Park Street Cultural Tour

Meriter Hospital

202 South Park Street

Lots and lots of babies are born every month here. Meriter and St. Mary’s have the most newborns every month, [more] than any other hospital in Madison.
–Max

Monica M. is a birthing educator at Meriter. She showed us some techniques and methods she uses in the classes that she holds up to six days a week.
–Sam R.

A relaxation exercise she uses is having them breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth. They concentrate on their breathing. She has them take away tension in each muscle group.

To simulate the pain of labor, she has the women hold ice. She tells them to concentrate on their breathing and try not to notice the pain.
–Tristan

There are about 300 childbirths every month at Meriter. Meriter is always competing with St. Mary’s. Sometimes Meriter will be ahead, sometimes St. Mary’s will be ahead.

We did an ice exercise where we held ice for forty-five seconds. The first time it was really hard. It felt like hundreds of needles were shooting up my arm. The second time it was really easy. Why? Because we were concentrating on our breathing not how painful it was. Monica told us that pregnant women have to do this exercise five times a night. She tells every woman this saying, “The essence of childbirth preparation is self-discovery.”
–Rosemary

Looking into the cup
Afraid
Knowing soon you’ll have to hold the Ice
Crazy?
Picking up the Ice
Ouch!
Feeling the cold turn into pain
Travel
The chill is moving through your arm
Moan
Hearing a painful noise coming from others in the room
Happy
Letting the Ice fall back into the cup
Numb
You can’t feel your fingertips
Listen
You’re going to pick Ice up again
–Sara K.

Home on Park Street Four Days in the Corridor Neighborhoods Experiencing Community What the Kids Said *Day One* Chadbourne College Sadie Pearson & Richard Davis Trinity Church Ideal Body Shop Park Street Shoe Repair Yee's Laundry La Movida Mercado Marimar Bram's Addition *Day Two* Early Childhood Center Yue-Wah Oriental Foods Boys & Girls Club Style & Grace Salon St. Mark's Lutheran Church Romnes Apartments Yasmin's Halal Meat Market Miracle's Home Neighborhood House Italian Workmen's Club Family Potluck *Day Three* Meriter Hospital Bayview Mural Bocce Ball Beth Israel Synagogue Wisconsin Union Hoofers Mexico Lindo Fishing Along Wingra Creek *Day Four* AFL-CIO (Labor Temple) Eugene Parks Quality Ace Hardware Oriental Shop Lakeside Fibers Chicken Underground Family Daycare Tropical Fish World Quann Community Gardens Multicultural Center Street Scenes 1 Street Scenes 2 Park Street Delights 1 Park Street Delights 2 Dane County Cultural Tour Hmong Cultural Tour Calm down Breathe in Breathe out. . . Have some Ice in your hands. . . I know it’s cold. Just think of something else Hold it as long as you can. . . But, Have some peace, And silence. . . –Chou	Meriter Hospital 202 South Park Street Lots and lots of babies are born every month here. Meriter and St. Mary’s have the most newborns every month, [more] than any other hospital in Madison. –Max Monica M. is a birthing educator at Meriter. She showed us some techniques and methods she uses in the classes that she holds up to six days a week. –Sam R. A relaxation exercise she uses is having them breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth. They concentrate on their breathing. She has them take away tension in each muscle group. To simulate the pain of labor, she has the women hold ice. She tells them to concentrate on their breathing and try not to notice the pain. –Tristan There are about 300 childbirths every month at Meriter. Meriter is always competing with St. Mary’s. Sometimes Meriter will be ahead, sometimes St. Mary’s will be ahead. We did an ice exercise where we held ice for forty-five seconds. The first time it was really hard. It felt like hundreds of needles were shooting up my arm. The second time it was really easy. Why? Because we were concentrating on our breathing not how painful it was. Monica told us that pregnant women have to do this exercise five times a night. She tells every woman this saying, “The essence of childbirth preparation is self-discovery.” –Rosemary Looking into the cup Afraid Knowing soon you’ll have to hold the Ice Crazy? Picking up the Ice Ouch! Feeling the cold turn into pain Travel The chill is moving through your arm Moan Hearing a painful noise coming from others in the room Happy Letting the Ice fall back into the cup Numb You can’t feel your fingertips Listen You’re going to pick Ice up again –Sara K.
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