Shannon's Maternity Story

Shannon and Braden Sewell delivered their fifth baby during Hurricane Irma.
Shannon Sewell, Maternity Patient, St. Mary's Medical Center

At the same time that Floridians were expecting Hurricane Irma’s arrival, Shannon and Braden Sewell were expecting their fifth baby at any moment. They had finished their hurricane preparations, left their four older children in the care of Shannon’s parents, and were enjoying the quiet before the storm. On the Saturday evening before the hurricane hit, baby Elijah made his debut at The Birthplace at St. Mary’s Medical Center and rounded out the Sewell family of seven. During their hospital stay, despite the howling wind and frequent downpours of rain, Shannon recalls feeling safe and content as she and Braden were wrapped up in bonding with their youngest child.

“While it’s a relief to know that St. Mary’s has some of the most advanced technologies available for maternity and neonatal care, I’m so grateful that all of my pregnancies and deliveries were on the smoother side,” expresses Shannon. “While nothing major happened, Elijah’s birth was definitely a little more memorable than the rest.”

When the Sewells got married, they knew they wanted to start a family right away. As residents of Northern Palm Beach County, they felt that The Birthplace, equipped with a Level III NICU, the highest state-designation, was their best option.

“When the time came to decide where we would deliver our children, St. Mary’s was pretty much a no-brainer,” shares Shannon. “We knew that the hospital offered a higher level of maternity care than others in the area, and it’s also conveniently located for us.”

To get an inside look at the hospital’s maternity services, the couple signed up for a tour of The Birthplace. Looking back, Shannon is glad they took advantage of this service because it helped her and her husband become more familiarized with the hospital ahead of time.

The first baby the Sewells welcomed was their oldest son Joshua, who is now 6 years old. During her first delivery, Shannon stayed in the Birthplace Suite, which provides patients and visitors with more comfortable amenities, such as a separate living room for hosting guests or extra storage space. 

Thanks to the highly-skilled team at The Birthplace, and the compassion the family was shown by the nurses and employees, they returned to St. Mary’s whenever the time came to welcome another addition to their family. In a few short years, the Sewells went from a newly-wed couple to a family of seven!

Although some parents may be intimated with raising even just one child, Shannon and Braden absolutely love all the fun and activities that some with having five young children. Between at-home lessons for the preschool-ages kids, to karate and ballet classes, there’s never a dull moment in the Sewell household. They’re especially grateful for the big help Shannon’s parents have been, as well as their four little helpers who are always eager to help mom and dad with baby Elijah.

“Each time we arrived at the hospital, we were always greeted with smiling faces, some of which we remembered from past deliveries which gave us more comfort as we prepared for what was to come,” says Shannon. “St. Mary’s will definitely hold a special place in our hearts as the place where we got to see five sweet little faces for the first time.”

This testimonial reflects results achieved by this patient. Each case must be independently evaluated and managed.