A Complicated Pregnancy Begins
For New Hampton residents, Liz and Andrew Zweibohmer, the journey to bringing baby Max home was anything but ordinary. What started as a high-risk pregnancy became a powerful story of resilience. Liz’s pregnancy took a turn at just 19 weeks. “I started bleeding heavily and went to the Waverly Emergency Department (ED),” she recalled. “We found a large subchorionic hematoma on the outside of my placenta that was measuring 7 cm.” The weeks that followed were filled with hospital visits, complications and constant monitoring. At one point, Liz was hospitalized for low hemoglobin and received steroid shots in case of early delivery. “It was a very traumatic pregnancy,” she said. “But Dr. Emily Boevers made all the difference. She saw me weekly, monitored my vitals and blood levels and gave me confidence that no matter what, we were in good hands.”
An Unexpected Arrival
When the day finally came, it wasn’t what Liz expected. She had been experiencing contractions on and off but had brushed them off as Braxton Hicks. “That day, I had contraction-like pain for over 10 hours, so I decided to go in just to be safe,” she said. “As soon as I got there, Dr. Boevers met me at the door, checked me and I was already 8 cm dilated!” From there, everything moved quickly. The team at Waverly Health Center (WHC) jumped into action, preparing for an emergency C-section. Max Lee Zweibohmer was born at 29 weeks on May 20, 2025, weighing just 3 pounds, 13 ounces.
Care That Made a Difference
“The nurses kept me calm and talked me through every step,” Liz said. “Even the NICU doctors in Iowa City later praised the delivery team for the care they gave Max in those first moments. That says so much.” After his birth, Max would spend the next 57 days in the NICU growing stronger. He eventually grew to 7 pounds, 4 ounces by the time he was discharged on July 16.
Staying Connected Through It All
Although Max’s NICU stay wasn’t at WHC, Liz said the team in Waverly never stopped being part of their journey. “They discharged me within 24 hours so we could be with Max,” she said. “And even after, Dr. Boevers and nurse Hannah checked in to see how things were going. That connection meant everything. Now that Max is home, life feels full again. “It’s been amazing. His transition was almost flawless,” Liz said. “And his big sister Mya, who just turned 2, is loving on her baby brother non-stop.”
The day Max was discharged from the NICU; we made a special stop to visit the WHC Birthing Center staff. It felt like it was coming full circle. Like we were bringing Max home to everyone who helped start his journey.” They’re already celebrating big milestones. Max is gaining weight every day and rapidly growing out of his preemie clothes. Now that Max is home, life feels full again. “It’s been amazing. His transition was almost flawless,” Liz said. “And his big sister Mya, who just turned 2, is in heaven loving on her baby brother.
