New arrival: Small Wonders Maternity Center
begins offering water births

Lauren Napoli, an ovarian cancer survivor and aquatic therapist, envisioned a water birth for her miracle baby. Parma Hospital’s Small Wonders Maternity Center delivered on all counts.

Just a year after concluding chemotherapy, Napoli wanted the most natural birth experience possible for the baby she never imagined she could have. No drugs, no needles, just soothing warm water to ease the contractions – a calm conclusion to a dramatic year.

“She was empowered to do this on her own without the need for medication,” said Mary Jo Alverson, the certified nurse midwife who coached Napoli through labor. “She said as soon as she got in the tub, it was instant relief. She could move around in the tub. She was so free. It helped her labor go quicker, and she pushed like a champ and had that baby very quickly.”

Parma Hospital is the first hospital in the southwestern suburbs of Cuyahoga County to offer water births.

“We’re just so excited to be able to offer this service,” said Lori Felton, manager of Small Wonders. “It’s something people are looking for and wanting, and it’s a safe alternative. People who choose water births are not doing so on a whim; it’s generally a well thought out decision for those desiring a more natural, holistic method with less technology. We give people the personalized care they’re looking for with options to have the birth experience they desire.”

Hydrotherapy and water births can provide:
• Greater mobility, comfort & energy
• Significant pain relief
• Improved relaxation
• Shortened labor
• Reduced need for drugs or interventions

“I wanted to have the baby at Parma Hospital, so this was perfect timing,” said Napoli, who lived in San Diego near the water and named her daughter Eva Ocean. “We love the water. It’s very calming.”