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Maternity Services Fit for a Queen
It all began with a conversation between
Claire Pavlinec and her close friend
about how to raise awareness for her
charity, Maternal Wings, which caused her
to enter her first beauty pageant. Today
Claire, the reigning 2007 Mrs. New Jersey
America, and her charity are striving to
help impoverished, expectant mothers
meet their needs and their babies' needs
through monetary donations as well as
donations of new or good condition
items such as baby and maternity clothes,
strollers, high chairs, furniture, car seats,
and more.
"The blessing of pregnancy is a gift,
and every expectant mother deserves outstanding
care and support," says Claire.
"I received that kind of care in the Maternity
Unit at Ocean Medical Center. From the
childbirth preparation class to the physicians
and nurses, my experiences at Ocean
Medical Center surpassed my expectations."
Claire, a resident of Howell Township,
and her husband, Ken, have two children —
Alexis, 4, and Luc, 2 —
both of whom were
born at Ocean Medical Center in Brick.
In 2003, under the care of Philip
Passes, D.O., Claire gave birth to Alexis.
Before the birth, Claire and Ken attended
Ocean Medical Center's Childbirth Education Program, in which certified
childbirth educators guide participants
through all the stages of labor and delivery,
hospital routines, comfort measures, and
pain-relief options. All participants in the
class receive a guided tour of the Maternity
Unit so that they feel comfortable with their
surroundings before, during, and after the
birthing process.
Although Claire and her husband left
the class confident about the childbirth
experience, no one could have prepared
Claire for what she would soon endure.
While in labor, their daughter became
trapped in the birth canal for three hours.
"Dr. Passes calmly and carefully explained
our options to my husband and me," says
Claire. While Claire wanted to have a
vaginal birth, she had confidence in Dr.
Passes and his judgment, and she was prepared
to follow his medical advice.
"During these times, I offer my professional
opinion and do whatever I can to
fulfill the wishes of the expectant mother
while keeping in mind what is in the best
interest of everyone," says Dr. Passes.
After the successful delivery of her
daughter, Claire was brought to one of the
15 private rooms in the Postpartum Unit,
which are designated for mothers after
delivery. During her stay, Claire was cared
for by highly trained nurses who are prepared
to meet the needs of new mothers.
"I cannot say enough about how comforting,
supportive, and caring the nursing
staff was while I was in the hospital for the
birth of our daughter," says Claire.
Later, when Claire and Ken were
expecting their second child, they reflected
on their positive experience at Ocean
Medical Center and knew that returning
there for the birth would mean they would
be in great hands.
 – Rob Cavanaugh
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