Seton Baby Talk

By the time Adrienne Leyva was 39, she had had two miscarriages and was pregnant for a third time.

“I was really anxious,” recalls Adrienne.

According to one of Adrienne’s physicians, women who miscarry twice are no more likely to do so again than a woman who has never had a miscarriage. “If I miscarried a third time, I knew I’d be in a completely different category – I might not be able to have a child,” she says.

Because of her age, Adrienne fell into the advanced maternal category, which carries certain risk factors. According to the March of Dimes, pregnant women over the age of 35 are at an increased risk for complications such as miscarriage, birth defects, gestational diabetes and premature birth.

Adrienne remained in the care of reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Kaylen Silverberg to receive more aggressive prenatal care. Fortunately, the pregnancy was viable and Adrienne and her husband Manny began to look forward to the birth of their baby.

At the recommendation of her obstetrician, Dr. Sally Grogono, Adrienne saw a perinatologist, a specialist in maternal-fetal health. Additionally, Adrienne underwent a screen for Down syndrome and received genetic counseling.

“I would joke about being an ‘old mom,’” smiles Adrienne. “It’s true there are more risks when you’re older, but I felt very supported and even comforted by the extra care and attention I and my little pumpkin were given.”

Her pregnancy continued to thrive, and at 38 weeks, Adrienne went into labor. “My husband was driving back to Austin from Dallas, of course,” laughs Adrienne, “but he made it home in time.”

Adrienne was admitted to Seton Medical Center Austin on Aug. 10, 2008. After almost 15 hours of labor, including two hours of pushing, Adrienne began to spike a fever. The doctor told Adrienne she would need a Cesarean section.

“At that point everything happened so quickly – it was kind of surreal,” says Adrienne. “I started tearing up, and one of the nurses said, ‘I see you’re upset, but don’t worry. You’re a champ and you’ve been working so hard.’ It was so helpful to have such caring nurses.”

At 3:45 p.m., Adrienne gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Elerie weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and, according to Adrienne’s nurses, had the most beautiful round head.

“The nurses were so amazing,” says Adrienne. “One of my nurses, Sarah, made me feel like she was really invested in me. She was the calming voice in my ear when I had a fever. And she was the first person I saw when I woke up in Recovery. She went above and beyond.”

Adrienne was transferred to SMCA’s Mother-Baby unit a few hours later. “Everyone was so patient and kind. They were so helpful with breast-feeding. I saw two Lactation Consultants, too, and they were incredibly supportive,” she says.

Elerie had a slight case of jaundice while still in the hospital and was placed on a Biliblanket for 24 hours. “A neonatologist came by to check on her, which I really appreciated,” adds Adrienne.

After spending a few days recovering, the Leyvas took their brand-new baby girl home. “I knew that Seton had a reputation for being one of the safest places to deliver a baby,” states Adrienne. “But I never knew how much the people there would mean to me. They’re amazing.”