One year in, Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center celebrates new birth facility

Written by: Patrick Flanary and Amber Paddock Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center Maternity Services

When Kernersville moms-to-be are planning their delivery experience, they don’t have to worry that staying local means missing out on advanced care. 

Thanks to the new birth center at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center that opened in March 2024, expectant mothers and their families can have the peace of mind of knowing leading-edge prenatal, childbirth and postpartum care are close to home.

The dedicated team of physicians and nurses work with each patient to create a personalized birth plan with a goal of delivering a warm, comfortable experience for mom, baby and support partners. 

What’s not new is Novant Health WomanCare. The Winston-Salem clinic opened 30 years ago to serve the Triad, while the Kernersville location opened nearly 10 years ago. The physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants work together to provide patients comprehensive obstetric, gynecological and maternity care for routine and high-risk pregnancies. And now, the Kernersville team delivers exclusively at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center.

The benefits of choosing Novant Health for maternity care

Lead physician Natalie Rochester, MD, has more than 16 years of expertise in obstetrics and robotic-assisted surgery, a minimally invasive gynecological procedure for complicated hysterectomies. Obstetrician/gynecologist Eboni Ogunbekun, DO, has nearly six years of experience. She joined the WomanCare team in 2024 to expand care for women in the community. Together with the nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the clinic, they put patients at ease by explaining the pros and cons of available options at their clinic and the hospital. 

For example, during labor, fetal monitors allow patients to be free of wires, which allows for easier movement. The team also supports alternative pain options to help moms during the delivery process. Use of the labor tub for comfort as well as nitrous gas help some through a natural delivery while others take advantage of our anesthesia services for an epidural.

“Experienced respiratory therapists, neonatal nurse practitioners and anesthesiologists are in the hospital around the clock, which allows us to provide individualized treatment plans to ensure that our moms and their babies are getting all their needs met,” explains nurse manager, Jessica Thornton.  

We also offer overnight accommodations and on-site amenities that allow a support person to be present throughout the hospital stay. Ultimately, our goal is to focus on what each patient wants to create a memorable and home-like experience, all while implementing best practices for obstetrical care to help ensure a safe, healthy delivery.

The team also helps mom understand what to expect during the hospital stay. Vaginal deliveries with no complications usually require hospital stays between 24 and 48 hours following delivery, and up to 72 hours following C-section deliveries. 

Throughout their stay, patients are offered guidance for bonding with and caring for their newborns. These hands-on services include breastfeeding and lactation support classes, hearing screenings and resources throughout the first year of the baby’s life.

Celebrating the first year of delivering babies  

• The birth center delivered 348 babies in its first year. 
• The Kernersville Medical Center team includes 28 registered nurses, 10 surgical technologists and three lactation consultants with more than 350 years of combined maternity experience.
• The team also includes our WomanCare physicians and OB hospitalists, like Shannon Zona, MD, who are in the hospital day and night to deliver babies.
• Novant Health Baby Café opened in spring 2024, offering new and expecting moms guidance and support from nurses, lactation consultants and other moms. 
• We continue to receive rave reviews from moms and support partners who experienced the remarkable care offered by the physicians and care teams. 

When asked about what makes Kernersville Medical Center special, Thornton emphasized the efforts her team makes to go above and beyond for patients. For example, one patient’s delivery prevented her from attending her nursing school graduation. When the care team heard about this, they arranged with the patient’s family to host a pinning ceremony at the hospital while she rested with her newborn.

“Novant Health WomanCare and Kernersville Medical Center both offer an intimate, home-like environment,” Thornton said. “You get the safe, high-quality care you would get at a big facility, but on a much more personal level.”

This blog is written and sponsored by Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center Maternity Services.

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