Every birth story is unique and original, and each one powerfully illustrates the beauty of new life. For Lisa Gibson and her husband Tom, the care they received at WakeMed Cary Women’s Pavilion & Birthplace made an especially long birth experience a joyous one.

Personal Care for First-Time Parents

Cary residents Lisa and Tom Gibson, both 31, were ecstatic when they learned they were expecting their first child. The couple selected WakeMed Obstetrics & Gynecology’s Cary office to care for their growing family. When they arrived for their first visit, Lisa says they knew they’d made the right choice.

“The care we received was superior. I struggled a bit through my pregnancy with morning sickness in the first trimester, a sinus infection during the second trimester, and issues with heartburn and sciatica pain in the third trimester. As you can imagine, I used the after-hours practice phone line numerous times during the course of those nine months. I loved being able to contact someone at night or on weekends to be reassured that whatever strange pregnancy thing was happening to me was, in fact, normal.”

Tick Tock Goes the Clock

In the early morning hours, around 2 am, she called her OB-GYN and was told to come to the hospital after she’d begun having contractions. At 5 am, there was still no progress, so Lisa and Tom made their way over to WakeMed Cary Hospital. The Gibson’s settled into a birthing room as they waited. However, the clock kept ticking, and at 2 pm, Lisa still hadn’t dilated; there were no contractions. Lisa’s nurse gave her Pitocin, and for the next six hours, she labored with an epidural.

“I was really tired, so my care team and I decided we should take a break from the Pitocin,” says Lisa. “We discussed having a C-section because I had only dilated to about six centimeters, and the baby’s heart rate was starting to swing up and down. But my midwife Stephanie was very respectful of my birth plan and felt confident that by incorporating a few other strategies, we could protect both the baby’s and my health and still deliver vaginally.”

Stephanie gave Lisa medication to relax her cervix and performed massage therapy to help move along her labor. She also had Lisa move into specific body positions to help maintain the baby’s healthy heartbeat. All of these activities were successful in helping Lisa’s cervix fully dilate to 10 centimeters.

“By this time, it was nearly 1 pm on Tuesday afternoon, and I had been in labor for 33 hours,” explains Lisa. “When my original caregivers came back to the hospital for their next shift, they were shocked to find me still there! I was exhausted, but Stephanie gave me the boost of

confidence I needed to finish this labor of love. My OB-GYN doctors Kaebah Orme-Evans and Kimberly Munro, were amazing as well. Their calm demeanor and kind encouragement helped me through my long delivery.”

Max Makes a Grand Entrance

At 1:30 pm on Tuesday, Lisa and Tom Gibson welcomed their son Max into the world. Weighing in at 7 pounds and 12 ounces, the Gibson’s received an unexpected surprise.

“When they told us we had a healthy baby boy, we were thrilled, and then we started laughing,” says Lisa. “We didn’t find out the baby’s gender while I was pregnant, but we thought it was going to be a girl. You can imagine our surprise. We didn’t even have a boy’s name picked out!”

Lisa and her husband are quick to praise the entire team at WakeMed Cary Women’s Pavilion & Birthplace for the superior care they received during the long-awaited birth of their son.

“The staff was professional, personal and kind, making sure we had everything we needed to be as comfortable as possible. We were beyond impressed with the special attention we received, and we’re grateful for the patience and honesty the WakeMed team showed during each difficult labor challenge,” says Lisa. “At times, I was overwhelmed and scared; the nurses and doctors understood that and honored my family and me by staying present, discussing my options, and answering all of my questions. I love those women so much for the positivity and the connections we made during those two days of nonstop excitement, exhaustion, and joy.”