Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1499642
8 | Health Matters: Providence Little Company of Mary San Pedro and Torrance Clockwise from top: Katie Heflinger with partner Andre and baby Mack; Sydney Chapp with partner Brinson and baby Cyrus; Alicia Clapper with partner Tom and baby Alice; and Savannah Madden with partner Zach and baby Zooey. A licia Clapper of Redondo Beach found her way to Providence Little Company of Mary 's maternity center through Julie Oates, a certified nurse-midwife, and she says she's very glad she did. "During my stay, I was part of every decision made and felt respected and heard," Clapper says. "Having Julie deliver my baby is probably the closest experience to having a mom or sister deliver your baby. The care she gave me was above and beyond, and I honestly was blown away by it." Providence Little Company of Mary 's maternity care stands out for its lower C-section rates and higher rates of vaginal births after cesarean (VBACs). The reason these statistics matter, explains Rená Koerner, Providence Little Company of Mary OB care coordinator, is that "with each subsequent cesarean birth, there's additional risk for mom and baby." Last year, to further enhance the comfort of mothers-to-be, the hospital added midwife and doula services. A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is trained and skilled in delivering babies, while Nuture Baby Photography Four first-time moms talk about why they chose maternity care at Providence Little Company of Mary. World-Class Birth Experience for Mom and Baby