Special Care Nursery gives infants a healthy start

For expectant parents Leanne and Ryan Nightingale, what would normally have been a celebratory occasion became an event filled with stress and anxiety when their second daughter arrived a month premature.

Baby Halle was born on June 28 at Hamilton’s MacMaster Children’s Hospital and was transferred to the Brantford General on June 30.

“They needed the bed at Mac and Halle still needed to learn to eat on her own,” Leanne explained.

Weighing in at just six pounds, two ounces, Halle needed to gain weight.

“I was breastfeeding and then topping her up with a bottle of breast milk. She also had a nasogastric (NG) tube in case she wasn’t getting enough,” Leanne said.

Halle spent 15 days at the Brantford General, 11 of those in the Special Care Nursery and the remainder in the Paediatric Unit.

Leanne and Ryan also had two-year-old daughter Brinley at home in Port Dover, so the days alternating between home and the hospital were hectic.

To compound their stress, the couple received news from MacMaster Children’s Hospital that some of Halle’s wellness results were abnormal.

“It was very scary and emotional but both the nursing staff at the Brantford General and Paediatrician Dr. Sarangan Uthayalingam and his team always made sure that we were comfortable and calm. Paediatrician Resident Paige spent an unlimited amount of time with us and answered tons of questions,” Leanne said.

“Dr. Uthayalingam came to our room, sat down with us and was so compassionate and understanding,” said Leanne. “My husband commented on how his kind, honest and genuine manner provided a calming effect.”

The entire time Halle was in the Brantford General the Nightingale’s always felt that their’s and Halle’s needs were met with compassion and professionalism.

“The care was amazing,” Leanne said. “We had a very positive experience here with the Special Care Nursery and on the Paediatric floor; especially during a very stressful time for us.”

Halle was placed in her own room so she could get the personalized care she required, while also allowing her parents the privacy they needed while they were at the hospital with her.

“Honestly, I didn’t even want to go home,” Leanne joked. “It was so peaceful and quiet, and allowed us to bond with our daughter. It was wonderful.”

Nurses were always on hand to answer any questions or alleviate any fears.

“The nurses did a really great job of making me feel comfortable and helping us to balance our home life with Brinley and to be here at the same time with Halle,” Leanne recalled. “I knew when I went home at the end of the day that she was in good hands. All of the nurses; they were so knowledgeable and talented.”

The atmosphere in the Special Care Nursery is designed to be calming, helping parents like Leanne and Ryan to focus their attention where it was needed most – their newborn.

“Any stresses we had dissolved because of the atmosphere and staff in the Special Care Nursery,” Leanne said. “We had so much one-on-one time. The staff were so attentive to our needs and provided education; they were full of knowledge. It was remarkable.”

After Leanne returned to the couple’s Port Dover home at the end of the day, Ryan would visit Halle and give her a nightly feeding as Daddy and his youngest child bonded.

Prior to Halle being discharged on July 15, Leanne spent an entire night in the Paediatric Ward to ensure Halle was feeding well without the NG tube.

“We were making sure that she was feeding properly – taking enough in,” Leanne said. “Dr Uthayalingam arranged it to ease my anxiety and to make sure I was comfortable with everything.”

“The nurses were always asking: how are you feeling? Do you feel comfortable with this? The staff always looked for our input and showed compassion and empathy.”

Leanne wanted to share her experience as a Grateful Patient because it was her first visit to the Brantford General and she was blown away by the quality of care her family received.

Halle is now doing “great” and has a laid back, easygoing disposition.

“She’s content and healthy, and that makes us happy,” Leanne said.

As the Nightingale family knows first-hand, when a health crisis or emergency affects you or a loved one, Brant Community Healthcare System is here to provide exceptional, professional and compassionate care in your time of need.

Behind each success of the Brant Community Healthcare System (BCHS) Foundation is the generosity of our community, our donors and volunteers. This continued commitment has enabled us to put our patients first by helping us to provide the right equipment, at the right time, when it matters most.

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