The maternity ward and delivery rooms had been moved to the parking garage to ensure protection from Hezbollah rocket attacks.
By Shula Rosen, United with Israel
Einat Nissim is no stranger to childbirth, but when her 11th child was welcomed to the world in an underground facility amid Hezbollah missile alerts on Sunday, it was indeed a unique experience.
This may not be Nissim’s first child. Still, hers was the first delivery in the fortified underground facility at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa after the maternity ward was transferred to a parking garage in sublevel 3.
The baby was healthy, weighed 7.91 lb, and was greeted by siblings Tegal, 20; Elhai, 18; Barak, 16; Yinon, 14; Efrat, 12; David, 11; Ateret, 8; Hillel, 5; Yosef, 3; and Chamutal, 2.
When Einat and her husband Moran arrived at Rambam, she was already close to giving birth.
She told Ynet, “I arrived at Rambam on Sunday afternoon and delivered just half an hour later.”
Einat Nissim’s mother was concerned that the birth may be chaotic, given the security situation in Haifa and points north.
However, she reassured her mother, “Mom, I’ve delivered all my children at Rambam. I trust them and always go there.”
When Einat Nissim arrived, however, she was directed at first to sublevel 1 and then to sublevel 3.
The maternity ward and delivery rooms had been moved to the parking garage to ensure that all birthing mothers and staff would be safe from Hezbollah rocket attacks.
Nonetheless, it was still a surprise to Einat Nissim and other mothers, and she said, “I realized the move was due to the war, but I had no idea the location was a parking garage.”
Aside from the improvised location, Nissim said the birth was a positive experience, “The delivery was quick and everything went smoothly. The midwives were supportive and helpful. It was only after the birth that I noticed my surroundings, and my husband pointed out, ‘You know we’re actually in a car parking garage.'”
The hospital’s transformation of a parking garage into a medical facility so quickly impressed Nissim.
She said, “It’s amazing how they transformed the garage into a functioning hospital in just one day. It’s surreal.”