospital Foundation, the Birth Center now provides a range of cuff sizes and trains new and expecting mothers how to use them, ensuring they go home with the tools they need to stay safe.

“I’m really, really thankful that they sent me home with it,” she said. “Because I wouldn’t have had one otherwise.”

Your support can help ensure every mother like Jessica has the chance to stay safe and healthy during one of the most vulnerable times in her life. A donation to the Northfield Hospital Foundation isn’t just a gift – it’s a lifeline.