When Kelly had her first child, Maria, she chose a natural delivery that evolved into a long and difficult birth. Dr. Erin Rhinehart and her team at University NIA Ob-Gyn Associates at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital were committed to making sure that Kelly’s second birth experience would be “totally different.”
“I started seeing Dr. Rhinehart right after Maria was born. In addition to having a hard time healing, I was dealing with anxiety. Then in 2020, between my first and second COVID vaccinations, I learned I was pregnant with Grace. At the time, I was working as a nurse supervisor at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh — so being pregnant and working during the pandemic made me even more anxious.
But Dr. Rhinehart was extremely available and responsive, getting back to me whenever I needed support. She and her whole care team went above and beyond because they understood the challenges I had with Maria. They listened to all my concerns and personalized my care. They knew I was hoping for a much better birth experience. Throughout my pregnancy, they really heard me and took me seriously.
Dr. Rhinehart scheduled me for an induction at 39 weeks at UPMC Magee. That was a good call because Grace was getting large for her gestational age. Everyone in the labor and delivery room was a strong woman who cheered and supported me. They helped me get to where I needed to be, mentally and physically.
Grace’s delivery was an absolute healing experience for me. When I was able to hold her right after her birth, I realized that I had missed that opportunity with Maria. With Grace, I could soak in all the wonders of the birthing experience. All my worries about becoming a second-time mom melted away. I am just so thankful for Dr. Rhinehart and the entire Magee care team.” — Kelly (now a nurse at UPMC Passavant)
