Baby Survives with Expertise of Hospital's ER, OB and NICU Teams

10/30/2024

In an instant, everything changed for Felisha Starnes. Her baby boy Bennett made his grand entrance into the world eight weeks early, turning an ordinary day into a race against time that included a little luck and a lot of expert medical care.

While at home, Felisha began experiencing lower abdominal pain that quickly moved into her back. The pain became more frequent and in rapid succession. Her partner, Wyatt, rushed home from work, and within a few minutes, they were on the road to Northwest Health - Porter. “The hospital is about a 25-minute drive from our house, and I continued to have these intense back pains every minute or two,” she recalled.

About five minutes from the hospital, Felisha’s water broke. In that moment, the urgency of the situation escalated.

At the hospital, Wyatt rushed inside to grab a wheelchair, and as soon as Felisha stood up, she felt her baby drop.

“In a matter of a couple of minutes after getting in the emergency doors, I was yelling that the baby was literally about to come out of me,” she said.

As medical teams rushed to help her, Felisha could feel her baby’s head beginning to crown. The staff at Northwest Health - Porter quickly moved them into the emergency room and within a couple minutes, Bennett had entered the world.

“I wanted a completely natural birth, and it could not have been anymore that way,” Starnes said.

Bennett was admitted into the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where he immediately received specialized care. Northwest Health - Porter offers a Level III NICU inside the Birthing & Family Care Center that allows newborns like Bennett to receive the specialized care he needed from a neonatologist 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Soon after giving birth, Felisha and Wyatt visited Bennett in the NICU and spent each day with him. After 5 weeks and 3 days, he was strong enough to go home.

“He has come such a long way since day one,” Felisha said. “The NICU staff at Northwest Health - Porter have all been absolutely incredible, and we are very grateful we have chosen this location for our family’s entire journey.”

Born two weeks before Felisha and Wyatt’s wedding, the littlest member of the wedding party got to be part of the special celebration, even from the NICU.

“Of course we had to get him a wedding outfit and come take photos with him,” she said.

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