Childbirth is so much more than a medical event. It’s about welcoming a new person to the world and surrounding them with love.
At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, our team understands they are part of this beautiful human experience. They treasure their place in your baby’s first hours and days of life.
This episode of Rounding with Patients features Angelica and Markie, two women who delivered their babies at St. Elizabeth Healthcare Family Birth Place. Both say they’ll never forget our team’s care and kindness.
Q: Why did you choose St. Elizabeth?
Markie and Angelica were “first-timers” at the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Family Birth Place, but they already knew what to expect: a caring environment where moms and babies come first. “Everyone I know delivered their babies at St. Elizabeth, and I’d heard good things about it,” says Markie.
Angelica talked to several friends about their experience at The Family Birth Place, and one thing stood out. “Everyone remembered their doctors and nurses by name,” she says. “I was like, I want that, too, because this is an experience I will remember forever.”
“This was my first baby. I had never gone through anything like this before. It’s one of those things where you can prepare all you want. But once you actually go through it, it’s life-changing.”
Angelica, Family Birth Place MomMarkie’s daughter, Ariah Denise, arrived after five hours of labor, weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces. “To sum it all into one word, I would say it was beautiful,” Markie says.
Angelica’s doctor chose to induce labor due to concerns about Angelica’s high blood pressure. Angelica felt overwhelmed, but the doctors and nurses at The Family Birth Place talked her through every step of labor and delivery. “It was incredibly helpful,” Angelica says. Her son, Parker Drew, was born early the following morning, weighing six pounds, three ounces.
Q: What was your Family Birth Place experience like?
Markie has one older child, and she’s pretty sure Ariah will be her last. So, it was important to her that she be emotionally present throughout labor and delivery rather than stressed about what was going on around her. “The nurses were so calm and welcoming that I could just be in the moment,” she recalls. “I almost felt like I was at home. I told the nurses later, ‘My mom wasn’t there, but you made it seem as if she was.’”
As a first-time mom, Angelica was careful to prepare but not over-plan. “I went in knowing that whatever my body needed, whatever my baby needed, the care team would steer me in the right direction,” she explains. “They were so kind and informative. Nothing was a surprise. I felt like I was in good hands.”
Q: Do you have advice for women expecting a baby?
Every expectant mother feels stressed at some point during her pregnancy. Angelica and Markie encourage women to be proactive.
“At the beginning of my pregnancy, all I saw online were traumatic birth experiences, and I started to feel anxious,” says Angelica. “So, I switched to watching only positive birth stories, and that helped me be more relaxed going into the whole experience.”
Markie adds, “Just take it all in. It can get stressful but just breathe.”
“You can tell the nurses don’t just treat it as their job — they care for you like you are family. ”
Markie, Family Birth Place Mom
