First Baby Born at Valley Presbyterian's Brand New Natal Unit

Nevaeh Hazelle Zamora is her name, and she's the very first baby born in Valley Presbyterian's brand-new state-of-the-art Obstetrics wing.

Her parents are Anita Rodriguez and Pablo Zamora. They named her Nevaeh because it's `heaven' backwards. She was born at 7:40 a.m. on Tuesday morning, June 26, 2012.

The staff knew that this moment would come, that after opening this new $4.5 million state-of-the-art labor, delivery and recovery unit expansion, there would be a first baby.

So they were prepared. To celebrate her birth and mark this milestone, the staff presented the parents with a $1,000 educational savings plan for Nevaeh.

Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH), home to the San Fernando Valley region’s busiest maternity ward with nearly 4,000 births each year, celebrated its newest addition with the opening of its $4.5 million state-of-the-art labor, delivery and recovery unit expansion.

Conceived more than four years ago and nourished with a $500,000 grant from Bank of America, the expansion features seven new labor, delivery and recovery suites, each equipped with the latest in technology and designed to offer the comforts of home. In the new suites, large windows provide natural light, and patients can enjoy nature-inspired décor, greater privacy and sleeper chairs for family members.

Guided by input from mothers and clinic staff, VPH also renamed its obstetrics services as “Little Treasures/Pequños Tesoros” and expanded those services. The name came from “mi tesoro” or “my treasure,” a term of endearment Latino mothers often use for their newborns.

From first contact at a community clinic through birth and beyond, Little Treasures symbolizes VPH’s commitment to medical excellence, family and the community.

“All of us at Valley Presbyterian Hospital are happy to celebrate the arrival of our latest addition, a state-of-the-art expansion of our labor, delivery and recovery unit that will further enhance the San Fernando Valley region’s busiest and best obstetrics department,” said Gustavo Valdespino, VPH President and CEO.

“With this addition, patients and their physicians will enjoy the latest in technology and many of the comforts of home as they share one of life’s most momentous occasions, the birth of a child. VPH is committed to supporting new parents from pregnancy to birth and beyond.

"The new name for our obstetrics program, Little Treasures, symbolizes the importance we place on providing a comprehensive range of services to ensure our patients get the best care possible.”

Little Treasures encompasses all the prenatal and neonatal services the hospital provides in a comfortable, safe and expertly staffed environment. It also includes several enhancements that make VPH unique among the San Fernando Valley region’s providers of maternity services, including the obstetrics hospitalist program.

This program enhances patient care by having a board-certified obstetrician available in-house 24/7 for immediate response to unanticipated emergencies.

Little Treasures includes VPH’s unique bilingual program which focuses on serving women in the community by offering excellent patient care and building stronger relationships with obstetrics clinics and physicians. A bilingual community liaison provides the link between patients and medical staff at the hospital and serves as the host for monthly baby showers for mothers-to-be, maternity tours on the second Friday of each month and free educational classes.

VPH offers breastfeeding education for mothers-to-be and lactation consultants who provide new mothers with the knowledge and skills needed for a successful breastfeeding experience. The hospital’s obstetrics patients and their families also benefit from VPH’s new 24/7 visitation policy — a further testament to the hospital’s goal of family-centered care.

“Valley Presbyterian Hospital’s new obstetrics unit is the finest in the region, providing unmatched comfort, convenience and the latest in technology,” said Dr. Kamrooz Houman-Tabibzadeh, VPH Department Chair of OB/GYN.

“We are so pleased to be able to bring our mothers-to-be there to ensure our youngest patients get the best possible start in life.”

Founded in 1958, Valley Presbyterian Hospital, a non-profit and nonsectarian hospital, has remained focused on meeting the medical needs of the community for over 50 years.

While VPH has grown to become one of the largest acute care hospitals in the San Fernando Valley, it continues to provide patient-centered care for a healthier community. The 350-bed facility offers leading-edge technology and a full range of medical services. With 500 physicians representing virtually every specialty and most sub-specialties, VPH provides the latest state-of-the-art treatments to improve and save lives.

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