From a routine check-up to the birth of my little warrior, born at 28 weeks, weighing just 2 pounds! When a simple routine visit suddenly plunged our family into the world of extreme prematurity!
The arrival of a child is always a special moment. Having already had two children, I was confident my third pregnancy would go smoothly. I had experienced some complications in the past, but I never imagined this time would be so different.
On April 28, 2025, I went to Hôpital du Suroît in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield for my 28-week check-up. I chatted with the nurse as she set me up to listen to my baby’s heartbeat, then silence… The heartbeat was too slow. If it didn’t stabilize, I would have to be transferred urgently to Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont (HMR).
“That’s when I learned that HMR is a leading reference center for neonatology. Every year, the teams welcome and care for hundreds of fragile newborns.”
Julie-Maude Gagné, Céleste's mom
As soon as I arrived, I was quickly taken under the care of Dr. Brahim Bensouda, from the neonatology department. Despite his warmth and kindness, his words were hard to hear: he told me my baby was no longer safe inside my womb, and that we had to induce an emergency delivery, even though it was four months too early. At 7:22 p.m. on April 28, Céleste was born. She weighed just two pounds.
After only 28 weeks of pregnancy, her tiny body wasn’t ready to meet me. That was the beginning of a long journey filled with complications and care, intubation, gases, isolation, tests, constant monitoring… and over 100 days in the hospital. Even though we already had two children, we were completely unprepared. How do you care for such a tiny being, one who is still developing? Fortunately, we were part of the NIDCAP program, a philosophy of care practiced exclusively by the teams at HMR. Isabelle Milette, the head nurse, and Dr. Marie St-Hilaire guided us through every step, helping us understand Céleste’s needs, interpret her signals, and create the environment she needed to grow and thrive.
I would have preferred to avoid this chapter at HMR, but I realize now how fortunate we were, how lucky my baby was, to be surrounded by the very best team. Passionate, attentive specialists who, thanks to the HMR Foundation, have access to the most advanced techniques and the best equipment. Believe me, your donation truly makes a difference in the lives of those who experience moments like ours. You only realize its impact when you live through it yourself, because we always think it happens to others. But when it touches your own life, you feel infinitely grateful that a foundation exists to change everything. So please, give!
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