New Year’s baby is 600th delivery for Wayne nurse-midwife

HONESDALE, PA — Dalyla Knapp became the region’s first baby of 2007 when she arrived in the world at 2:07 a.m., weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces. The Hawley infant also marked a milestone for her deliverer: she is the 600th child to be delivered by certified nurse midwife Kimlyn Patten of Women’s Health Care in Honesdale.

Both Patten and Dalyla’s mother, Ellen Knapp, were surprised—and ecstatic.

“I never made a big thing of New Year’s before, but now I will,” said the 25-year-old mother. “And I’ve never had a nurse midwife before, but I loved having Kim here!”

Patten was the Women’s Health Care staffer on call this weekend. Dr. Hoon Yoo is Knapp’s obstetrician, though Patten had seen the patient during her pregnancy.

“This was really a beautiful birth; it went very smoothly,” said Patten, who has been delivering babies at Wayne Memorial since 1999.

Dalyla (pronounced Delilah) joins big sister Kaitlyn, age 6, and father Bernard at home.

“Kaitlyn wanted to hold the baby right away. She’s really excited to have a little sister,” said Knapp.

Born and raised in Honesdale, Patten started out as a Licensed Practical Nurse at Wayne Memorial in 1979. The hospital helped her finish nursing school through its tuition reimbursement program. After receiving her Registered Nurse degree, Patten obtained a Masters in the Science of Nursing and then certification as a nurse-midwife.

“I really love what I do. Every baby is a ‘rush’ for me, a real adrenaline high,” said Patten, who has one grown son.

Patten admitted that her very first delivery was “kinda scary,” but went so well the family named the baby “Kim” after her.

Baby number 600 found Patten much more confident in her profession and this family, too, had a compliment for her.

“If I have another baby,” said Knapp, “I am definitely going to have a nurse midwife again. It was a good experience.”