Photo By Gustave Rehnstrom | Winn Army Community Hospital midwife Capt. Erin Fallis holds Nathan Hardy during a...... read more read more
Having a stress-free, simple, all-natural birth is what many mothers and their spouses plan for. Life sometimes offers different choices with unexpected but welcome results.
That was the case for KaRena and Justin Hardy.
First-time mother KaRena was hoping to bring her child into the world without pain management or other conventional methods. That was her lifelong dream ever since knowing she wanted to be a mom.
“I was going to do a birth center because I wanted to have a natural, no-epidural birth,” she said. “I’m kind of more on the crunchy side, so that was the plan.
“It didn’t work out that way—and I’m actually really happy it didn’t.”
Instead, the soon-to-be family of three chose to come to Winn Army Community Hospital for the birth after life threw the Hardys a curve ball. Even so, KaRena still experienced the natural birth she wanted thanks to the hospital’s labor and delivery staff, she said.
“Everyone here has been so supportive, have answered questions, and made sure that I got to have the birth that I wanted, even though it wasn’t the place we originally planned,” KaRena said. “I’m really grateful that we didn’t [go to the birth center], because I feel like I’ve gotten so much more help and teaching from the staff than I would have.”
Having the Hardys praise her and her team is an honor and privilege, said Winn midwife Capt. Erin Fallis, especially because she was a part of bringing their new family member into the world.
“That means the world,” Fallis said. “It means that they trust me, that they feel confident in my clinical skills, that they feel I treat them as an individual, that I care, and that I listen to them. Honestly, as a midwife, there is no better compliment than having that continuity with patients.”
Serving military families is especially meaningful to Fallis. The shared sense of duty and her commitment to Army families—especially during the journey of pregnancy—is what makes it special, she said.
“I can be a midwife anywhere, but I choose to be an active-duty Soldier because I love taking care of Soldiers and their families,” she said. “There’s a big difference with being an Army midwife, and that’s what I love to do. It’s the best job in the Army, and I will fight you for it.”
That fighting spirit is echoed in patient care. For KaRena, there was a moment during labor where she was considering abandoning her plan for a natural birth and getting an epidural. Her care team encouraged her to stay strong and that she was a superhero. Her dream of a natural birth was still possible.
“Erin was my nurse, and she was with me through it all,” KaRena said. “When I started saying, ‘I want that epidural,’ she was like, ‘Okay, well, let’s talk about it. Let’s talk about options.’ She gave me options that helped me cope—better for what I wanted—options I didn’t even know existed. That was really helpful.”
Offering the care a patient wants and embracing the belief the Army is a family that takes care of its own is what makes Winn and military treatment facilities special, Fallis said. Taking care of military families by delivering the best experience and best healthcare is the mission.
“We put their needs first before anything else,” Fallis said. “Their care is the most important thing to us, and it is centered around them.”
Experiencing that close knit care was special to KaRena. Not only is she a new mom, she’s also new to being a military spouse. Having both of those experiences coming together caused her to have a small case of the nerves. Being at a military hospital soothed those nerves, she said.
“I’ve had some of the best experiences at military hospitals,” KaRena said. “The staff here [at Winn] has been so caring. They have hearts for people.”
Having a heart for military families speaks to how dedicated Winn’s staff is, said hospital director and Fort Stewart U.S. Army Medical Department Activity commander Col. Margaret Berryman. That dedication, in turn, ensures medically ready forces and ready medical forces.
"When a first-time mom, who might have considered other options, chooses Winn and has such a wonderful experience, it means so much to us,” Berryman said. “This is why we are here, to provide that safe, quality healthcare that allows our Soldiers to focus on their duties, knowing their families are in the best hands. It's how we support their readiness every single day."
Having the patient experience first-hand was unique for Justin. A sergeant and licensed practical nurse with the 14th Field Hospital at Fort Stewart, he worked in labor and delivery at his last duty station.
“I didn’t realize how different it would be being in there as a patient,” Justin said. “I’m not typically the one on that side. Taking a step back and experiencing it personally helped me really understand what families go through. It’s been great.”
Reassuring the Soldiers that their families are getting safe, quality healthcare contributes significantly to Soldier readiness, said Fallis. The 3rd Infantry Division has a high operational tempo, with field exercises and deployments a routine part of life.
“When their loved one is in a very vulnerable situation, such as pregnancy, they need to know they’re getting the best care possible,” Fallis said. “They don’t need to worry about whether their wife or loved one is having issues that aren’t being addressed. They need to know we are caring for them. That helps them get their mind off that stress so they can focus on training and being ready for the fight.”
Right now, the focus for Justin and KaRena is their new son, Nathan, who has been showing off his strength by breaking out of his swaddling. A chance encounter with Berryman led to a special memento to celebrate that strength, Justin said.
“When I was leaving the hospital floor to pick up the car seat, I saw Col. Berryman,” he said. “I had this thought (and asked), ‘I’ve never done this before, and it might sound weird—but could my wife and baby get a coin?’ Something small to commemorate the moment. It would be cool for him to have something from his first hospital commander.”
Berryman agreed and gave Justin a commander’s coin. It’s a small token Justin plans on passing down to his son one day, and he’s thankful for it.
“I just want to say thank you to Col. Berryman for being so down to earth,” Justin said. “Even while preparing for inspections, she took time out of her day to listen to a guy who just had a baby. That says a lot about the people here—from left to right—they really care about us.”
Caring is what matters most, Berryman said, especially at such an important time like bringing a new baby into the world.
"Our labor and delivery and mother-baby teams work tirelessly to ensure every birth here is notable and marked by safe, quality healthcare,” she said. “We truly believe in making this incredible journey a magnificent experience for every family who chooses the ‘Winn’ing Team, providing the best possible support for both mom and baby."
| Date Taken: | 06.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2025 12:28 |
| Story ID: | 501345 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, First-Time Mom Gives Birth at Winn After Original Plan Falls Through, Has Emotional Experience, by Kevin Larson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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