Born along a highway, baby receives lifesaving care at Methodist Children's Hospital

First-time mom Kaylyn DeAnda was overjoyed to learn she and her husband Kevin were expecting a little one to arrive in November 2021. Their joy was quickly overtaken by concern during a 12-week ultrasound, when they learned their baby girl, Aubrey, was diagnosed with omphalocele, an abdominal wall defect in which some of Aubrey’s organs were developing outside her body. This birth defect would require Aubrey to receive special care in a neonatal intensive care unit.

After researching their options, DeAnda sought out the Level IV NICU care at Methodist Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. DeAnda found comfort in her birth plan as well as the plan of care for Aubrey that she developed with the hospital’s neonatologists and specialists.

“We knew we wanted Aubrey to be at the Methodist Children’s NICU,” DeAnda said. “Part of it was the NICU was well-equipped to care for her and the other part of it was having a perinatal navigator onboard as someone who would help us with navigating and setting up appointments with different specialists, and really take a bunch of the load off of our shoulders.”

In a turn of events, birth plan went out the door because little Aubrey decided she was ready to make her entrance to the world at 32 weeks, alongside a busy San Antonio highway before her parents could make it to the hospital for delivery. However, DeAnda says the prepared NICU team was ready and waiting for Aubrey at the hospital doors. The newborn was quickly taken to the NICU to receive care as planned.

After 49 days in the NICU, Aubrey was discharged home. She continues to reach her milestones and is thriving.

“Honestly, we couldn’t ask for better [care],” DeAnda said. “All of Aubrey’s doctors have been amazing.”

Learn more about our Level IV NICU and high-risk pregnancy care.