And Babies Make Ten

Five Moms on Winchester Medical Center Therapy Team Share Work – and Pregnancy – Experience

“Is there something in the water?” That was the top question coworkers asked the five members of the Winchester Medical Center (WMC) inpatient therapy team who announced their pregnancies within months of one another last year. The group – 4 occupational therapists and one physical therapy assistant – shared the joys and challenges of pregnancy, and then delivered beautiful healthy babies in WMC’s Labor and Delivery Unit, between December 2018 and April 2019.

Team members (from left) Sarah Corridon (with Peter), Lauren Kettlewell (with Truett), Catelyn Cottreill (with Stella), Crissy LeMaster (with Faith) and Sarah Weare (with Liam) “introduced” their babies to their colleagues and shared their positive experiences with the L&D team when they reunited last week.

“I had a wonderful experience from beginning to end,” noted Cottrill, WMC occupational therapist. “Having given birth at another hospital before, I didn’t expect to be wowed, but [the WMC staff] are awesome!”

In another synergistic coincidence, these babies are the second child for each of the moms, and each new baby was the opposite gender of the family’s first child. LeMaster was joined at the reunion by her 7-year-old son, Caleb, who had been born at WMC before the Labor & Delivery Unit was renovated and updated in 2012. The unit now features ten private birthing suites offering privacy and comfort to moms, dads, partners … and newborns.

“I enjoyed the new set up here at the hospital,” LeMaster said. “When I had my son here, the unit was over on the fourth floor, but now the rooms [in the North Tower] are roomier and more homey. The privacy and having your own space is great.”

Additionally, the moms raved about the exceptional attention they received from Valley Health’s lactation consultants, who were available day and night. “She was amazing,” Weare commented about the consultant who helped her, “and even when I returned to the hospital for some additional support, I got personalized ‘VIP’ treatment.”

Although the babies have not yet commented, our guess is that Peter, Truett, Stella, Faith and Liam would add that sharing this Valley Health experience means they are “healthier, together!”