King’s Daughters Medical Center – and the Brookhaven community – celebrated a significant milestone Saturday as the hospital marked the 25th anniversary of its “Baby Suites” labor and delivery unit.

Since 1988, KDMC has welcomed nearly 16,000 new area citizens into the world. KDMC is fortunate to have three of the unit’s original physicians still serving, along with five of the original nurses.

The hospital’s labor-delivery-recovery-postpartum model of care began with Dr. Richard Rushing, Dr. Steve Mills and Dr. J. Kim Sessums, who were joined 11 years ago by Dr. Leigh Cher Gray.

Today, Mississippi’s first medical care unit designed just for the special moment of birth employs a total of 43 staff members.

In addition to the highly significant accomplishment of ushering thousands of babies into the world, the suites also have been recognized nationally.

For the second year in a row, KDMC has been named “the Best Hospital for Patient Experience and Obstetrics” by Women’s Choice Award: The Voice of Women.

While awards like this are important, the babies – and their families – are the real focus of attention at KDMC.

The hospital even makes sure each newborn takes home his or her special mementoes – plush minky-dinky blankets in blue or pink and a silver baby spoon with a free engraving of the baby’s name and birthday.

“We love giving these away,” labor and delivery manager Angie Williamson, RN, BSN, says with a laugh, “because you might not be born with one of these in your mouth if you’re born in Lincoln County.”

But each baby and each family are special at KDMC. As the hospital’s director of marketing, David Culpepper, says, “It’s big-city health care in a small town.” We couldn’t agree more.

Happy birthday to KDMC’s Baby Suites!