feature which enables you to view all the beautiful babies born at the facility. The babies are listed by the day or month they were born and individual images can be viewed from the data base. Each baby can be viewed from six different angles with their first name and middle initial identifying them. This feature is not only beneficial to friends and family but may also useful for parents-to-be researching names for their own baby. It could also be good therapy after a stressful day at the office, after all, what could be more relaxing than looking at all those cute little faces and wondering what kind of life God has planned for them.

It was interesting to note that while scanning  the lists of names on Bradley Babies born in the month of October,  it

appears that biblical names are most popular for boys. Names like Jacob, Joshua, Joseph, Isaac, Jonathan, Jeremiah and Noah.  Whereas the trend for girls names are more unusual;  Kesslee, Anjolee, Makayla and Gabrielle are popular.

Sara Maloney, Bradley Memorial Hospital's Director of Marketing said, "since Bradley Babies was

added to the website a few years ago it has been the most looked feature." The infant's photographs are taken in the new mom's hospital room by Growing Family, a national company specializing in nursery photography. To avoid stress to the newborn the company's photographers use a special camera  attached to a crib. One of the photographers Sue Calfee said, "we usually take the pictures 24 hours after a baby is born and the image is posted on the website within one to three days." Calfee, who recently won a certificate of recognition as one of the top employees with Growing Family, said that parents have the option

of the standard pink and blue polka-dot background sheet or they can supply their own. They also have a choice of color or black and white photo. Calfee said that the black and white option

is still available because it sometimes gives a better effect.  Parents can also choose whether to dress the baby or have the photo taken in its night-gown. The six photos taken for the web are a free service that is optional. Growing Family also offers separate photo packages at cost as well as

birth announcements and keepsakes.

The staff at Bradley Memorial Hospital have been delivering babies for 52 years with an average of 1100 babies born each year.  As a regional hospital it serves patients from Bradley, Polk, Meigs and McMinn counties.  In fact, it was learned during my visit that the current hospital administrator Alan Watson, was born there 40 years ago.

A new maternity and women's services wing was added to the hospital in 1996. The new wing, which is located to the side of the lobby of the hospital main entrance, includes a glass enclosed nursery where the cute new arrivals can be easily and safely viewed by friends and relatives. Elisa Bishop, Director of Women's Services said, "we have had seven babies born here today [October 22nd 2004] so it's been a really busy time for us." Mothers have the option of caring for their baby in their private room or having it taken to the nursery.  Bishop was proud of her department's latest technology. "Doctors can now connect from the computer in their office to an OB link, a central monitoring system here at the women's center that can continuously monitor the mother's contractions and baby's heartbeat." She said the Women's Services wing has 18 beds with seven  LDR's (labor, delivery and recovery rooms), three of which have Jacuzzi tubs for Lamaze. There is also a small garden for the new mom to relax and recuperate in.

Child birth classes are offered at the center weekly for the mom-to-be with six obstetricians and five midwives on hand for the big day when labor begins.

The most babies delivered in the hospital in a twenty-four hour period was 12, and the most housed in the nursery at one time was 22.  Bishop said she had seen many twins born at Bradley and the largest multiple births born to one mother were triplets, as any number over three would need to be transferred to a special care unit.

Bradley Memorial Hospital has earned numerous state and national awards for excellence but more importantly, it is a unique and valuable community asset offering health care to area citizens from birth to old age.

To learn more about Bradley Memorial Hospital visit their website  www.bradleymemorial.com or if like me, you can't resist looking at new born babies, check out the Bradley Babies feature.