On May 22, 60 years ago, the first baby was delivered at Trillium Health Partners Hospital (formally Mississauga Hospital).  Since then, they have become the hospital that delivers the most babies in Canada. Trillium holds a special place in my heart, not only because as a Labour Doula I have had the amazing privilege of supporting over a 100 clients there, but because I birth my own three babies there!

My Personal Experience

Baby #1

29 years ago, I birthed my first daughter at the former Mississauga Hospital.  I was young and had no clue what I was doing. The staff were wonderful, making sure I was comfortable and taken care of.  My labour was pretty textbook typical, with active labour lasting about six hours. However, when it was time deliver, let’s just say the doctor didn’t have enough time to put his gloves on.  Thankful for the nurses for catching my baby!

Baby #2

Five years later I birthed my second daughter there as well.  This time, in one of the birthing suites. I arrived in the middle of a snow storm labouring furiously in the car.  Once I arrived I mentioned to the nurses that I needed to use the washroom ‘very bad’. Let’s just say they got me in a room very quickly and 45 minutes later, she was born.  No time for epidural, it was my first natural birth.

Baby #3

In 2003, I birthed my third daughter.  Because of my previous rapid birth experience, I thought it would be nice if I had a midwife.  So I went with the team at Midwives of Mississauga. My prenatal care was wonderful. However, at 36 weeks I was told that my baby was breech.  After two unsuccessful attempts at an External Version, we decided that a C-Section would be best. My midwife attended my surgery along with my husband, and brought peace and reassurance during a time that I was feeling quite anxious. The surgery went well, I was able to have my daughter skin to skin immediately after birth where I kissed her and welcomed her into the world.  

Nursing Staff in the Mommy Baby Unit

I will never forget Nurse Karen who was such a breastfeeding advocate. She knew I had struggled the first two times and reassured me that I could do this! Her persistence, support and encouragement helped set the foundation to what turned out to be a beautiful 18 months of breastfeeding.  Nurse Karen nicknamed my daughter Emma Bean, which 15 years later, we still refer to her as.

I feel so blessed to have had the experience of being one of the moms who had a “Special Delivery from Mississauga Hospital”

Happy 60th Anniversary #Mississauga Hospital.

 

-Grace Jose, CLD