8% of babies born in Canada will be born prematurely. We often affectionately refer to these little ones as “preemies.” St. Joe’s Special Care Nursery celebrated World Prematurity Day on November 17 to honour the families and their babes who joined them early, and raise awareness of the prevalence of preterm births.  

Registered Nurse Nadine made special purple t-shirts for the team to wear, while parents received packages with cookies and pottery from local makers at the Hamilton Potters Guild. St. Joe’s buildings were also lit up in purple, which symbolizes sensitivity and exceptionality. 

The Special Care Nursery cares for 600 babies every year. The team often cares for 20 babies at a time with only 17 beds available. If you would like to donate to add more beds and ability for privacy for families to spend time with their preemie babies, click here.  

Meet a few of the families who are currently spending time with their babies in the Special Care Nursery, and two of the nurses who provide care.

Mom: Rayshelle 
Baby: Kira, 2 days old

Rayshelle is no stranger to the Special Care Nursery. Five years ago, she was here with her first baby, Elizabeth, for 25 days.  

“There's a lot of anxiety for parents with babies in the Special Care Nursery, not knowing what’s going on. I do feel a lot more relaxed this time around. The communication is huge. Last time the team was constantly keeping us updated on what was going, whether I was here or not. They took my lead on what I was comfortable with. I think the thing that stood out last time was when I would see the nurses holding the other babies. When patients can’t be there and the baby’s upset, they’re taking care of them like they’re their own. You know the baby’s going to be taken care of even when you’re not able to be there.” 

Rayshelle’s advice for other parents with babies in the Special Care Nursery: 

“Ask all the questions. Get support. There are a lot of Facebook groups out there, so connect with other moms and learn about their experiences.”

Parents: Chris and Emily
Baby: Leo, 2 weeks old  

Chris and Emily’s first baby, Leo, is doing well and already showing off his loveable personality. Mom Emily says Leo can already lift his head and likes to put his hands behind his head and lounge.  

“Leo, has been here for two weeks. The Special Care Nursery staff have been really great to us. There’s always someone here to help. It was really scary in the beginning because we never knew what we were coming back to. Especially because I had a c-section so I couldn’t see him right away. But they always kept us informed. And now he’s stable and learning how to eat. We live about an hour away, so it’s nice to know that there’s always someone here to take care of him. It’s hard leaving him here, so I’m excited to bring him home and just be able to see him all the time. It will be a big sense of relief.” 

Chris and Emily’s advice for other parents with babies in the Special Care Nursery: 

“Take it a day at a time. You’re on their schedule. Don’t expect anything to happen immediately. They get better every day, even if it might not seem like it at first. Nobody thinks they’re going to have a preemie. No one’s ready and no one knows what they’re doing. So you just have to be open to listening and learning from the nurses.”

Parents: Sasha and Joe
Baby: Jack, 8 days old

Jack was eager to make his debut, entering the world just over two hours after Sasha’s water broke. He’s now the “feisty” one in the bunch, sleeping all day and partying all night. 

“It's been a really positive experience so far. The staff have been amazing and we couldn't be more appreciative. Jack has shown great progress so far. Yesterday they said we could start breastfeeding and he's only 34 weeks along. The staff were extremely helpful. When it's your first, you have a thousand questions. I planned and read as much as I could and when it comes to the moment, you just go: what do I do? We can’t wait to have him home. Knowing that we can go pick him up and take care of him. Being able to snuggle him all night long.” 

Sasha and Joe’s advice for other parents with babies in the Special Care Nursery: 

“Take it one day at a time, everything will work out in the end. Seeing them in certain situations can be overwhelming and make you upset, but it's kind of a long game and you have to keep just pushing through it.” 

Nadine – Registered Nurse (front left) 

Nadine is a second generation nurse in the Special Care Nursery, following in her dad’s footsteps. Before joining the Special Care Nursery two years ago, Nadine spent five years in the Mother Baby Unit. 

“The most meaningful part of working in the Special Care Nursery is seeing the babies go from tiny little beans and then getting these full cheeks, eating on their own and then making their way home. The most common question we get from parents is when they can take their baby home. And that’s a hard one to answer because it depends on each baby. I tell parents not to compare their babies. Each one has its own journey and they should try to appreciate the little things. That’s why we make sure to celebrate all the little milestones on the unit.” 

Sarah – Registered Social Worker (fourth from the left, top row) 

Sarah has been working in the Special Care Nursery at St. Joe’s for 26 years. She began celebrating World Prematurity Day about four years ago to celebrate the work and dedication parents have for their premature babies. 

“For us, we go home every night but our parents go home every night without their baby and it's an incredibly long, physical and emotional journey. So, doing something to really celebrate the work, and their dedication, to their baby. We’ve had babies in here who have had to stay for more than 100 days. That’s a long time for parents to come day after day to a hospital and worry about their child. But the best part of the job is when the babies get to go home and seeing the sheer joy on the family’s faces. We often have families visit with their babies when they’re older and it’s incredible to see how they’re thriving now!”