Emily Rogers, a registered nurse at Northside Hospital, called her supervisor on July 22, 2023, to let her know she was on her way to work — but it wasn’t for her scheduled shift.
Instead, Emily’s water broke early that morning and her twins were on their way.
Emily was pregnant with monochorionic identical twins — babies who shared a placenta.
“This is considered a very high-risk pregnancy and is associated with many potential complications for both the babies and me,” she said. “It was so comforting to be at Northside because not only is it like my second home, Northside is designated as a Level IV Maternal Center, caring for the most high-risk obstetric patients.”
Emily knows it well, as she works in Family Centered Care at Northside.
“Thankfully, and largely due to my amazing care team, we had a joy-filled, smooth and healthy delivery,” Emily said.
Emily arrived at Northside Hospital Atlanta at about 4 a.m. on Saturday, July 22, and was taken to a room where her provider quickly confirmed active labor. After 21 hours of labor, twins Wells and Jamie arrived.
Maxwell Douglas “Wells” Rogers weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce, and measured 20.5 inches long, born at 10:47 p.m. James Eugene “Jamie” Rogers weighed 6 pounds and measured 19.25 inches, coming along at 11:31 p.m.
“If I could describe my labor experience, I would say it was totally calm and peaceful,” Emily said. “I always felt well-informed and knew that my providers were including me in every decision along the way. I also attribute my positive experience to the amazing support of my loving husband cheering me along.”
Dr. Charles Wootten was Emily’s primary obstetrician.
“Since it was a high-risk pregnancy, I had many prenatal appointments and grew very close with my care team, which included midwives, OB-GYNs and maternal fetal specialists,” Emily said. “When I arrived to L&D (Labor and Delivery), I was so excited that the midwife who I saw at most of my prenatal appointments (Melissa Burke) was just starting her 24-hour shift.
“Melissa delivered me with Dr. Kirsten Franklin there to assist at the delivery. They are both absolutely brilliant!”
Emily said the friendships she has forged with colleagues added to the special moments of welcoming her sons to the world.
“Having worked in mother/baby here at Northside over the past five years, I’ve formed so many wonderful friendships with peers throughout the Women’s Center,” Emily said.
“One of my friends (Karen) who works in the women’s float pool heard I was in labor and came in on her day off to take care of me while I labored. She and the rest of the L&D team took amazing care of me.”
After delivery, Emily spent time as a patient on her home unit, the sixth-floor mother/baby FCC space where she works as a clinical supervisor.
“My fabulous team of co-workers that I consider my second family cared for me,” she said. “I always knew Northside nurses were special and that we provide amazing care to our moms and babies, but to be able to experience this care firsthand brought me so much pride.
“The love, compassion and kindness that our postpartum nurses provide truly helped to heal my mind, body and spirit during some of the most vulnerable moments of my life as a new mother.”
Wells and Jamie spent two weeks in the Special Care Nursery to grow and learn to eat before coming home to Emily and Max Rogers in Roswell.
Grandparents are Jeanine and Jim Gallagher and Deanna and Ken Rogers of Peachtree Corners.
Now the boys are 9 months old and “thriving,” their mom says, and Emily is back to work.
“Since coming back to work in October, I have been able to care for and relate to our mothers with such a deeper understanding of what they are going through,” she said. “I think in society we have such a super romanticized view of being a new parent, but in reality, it is imperfect, messy, often filled with self-doubt along with many physical and emotional changes.
“What I want new parents to understand is: You are doing a big, new thing, so it’s normal to not have it all figured out! Let people help you. Lean on your support system. There are going to be things that are out of your control. Flexibility is essential. Remember to take care of yourself, too. Showers, good nutrition and sleep are not luxuries; they are essential for human functioning.
“Trust your instincts. Give yourself grace and be kind to yourself. Embrace the imperfection. You will feel like yourself again one day. You are resilient, strong and capable. You are the center of the whole universe to your baby and there is no one more perfect to them than you!”
Experience best-in-class maternity care at Northside.
