Now a Family of Five, Thompson Family is Complete
Although Lenoir resident Tina Thompson had experienced the miracle of childbirth
with her three younger children, she considers the birth of her fourth
child, two-month old son Ricky, the “absolute best experience of
her entire life.”
Tina and husband William were ecstatic about the family’s experience
at the CVMC Center for Women & Children. Ricky was born at the Birthing
Center on October 5, 2014. They felt the Birthing Center, which opened
in 2012, provided an impressive setting with spacious rooms filled with
natural light and amenities like deep jetted bathtubs and comfort stations
stocked with snacks and drinks. They were also impressed with the medical
staff’s willingness to accommodate their specific requests, like
Tina’s desire to use gravity to help make the delivery easier opting
to not lay in the bed during delivery.
“It was like checking into a 4-star hotel where they take great care
of you and treat you like a queen,” said Tina. “The nursing
staff supported my birth plan and desire to be out of bed, standing during
labor and delivery. William and I crossed hands across the bed so I could
bare down during contractions and then, when the baby’s head crowned,
he literally caught the baby like he was catching a football during a
line-up.”
Tina viewed the pregnancy as an opportunity to create deeper bonds within
their young family unit. She explains that instead of telling the children
that she was having a baby, she told Calvin (7) and his sisters Taylor
(4) and Anna (3) that
they were getting a new baby. This created excitement around the fact that they were each becoming
a sibling.
“Children have a perspective that doesn’t extend far outside
themselves,” said Greene. “Our family was blessed to be getting
the gift of a new baby, we made sure that no one felt replaced –
stressing that love multiplies, not divides. All of the kids helped decorate
and set up the nursery and took part in the baby showers.”
They let the kids pick out the items on the gift registry for the baby
and were careful to make sure each of their older children had time to
share in the excitement of becoming a big sister or brother allowing each
a unique opportunity to embrace their new roles as big brother and sisters.
Tina has focused on manifesting a life where she can allow the importance
of family with a strong focus on being a loving stay-at-home mother who
looks for simple ways to create traditions and demonstrate deep love,
mutual respect and foster a strong sense of family.
“At CVMC, the nursing staff doesn’t look at their role in the
birth experience as a job, but a personal privilege” said Tina.
“Teresa Elmore, one of the nurses present during my second child’s
labor and delivery, has become like another family member. In fact, she
came to the hospital for each of my last two babies births!”