Most people can’t remember where they took their first breath, but for this family, the answer is becoming a tradition. Generation after generation, their story has begun in the same set of hospital walls; proof that history does repeat itself, and sometimes in the sweetest way.
On August 21, 2025, Lt. Danielle Acosta and her husband, Daniel, welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Dahlia. Now, an active-duty registered nurse (RN) in Labor and Delivery (L&D) at Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville, Acosta felt the echoes of her own first moments there.
“It felt meant to be. There was this level of comfort, knowing that I had been here before. My mom, Tina Cox, was also a Navy RN and L&D nurse at NH Jacksonville from 1995 to 1998. I was born here in 1998,” shared Acosta. “The most special part was having my mom here, coaching me through my delivery. It truly felt like a full-circle moment!”


On Acosta’s maternal side, medicine is more than a career; it’s a legacy. It began with her grandmother, a former L&D nurse, and has carried through three generations.
A love for obstetrics wasn’t always part of the plan. In fact, much like her mom, Acosta tried to resist the pull of L&D.
“My mom became a nurse and said she wanted to do anything except mother and baby. I got to my first duty station and said the same thing. I asked them to put me anywhere other than mother and baby, because that’s not what I wanted to do,” said Acosta. “However, they put me in L&D and said that’s where I was needed. I figured I’d buy my time and transfer out. During that time, I too ended up falling in love with it, and now this is what I want to do!”
Over the years, NH Jacksonville, technology, and the practices in L&D have evolved. Acosta recalls her mom sharing with her the changes she’s noticed.
“My mom said the rooms are a lot better now because they are singles. She said when she was here, they were set up for double patients. She spoke on the technologically advanced fetal monitoring equipment and the improved postpartum support.”
These changes are a tribute to Acosta’s pleasurable experience as a patient. “We had a great experience. My labor experience was really beautiful, and I enjoyed it. I had complications after delivery, but my care was exceptional,” she said.
One of the many advantages of retracing generational professional footsteps is that it provides a rare window into the history that shaped today. Acosta was given a proverbial look back in time in the form of a book.
“One of the nurses pulled out the delivery logbook from 1998. It was cool to see my original record of birth and how many babies my mother had written in the logbooks in comparison to me. And to think, maybe in 28 years, my kids can come back and see mine,” said Acosta.
“We also discovered that one of the nurse’s mothers had actually worked with mine, which made it even more special – my mom got to meet the daughter of a colleague she hadn’t seen in about 25 years,” Acosta shared.
Both moments served as reminders that no matter how vast the world feels or how much time we think we have, it can suddenly feel very small, and the years pass quickly.
When asked what sparked her love for L&D, Acosta explained, “I love the patient population. For the most part, you’re there for people during either the happiest moments of their lives or some of their most difficult. I think being able to share in those moments and supporting them is truly beautiful.”
Her passion didn’t stop there, she also said, “I enjoy the empowerment of women and the deep understanding of the innate biology behind it all – that we are remarkable creatures, capable of creating life. I think it’s really magical, but also a super normal and natural process that I never get tired of!”
Acosta and her family look forward to spending their first Christmas together in five years, and with the best present of all, baby Dahlia.