Childbirth: Stephanie's Story

“From check-in to discharge, my entire experience at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital was exactly what I wanted. While I wanted the security of delivering in a hospital, I still wanted the flexibility and empowerment of a home-birth experience with a midwife, and that is what I got.” 
- Stephanie Moore.

As Stephanie Moore and her husband prepared to welcome their first child, they knew they had a lot of decisions to make. Some were about little things, like choosing a diaper bag and agreeing on the nursery’s color scheme. Others were big, like deciding how Stephanie wanted her birth experience to go, who would deliver the baby, and where the delivery would happen. Stephanie chose to have an unmedicated delivery with midwife Allison Ladner, RN, CNM, at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital – and she says for her it was one of the best decisions she ever made.

“From check-in to discharge, my entire experience at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital was exactly what I wanted,” Stephanie said. “While I wanted the security of delivering in a hospital, I still wanted the flexibility and empowerment of a home-birth experience with a midwife, and that is what I got.”

A New Childbirth Option

Delivering with a midwife appeals to, and is appropriate for, some low-risk patients with normal pregnancies who want a natural childbirth experience, including vaginal delivery and a focus on in-the-room support during labor.

To complement its excellence in OB/GYN care, Holy Cross Germantown Hospital began a midwifery program in 2017, which allows certified nurse midwives who qualify to gain privileges to deliver at the hospital. Midwives begin their training as registered nurses, and then go on for a master’s degree and certification in midwifery. They combine modern medical training with expertise in natural labor, and they partner on each birth with a Holy Cross Health physician.

“Holy Cross Germantown Hospital has welcomed me with open arms, and I really appreciate that,” Allison said.

The Big Day

Early in the morning, Stephanie’s contractions began. By the early afternoon, it was time to head to the hospital.

“I love Holy Cross Germantown Hospital because it’s a calm and healing environment. We checked in immediately, and I felt that I was the focus" said Stephanie. "I arrived with my birth plan, and my nursing team reviewed it with me. They wanted to help me have the birth that I envisioned.”

While in labor, Stephanie used a yoga ball, walked around the large labor and delivery suite, and even spent time in a warm, soothing shower.

"The hospital’s maternity services feature spacious, all-private rooms, both in the labor and delivery suites and on the mother-baby unit," said Doug Ryder, president, Holy Cross Germantown Hospital. "With room for a loved one to sleep and beautiful surroundings, Holy Cross Germantown Hospital offers new families excellent care in a comfortable setting."

Throughout the process, Allison and the nursing team were by Stephanie’s side, offering support and helping as her labor progressed. Shortly before midnight, a beautiful baby boy, Elias, was born.

“Stephanie had prepared herself well for an unmedicated childbirth. She was very empowered throughout the process, and it turned out just as she had planned,” Allison said.

And for Stephanie? "Being able to give birth on my own terms was the best, most empowering experience of my life. It was challenging, of course, but I wouldn't change a thing. In fact, I'm pregnant with my second child and I'm planning to do it again!”

To learn more about maternity care at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, visit HolyCrossHealth.org/HCGHmaternity.

To find a certified nurse midwife with privileges to deliver at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, visit HolyCrossHealth.org/Providers