Six Questions with Niki Feran, APRN, PNP
Pediatric nurse practitioner Niki Feran loves kids. And ice fishing.
First job? Babysitting, and waitressing at a local pizza place. In both jobs, I learned that l love children and I want to work with kids for the rest of my life.
Birth Center: Top baby names of 2022
Our Birth Center welcomed 542 babies in 2022. Here were the most popular names.
Girl Names
- Charlotte: 5
- Amelia/Amilia: 4
- Olivia: 4
- Aspen/Aspyn: 3
- Josephine: 3
- Lydia: 3
- Quinn/Qwynn: 3
- Scarlette: 3
- Violet: 3
Boy Names
New Year's baby of 2023: Zeke Elliot Chalmers
It’s a boy! Zeke Elliot Chalmers is our New Year’s baby – born on January 1 at 7:37 p.m.
Congratulations to parents Amber Riley and Zach Chalmers (and big brother Axel), who live in Owatonna.
Amber and Zach calculated Zeke’s due date as December 31. “Then at our first pre-natal appointment, we were told January 15,” Zach says. “We kept joking about it,” Amber laughs. “He’s the one who knew when to come.”
Axel, who’s almost 3, is excited to be a big brother: “He says he’s going to help change diapers and feed him,” Amber says.
Pediatric provider Niki Feran joins NH+C’s Northfield Clinic
Northfield Hospital + Clinics welcomes pediatric nurse practitioner Niki Feran, APRN, PNP to the Northfield Clinic, caring for children of all ages.
Niki takes a collaborative approach with her patients – and their parents. “I believe providers and families should work together equally in order to create the best possible outcome for the children,” she says. That includes getting to know the family’s cultural, religious, and personal beliefs: “I treat my patients with the same care and respect that I would want my family and friends to be treated.”
Keeping your newborn healthy this holiday season
Is there a new baby in your family? Congratulations! And take extra care: The current outbreak of RSV in the community puts babies at risk of serious illness.
The pediatricians of NH+C give this advice on protecting your newborn from RSV and other contagious illnesses this winter, especially over the holiday season.
Protecting babies and toddlers from RSV: Advice from pediatrician Ben Flannery, MD
NOVEMBER 22, 2022 – RSV is hitting our communities hard right now. RSV is a virus that infects the lungs. Kids under 2 are most at risk of serious illness.
NH+C pediatrician Ben Flannery, MD explains:
“RSV infects the microscopic airways of the lungs. It’s especially hard on small lungs: Babies and kids under 2 are at risk of severe inflammation of the lungs, so it’s hard to breathe. They can’t cough the mucus out of their lungs, which can lead to pneumonia.
Six Questions with Jeni Robinson, MD
Dr. Jeni Robinson knows patients want to be heard.
As a Family Medicine physician, she cares for patients of all ages in NH+C’s Farmington Clinic. As the parent of a medically high-needs child, she knows how important it is to have a provider who listens. (P.S. She has a soft spot for babies.)
Dr. Robinson answers six questions:
First job? I babysat in exchange for sign language lessons. (I can spell the alphabet, but didn’t get much further than that. I did teach myself to read Braille.)
Six Questions with Dr. Adrianne Westmoreland
As a Family Medicine physician, Dr. Westmoreland cares for patients of all ages in NH+C’s Farmington Clinic. (Psst: She loves babies.)
Dr. Westmoreland answers six questions:
First job? I worked for the YMCA at the front desk, in South Carolina. I was 15. My first job in medicine was as an educator in the residency program where I got my training. I like learning, and teaching.
When to consider ear tubes for your child
Does your child have frequent ear infections? Ear, Nose and Throat specialist Gerard O’Halloran, MD explains when ear tubes might be appropriate.
“Most children will have an occasional ear infection, but some kids experience them more frequently or more severely, or can’t be treated with antibiotics for any number of reasons. Other children may not be hearing well due to fluid behind the eardrum.
Baby formula resources for families affected by formula shortage
MAY 23, 2022 – NH+C offers advice and resources for local families affected by the ongoing shortage of baby formula across the U.S.
The FDA advises parents and caregivers not to make or feed homemade infant formula to infants. Homemade infant formula recipes have not been evaluated by the FDA and may lack nutrients vital to an infant’s growth.
Minnesota Department of Health and formula maker Enfamil both have a list of alternatives to Similac formula that was recalled.