With the closure of maternity services at Christ Hospital in August, Jersey City Medical Center was the only hospital in Hudson County that continued to provide comprehensive women’s health services. And while COVID was disrupting access to health care, JCMC did not divert patients to other sites at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Llanes herself is a nurse at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair, so along with her husband, she knew JCMC has some of the leading maternity doctors and an all private rooms maternity wing that rivals the best in the tri-state area.

Although baby Caden is doing fine now, the birth was not without some hiccups. Originally Llanes was scheduled to be induced at 40 weeks to avoid complications from her gestational diabetes, but an impatient baby came two and a half weeks early. After delivery, Caden had a high bilirubin count, the primary cause of jaundice, so he required special nutrients to bring his levels down. When he was having trouble latching and needed formula, Llanes was worried he would never take to breastfeeding. The Director of Nursing for Maternal Child Services, Leigh Dungee-Maignan, took the time to sit with Llanes and share her personal experience with her baby. Dungee-Maignan’s success story was an inspiration to Llanes.

“Childbirth can be a stressful time at the end of nine months of pregnancy,” said Dr. Patricia Chau, Llanes’ physician. “An elevated bilirubin count is not uncommon, but that does not make parents’ concerns any less valid. I’m proud that we provided an excellent experience for Llanes, as all expecting mothers deserve.”

“Everyone at Jersey City Medical Center demonstrated a passion for their work, and I always felt supported,” commented Llanes. “I’ve spoken with expecting friends who are concerned about the pandemic and giving birth with a mask, and to them I say you could not be in better hands at JCMC.”

“And as far as the mask,” Llanes added, “you’ll be too busy even to notice it.”

About Jersey City Medical Center 

The Jersey City Medical Center (JCMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is a modern 348-bed teaching hospital located on a campus overlooking the Statue of Liberty and NY Harbor, conveniently located near major highways, PATH, bus and light rail stops on campus. A not-for-profit hospital, JCMC is a state-designated Regional Trauma Center with more than 16,000 admissions and 90,000 Emergency Department visits annually. JCMC has received many industry recognitions, including achieving Magnet recognition for three consecutive times for meeting rigorous standards for nursing excellence; attaining the highest-grade level “A” for safety for 14 reporting periods since 2012; and the Orthopedic Institute was designated as a DNV GL Healthcare-certified Hip & Knee Replacement Program.  RWJBarnabas Health and Jersey City Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – brings a world-class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.  The medical center is also a state-designated stroke center, a regional comprehensive cardiac center, a perinatal intensive care center, a regional level 3 neonatal intensive care unit for critically ill newborns, and home to the most advanced robotic-assisted surgical program in Hudson County.  JCMC, a provider of Advanced Life Support for Hudson County, runs 911 Medical Call Screening for Hudson County and operates one of the state’s busiest EMS systems.  In addition, Jersey City Medical Center is a major provider of behavioral health services, including 24/7 psychiatric emergency and crisis screening programs.