First babies born in Vista East’s new maternity unit
News-Sun staff report January 15, 2013 2:56PM
The first baby born in Vista East’s renovated New Family Center was A’miyah Roslyn, seen here with parents Liliana Alers and Dylan Fonder of Beach Park. With them is Dr. Martin Weiner who delivered the baby at 1:44 p.m. on Jan. 8. | Special to Sun-Times Media
Updated: March 17, 2013 7:50PM
WAUKEGAN — Of all of life’s future accomplishments awaiting little A’miyah Roslyn Fonder, she will always be able to point to her birthday on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, and say that she was the first baby born in the completely remodeled New Family Center at Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.
Born to Liliana Alers and Dylan Fonder of Beach Park at 1:44 p.m., A’miyah was the first of three babies born at Vista Jan. 8. All three were delivered by Dr. Martin Weiner, a long-time Vista OB/GYN. They were just the beginning as several more babies were delivered in the new unit on Jan. 9.
The New Family Center is on the second floor at Vista East and was under construction for almost a year as the entire unit was completely redesigned and rebuilt. While most of the unit is now open, the final phase of the project will continue into the spring as a new waiting area, additional patient rooms and staff offices are completed.
“We’re very excited to open our New Family Center and begin delivering babies in this beautiful, soothing environment for families,” said Barbara Martin, Vista’s president and chief executive officer. “This has been a long process but well worth the time and effort to make it happen.”
The New Family Center includes nine labor and delivery rooms — two of which are larger to handle multiple births; 10 mother/baby suites (with five more to open in the spring); three triage rooms; two operating rooms for Cesarean births; a 6-bed Level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and a 4-bed newborn nursery.
All patient rooms are private with large bathrooms and walk-in showers, new furniture and flat screen televisions. Everything about the unit is completely state-of-the-art, including: 12 of the latest generation warmers for new babies that can help resuscitate them at bedside; cardio-pulmonary heart monitors; and an obstetric unit documentation system that provides physicians and nurses with immediate access to all patient information.
The New Family Center offers free tours every Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. For more information, call (847) 360-4333, ext. 5218.
