Meet the Allen Family
Kristen and Greg Allen found out on Mother’s Day 2017 that they would soon welcome their first child into the world. The Allens had heard that the physicians and staff at the Birth Center at Merit Health Wesley were compassionate and provided quality care. When baby Lucy arrived in January, they were happy to learn that truth for themselves.
Briefly describe the circumstances surrounding your pregnancy and the birth of your first child.
Last May, on Mother’s Day, I very happily discovered that I was pregnant with my first baby. From the beginning, the staff at Women's Pavilion made each pregnancy visit a great experience. I still brag about the lab staff and how great they were each time they had to take blood (I'm not a big fan of needles). On the evening of Friday, January 12, after several hours of pretty intense contractions, I knew that it was finally time to head to Merit Health Wesley. We checked in with the ER, and less than a minute later, I had been wheeled up to the Birth Center to see if I was indeed ready to be checked in. In the triage room, I met the two nurses who would spend the next several hours taking amazing care of me and my baby. We had been at the hospital less than an hour before my husband and I were settling into a room and getting ready to begin the next stage of our family life. One nurse guided me and my husband through the rest of the labor process, as quick as it was. About three hours after getting into the room, Dr. McIntire was catching my little Lucy as she made her entrance into the world. One nurse took care of me the rest of the night and into the morning, and another nurse took care of Lucy. The rest of our stay was wonderful. The staff checked on us as little as possible during the night to give us the chance to get what sleep we could. Each new staff member - pediatricians, maintenance staff, other nurses, etc. were polite, friendly and caring. We knew we were receiving the best care at Merit Health Wesley.
Why did you choose Merit Health Wesley?
Several years ago, a friend recommended Dr. Elizabeth Washburne to me when I was looking for a local OB/GYN. The closer I got to giving birth, the more good things I heard about the rest of the staff at the hospital - the nurses especially had reputations that preceded them, as being kind and the best.
Will you continue to see your doctor and use this hospital, if needed?
I will definitely continue using my doctor and Merit Health Wesley for any future pregnancies. I had such a wonderful experience that I would be crazy to even consider switching in the future.
Did your experience meet or exceed your expectations?
My birth experience at Merit Health Wesley exceeded my expectations. I was nervous being a first time mom, but the caring, knowledgeable staff made sure I was always in the know and calm during the whole experience.
Would you recommend your doctor and Merit Health Wesley to someone else?
I didn't get to have "my" doctor during my birth, but Dr. McIntire was wonderful. He was professional, kind and caring, and I knew he was doing all he could to take care of me during my delivery. Knowing both he and my doctor, Dr. Elizabeth Washburne, are on staff at Women's Pavillion/Merit Health Wesley, means I know there's always a doctor I can recommend to a friend.
What meant the most to you during your experience?
I loved my nurses at the Birth Center. Being a first time mom, there was so much I didn't know, but they walked me through every step of the process. They were all so encouraging and kind, and knowing they were taking care of me and my baby meant so much to me. When I tell my birth story to others, I can't help but brag about my two nurses.
Tell us about your experience with the Mom-to-be Membership at Merit Health Wellness Center.
I loved the Mom-to-Be membership with the Wellness Center. Getting to meet with a trainer once a month made sure that I worked out consistently through the whole pregnancy. Without a workout plan, I wouldn't have known what I could do safely. I know that working out consistently helped my delivery go quickly, and helped me recover quickly. Working out at the Wellness Center helped me gain a healthy weight, and I know that working out consistently during pregnancy allowed me to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight quickly after delivery.