Delivering her fourth child, Sheri Lynn Cervera puts her trust in 'friends' at Union Hospital's Maternity Care Center

When Sheri Lynn Cervera of Strasburg was ready to deliver her daughter, Sienna Veronica Cervera, she relied on Union Hospital's Maternity Center and its supportive team of doctors and nurses to provide quality care close to home.

"I had my other three kids here quite a few years ago," said Sheri. "There was no other hospital I wanted to go to. The suites are really nice."

For five weeks, Sheri and her husband, David, prepared for the birth of their daughter. They went to the Maternity Center for prenatal care and testing, and finally for the birth.

"They made you feel at home," said Sheri. "It was a warm, family environment."

The Maternity Center's facilities are designed to meet the total needs of people, from prenatal education to the time the family goes home –  staffed with people committed to making childbirth a rewarding experience.

"It was wonderful," Sheri recalled. "Like staying with family and friends instead of cold strangers. Everybody was really warm, like going to see people you know. They were really nice, and were always really informative about what tests were being done and why. They just really assured us of what was going on. The doctors and nurses answered any questions I had and made me feel comfortable."

The around-the-clock availability of epidural anesthesia provided added assurance.

"They helped keep me calm and kept asking about my pain level, or if I wanted any medication, ice, or if I needed to get up to use the restroom," she said. "They were really caring, not just 'Buzz me if you need something.' They were there for me."

"I loved the way they attended to her," said husband, David. "They were really caring and informative. They were outstanding in the way they handled things. They had a big sense of humor, too. They made me feel at ease."

"When friends and family came to visit us," added Sheri, "they were warmly greeted. They were impressed with the hospital and everything. It wasn't like they were trying to keep friends and family out… they welcomed them to see the baby."

David was also highly complimentary of Dr. Edgar R. DeLaCruz. "He handled Sheri's labor and delivery exceptionally well," he said. "He's awesome, just a great gentleman and a great doctor."

Sheri summed up her experience at the Maternity Center by saying, "Sometimes you think, 'I don't want to go to the hospital' and it's scary, but when I had to come here for the tests and delivery, it was like, 'Oh! I’m going to the hospital.' And everybody is like, 'Hi. How are you? How's the baby? How are you doing?’ So that's what made it nice."