Readlyn residents Kaylin and Ryan are proud parents to 5-year-old son, Marshall and their newborn son, Simon. When Kaylin learned she was expecting again, she hoped this pregnancy and delivery would feel different this time. After experiencing a miscarriage in 2024, she wanted care that felt personal, compassionate and supportive. “My sister-in-law had both of her girls at Waverly Health Center (WHC) and couldn’t say enough good things,” Kaylin said. “I wanted a place where I felt listened to during a time I was feeling vulnerable and anxious.” 
Everything felt different at WHC. “The nursing staff at WHC is amazing,” she said. “They kept me informed the entire time. What they were doing. How the baby was doing. It made me feel a part of the process, not just a patient.” Kaylin went into labor early on a Friday morning and was admitted when her contractions were close together. Her goal was to let her body progress naturally without being rushed. “I was worried they’d try to speed things up since it was a Friday night,” she said. “But my doctor told me my body was doing exactly what it should and that we’d let things happen naturally. That reassurance meant so much to me.”
Although, Kaylin was initially nervous about having a male doctor, she quickly felt comfortable. “Dr. Martin was calm and kind. He made sure I was informed and included in every decision. I had such a better understanding of everything this time around.” After Simon was born Kaylin said the staff went above and beyond to make the moment special. When Simon needed to be transferred to the NICU at University of Iowa for extra care, Kaylin said she never stopped feeling supported by the WHC team. “Even when I was in Iowa City, I called the WHC birthing center because I was worried about swelling in my legs. They didn’t make me feel silly, they said, ‘I’m glad you called.’ That’s something you don’t forget.”
Kaylin said she now recommends WHC to all of her expecting friends. “From the nurses to the doctors, everyone was kind and warm,” she said. “I felt like an actual person, not just a job to do. The positive experience I had here makes me feel like I could do it all again.”
