New Mom Finds Comfort in Exceptional Care at LVH–Pocono

After Emma Miller and her partner Seth Leinbach experienced a complicated but successful delivery of their baby daughter, Hazel, Emma wrote her care team at the Family Birth and Newborn Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Pocono, part of Jefferson Health. Her letter started with, “There are very few words to describe the level of care I, my partner and my newborn baby girl received – along with love, support and compassion – from the doctors, nurses and technicians. This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life.”

Her amazing experience started when Emma, who has type 1 diabetes and has been dependent on insulin for 13 years, developed swelling in her arms and legs, a bad headache and seriously high blood pressure. Emma was 35 weeks pregnant, almost five weeks short of a full-term pregnancy.

Knowing she wasn’t in labor but needed medical attention, Emma and Seth went to the emergency room at LVH–Pocono, close to where they live. She was diagnosed with preeclampsia. Because the only treatment for preeclampsia is delivery of the baby, Emma was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 14, and her care team developed an induction plan that would start the next day. 

“The body is not ready for delivery at 35 weeks, so we’re essentially forcing it,” says Melissa Smith, RN, Director, Family Birth and Newborn Center at LVH–Pocono. “We gave Emma medication to help the cervix dilate, a process that took three more days. Because of Emma’s diabetes, we needed to keep her blood sugar as normal as possible so the baby wouldn’t have elevated blood sugar in utero.” 

Once fully dilated, Emma pushed for a while to deliver her baby. A cesarean section turned out to be the best option. Little Hazel was born just after midnight on the morning of Jan. 19 and weighed almost 7 pounds. Due to the stressors she was under, the baby was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for respiratory support. By 10:30 the same morning, she was off oxygen and her blood sugar was normal, so she was able to join her mom in her room. 

Nationally recognized among the nation's best in maternity care by U.S. News & World Report, LVH–Pocono provides the high-quality care new moms like Emma expect. With the center’s recent renovations, the facilities are now matching the outstanding outcomes and care team.

“Labor and delivery is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That includes in-house neonatologists and a medical team for high-risk deliveries,” Smith says, who notes they deliver about 700 babies each year. “Our nurses are exceptional. The ones that care for women in labor are a special breed, full of compassion and caring.”

Emma couldn’t agree more. When Hazel was only four days old, she was once again admitted to the NICU. This time, for jaundice, which causes a yellowish hue to the skin. It happens because in some instances, a baby’s liver isn’t developed enough to get rid of bilirubin, a yellow pigment in the blood. Hazel was treated with phototherapy and went home after two days. 

The two-day visit just added to Emma’s gratitude for her overall positive experience. In fact, in her letter, Emma named every nurse and technician that took part in her care. 

“The women (who cared for me) are some of the most powerful, strong, knowledgeable, kind, loving and patient women I know I will ever have the pleasure of meeting. I can truly say they have impacted my life,” Emma says. “My labor was one of the most painful and exhausting situations I have ever gone through, but the LVH Hospital–Pocono staff made it into one of the best situations I have ever been in.”