New Arrivals
By: Madison Burke
Beth and Taylor Perry had just moved to Columbia from Georgia to open the Zaxby’s on Stadium Drive when they found out Beth was pregnant.
“It was a shock, honestly,” Taylor says.
Immediately they began doing their research and asked locals where they should have their baby.
“Everyone I talked to told me to go to Boone. Boone really has a great reputation in town,” Beth says.
So the decision was made, and the couple felt prepared when it was time to go to the hospital and have baby Olivia. Taylor had already figured out the best route to the hospital from their home and had even practiced it a few times. Beth had their overnight bags packed and ready to go.
“Our moms were already in town, too, which was really nice,” Beth says.
When the couple arrived at the hospital, they were greeted by friendly nurses who explained step-by-step what would happen. Beth says that at one point during labor, she was having a lot of hip pain. She told her nurse, who suggested some simple moves Beth could do on an exercise ball to ease the discomfort.
“I couldn’t believe how attentive everyone was. They knew just what to do to make Beth feel better,” Beth’s mother, Staci, says.
When it came time to push, all family except Taylor left the room and headed to the lobby to get Starbucks coffees from the café and wait for Olivia to arrive. The delivery went smoothly, and soon Beth and Taylor were able to hold their baby girl.
“It was so amazing seeing her for the first time,” Taylor says.
“I remember just staring at her and just loving her so much,” Beth says.
The young family received lots of visitors while they were in the hospital.
“Thank goodness the hospital rooms are so big! We had so much family that came to visit,” Beth says.
Women’s and Children’s Health Service Line Director Laura Noren says the department works hard to be family-friendly; “Our staff loves to take pictures for families, and we do all we can to make sure everyone is comfortable.”
Beth says she was thankful for how caring the nurses were during her hospital stay.
“If I had any questions or needed anything, they were there in less than a minute, but if I just wanted my space to be with my family and baby, they gave me my space. They are good at their job,” Beth says.
Noren says her staff are always available if new moms need to take a quick nap: “We know mothers need to rest. That’s why we have core nursery staff that can tend to the baby in order to allow the mother to rest when needed.”
Beth and Taylor say they love telling people Olivia is a “Boone baby” when they take her out.
“It’s just so fun. Everybody knows what that means, and it’s fun to meet other moms who have Boone babies. We instantly have something in common,” Beth says.
Beth, Taylor, and Olivia just moved to a new home south of Columbia, and Olivia will be 5 months old on July 8.