It's a Girl! First Baby Born at New Maternity Unit

Yesterday we at LEAD Cincinnati reported on the new Maternity Services Unit at West Chester Hospital. Little did we know that yesterday morning, the unit welcomed its first baby into the world! Luckily, our friends over at the hospital were kind enough to let us know about it. Say hello to Kaitlynn McCrory! 

This precious little girl arrived into the world at 8:01 a.m. this morning. Just minutes after her birth, the well-known Brahms’ Lullaby was quietly played in public areas of the hospital, prompting employees to cheer and visitors to smile. 

Kaitlynn, daughter of Mandy McCrory and Michael McCrory, EdD, of West Chester, weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces. Kaitlynn, will join older brother, Andrew, age 4, at home. The baby was delivered by Maria Gerber, MD, an obstetrician at West Chester Hospital, with Dana Lovell, MD, Medical Director of Maternity Services and an enthusiastic team of nurses assisting. Mom and baby are resting comfortably today.

"With a brand new facility, you have the best of everything," said Michael McCrory. "There is always anxiety about these things, but the team made it all go so easily." "Delivering so close to home helped relieve our concern about getting to a downtown hospital during rush hour," added Mandy McCrory.

"After receiving continuous feedback from people in the community about the desire to deliver their babies at West Chester Hospital, and with the tremendous effort which our staff has put forth to open this beautiful new unit, it is truly exciting to have our very first child born today," said Chief Operating Officer Tom Daskalakis, who was served as the team leader for the project. "We look forward to welcoming many more babies into the world in the years ahead."  

"As a resident of West Chester, it’s wonderful to know that we now have maternity services right here in our community so that moms and babies can enjoy the convenience and great care offered by West Chester Hospital" added Maria Gerber, MD. "It is always an honor to help bring lives into the world, but delivering West Chester Hospital’s first baby was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

West Chester Hospital began construction of the $10 million obstetrical unit on the third floor of the patient care tower last July. Accommodations include a modern birthing center with spacious LDRP (Labor/Delivery/Recovery/Postpartum) suites, two state-of-the-art operating rooms and multiple triage rooms. The unit also features a seven-bed well-baby nursery and an eight-bed Level IIB special care unit, with a team of experts immediately available to provide specialty treatment to premature newborns and infants with high-risk conditions. 

Hospital officials expect to see 750 babies delivered within the year. Childbirth education classes and tours of the new unit are offered regularly. To register for classes or a tour, visit UCHealth.com/wchevents. 

To learn more about maternity services at West Chester Hospital, please visit UCHealth.com/WestChesterHospital.