Born Tuesday, Bryson Zander McCloud has already made history.

His December 6th birth marked the 500th baby born in 2016 at Pella Regional Health Center. Reaching 500 deliveries in one year is a record number at Pella Regional.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to serve so many families in the region. We welcome our 500th baby with the same enthusiasm as we do every baby delivered here,” said Karen Westercamp, manager of Obstetrics at Pella Regional.

Weighing seven pounds, two ounces, Bryson was born at 7:41 am to parents Echo and Bryan. The delivering doctor was Dr. Vande Zande, while Dr. Morgan performed the C-section and Marcia Schut was the labor nurse.

Next fall, Pella Regional staff and physicians will be opening their new Family Birthing Center. With the growth in deliveries over the past few years, staff said had become apparent that an expansion was needed to serve the growing number of women choosing to have their baby at Pella Regional. In 2015, mothers from 64 different communities came to Pella Regional to deliver their babies.

Plans for the new area include:
• More rooms for labor/delivery and postpartum — 7 labor rooms, 3 postpartum rooms and 2 triage rooms.
• Additional space in the nursery.
• Expanded nursing station and waiting areas

“Pella Regional is dedicated to helping parents and babies achieve a safe and secure start in life through a commitment to quality care and support for families,” said Westercamp. “Our new and expanded unit will be a great experience for families who choose to deliver with us.”