Page 13 - Indulge September 2017

MARIa Photos courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network

Maria Wolf, 38, a special education teacher in the While Maria admits that with five kids, not all of the
Easton School District, could certainly be considered an deliveries went strictly according to her birth plan, every time
expert on the subject of having babies at St. Luke’s Hospital. she delivered a baby at St. Luke’s it was a positive experience.
Not only did she give birth to all five of her children at St.
Luke’s, but she was born there too. And Maria wouldn’t have “Each baby’s birth situation may have been different,
it any other way. but the approach from the doctors and nurses was always
the same — compassionate health care,” says Maria. “St.
Even before her first baby was born, she admired and Luke’s always made my entire pregnancy and delivery about
respected her physician, John Hratko, MD. So when Maria me — my feelings, my thoughts, my concerns and especially,
became pregnant with her first child, she knew that Hratko what was best for my baby.”
would continue to be her doctor and she would deliver at
St. Luke’s Hospital. Hratko and his staff made Maria feel
comfortable, cared for and listened to throughout her nine
months of office visits. And when her first baby was set
to arrive, Maria was just as impressed with the St. Luke’s
Hospital staff.

“Maria has always been a model patient so it was a
pleasure to be able to care for and deliver each of her
pregnancies,” Hratko says. “St. Luke’s has a state-of-the-
art birthing facility and the entire staff complements the
delivery experience — we all work together seamlessly to
make sure our new moms have the highest level of care.”

Maria remembers how comforted she was with the
constant communication and encouragement by everyone
around her during labor and delivery. Hratko knew her, of
course, but the hospital nurses had just met her and yet
they made her feel like they were old friends — checking
on her, supporting her, encouraging her, cheering her on
through one of the most significant moments of her life.

September 2017 • indulge | 13