Caitlin Whyte (Host): Welcome to In Their Words, a podcast brought to you by UPMC in Central PA and the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation. At UPMC Lititz, small changes are making a big difference for mothers and newborns. Recently, the hospital received new bassinets and warmers, equipment that may seem simple, but transforms those first critical days by improving comfort, safety, and care.

These updates are especially meaningful as Lititz has seen a true baby boom in the past year. Today, we sit down with two postpartum nurses, Brenda and Ann, whose unique journeys into nursing reflect the compassion and resilience behind every story and who know firsthand how the right tools can shape a family's experience.

Brenda Yachasz: Hi, I'm Brenda. I'm a Mother-Baby nurse, Postpartum nurse. I've been with this company for nine years. And I am also in Lactation and we deal with a lot of different issues on our unit. So mostly Postpartum, mother-baby, after the baby's been born.

Ann Beiler: Hi, I'm Ann Beiler. I am an RN at UPMC Lititz, and I have been there for eight years now. I am also in Postpartum, so I work with the mom and babies.

Host: Both Ann and Brenda remind us that there is no single path into nursing. Whether it begins in the plain community or later in life after other careers, their journey show the shared commitment that brings nurses to the bedside.

Brenda Yachasz: When I was little, I knew it wasn't going to be an option, because I didn't say it when I was like six, and my mom said, "Well, there'll be no money for that." I grew up in the hills in Kentucky. I became a nurse later in life, after doing a lot of different jobs in my life. At 48, I went back to school. At 49, I got in nursing school. So, I've been with UPMC, this location of, the hospital since I became a nurse. So, the beds that we had, and most specifically for me, one of the most impactful parts of this, I love the new beds for the babies because they are adjustable, the right size for the patients to be able to lower them or raise them higher so they can reach into the crib from their bed, especially if they've had a c-section or something and they can't get out of bed quite yet, or it's more painful to get out of bed the first few days.

But I love the new warmers. The warmers have been very helpful. Because oftentimes in the past, especially when we were busy, the techs would have to remove the warmers that we use when we first resuscitate a baby at birth in the room. They'd also have to remove them because they'd need them for another unit, but that would make it to where we would use that warmer for a nice warm, cozy bath for the baby for their first bath. And we always wait eight to 24 hours for that. So now, we have enough warmers so that all of our babies are getting warm baths, and they don't have to steal them from the rooms.

Ann Beiler: So my patients, what I've noticed is with the new HALO cribs is that they love all the different options, especially my parents seem to love that everything's right there by the crib. You know, the diapers, the wipes, everything within reach. And no drawers, to open up and all that stuff. And also, the fact that it can go over the bed, and it's right in front of a mama like baby's right there. She can change the diaper without getting out of bed. She can soothe the baby. So, those are all great options, and it has worked for my patients and they seem to like it.

Brenda Yachasz: So, one of the greatest aspects of these new cribs is sometimes moms will keep the baby in the bed with them. And they'll even fall asleep with them in the past because they didn't feel like they could get to the baby fast enough, so they would have somebody hand them the baby and then they would oftentimes fall asleep, which is a very dangerous situation for newborn babies. So, that is another big thing is the safety addition of this where, as Ann said, they can have the baby within reach without the baby sleeping in the bed with them

Host: UPMC Lititz welcomed home more than a thousand babies last year, many from the Amish and Mennonite communities. Families are choosing Lititz not only for its trusted providers, but also for the personalized care that respects traditions while ensuring safety.

Brenda Yachasz: So typically, we've averaged about a hundred babies a month. And in the last year, year and a half, we've seen an increase. Last year, we had, I believe it-- wasn't it 1300 babies over the whole year? It suddenly started increasing. And we have more Amish people on occasion, and then we have people from different communities that come back to our hospital to have their babies. And it's growing. Word of mouth helps. And a lot of people, they express different thoughts on other hospitals in the area, and that's why they choose to come back or choose to come here for the first time. So, you get a lot of different reasons. And we do have an excellent provider team as well with their own reputation.

Ann Beiler: I think the baby boom definitely is very apparent the last couple months, but we are always a little bit more busy in the summertime months. But this year, definitely quite a bit more. I do think, like Brenda was saying, word of mouth, and we have an amazing team at UPMC Lititz there. And especially among the Amish and Mennonite communities, the plain communities, word of mouth is what really brings them back and new clients as well, new patients. So, I think as they continue to trust UPMC Lititz for their care, that is what brings them back.

Brenda Yachasz: I live right directly in the Amish community. And they're careful about their price on everything with their self-pay and the way they do everything in their community. That is cost, and the fact that UPMC works with them on costs and has a plan specific for them is a big driver as well.

Ann Beiler: I completely agree, Brenda. That is a huge factor in it. And I think also the plain community, they don't like certain things pushed onto them. And I feel like our providers are really good at listening to them and catering to their needs. So, I think they do a very good job with that.

It is really nice to recognize somebody that is doing a wonderful thing for our unit. And the whole UPMC Pinnacle Foundation, we're very grateful to everything they have done up to this point and will continue to do so. So, we really appreciate that especially for our patients, which they benefit from.

Host: Thank you for joining us on this episode of In Their Words, the stories of Brenda and Ann reflect the heart of UPMC Lititz, nurses whose dedication make every birth safer and every family feel supported. From equipment upgrades that improve daily care to programs that remove barriers like transportation, the UPMC Pinnacle Foundation helps ensure that patients and families have what they need when it matters most. Because in every warm crib, every quiet moment of reassurance and every life welcomed into the world, there is a story of care, compassion, and community, a story made possible by people like Brenda and Ann. Thank you for listening. See you next time.