“Your heart outside your body”: A new mom’s journey from crisis to comfort in WRHN’s NICU
Patient Story
Meghan LeSouder was at her OBGYN’s office for a routine appointment last November when the doctor gave her an unexpected directive.
Get to Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) right away, she said.
Meghan had had high blood pressure leading up to that appointment. Now, at 35 weeks pregnant, it was reaching a level that could pose risk to her and her unborn baby.
“That was pretty scary hearing that – all of this was so new to me,” says Meghan, a first-time mom.
I had a little cry, called my husband, Kody, and told him to meet me at WRHN @ Midtown.
There, tests revealed that Meghan had preeclampsia – a potentially life-threatening condition. When an ultrasound also revealed that the baby was in a breech position, a C-section was scheduled.
Meghan’s OB, Dr. Sarah Norris, was the physician on call that day. She met with Meghan to talk through the procedure and answer any questions she and Kody had.
Knowing that the baby would likely need time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), a social worker also spoke with Meghan to prepare her.
“I thought: ‘It's OK, he'll have some time in the NICU, he's in a safe place, he'll get bigger, and it'll be fine,’” Meghan recalls. "And then, once he's born and I see him in the NICU, it's like your heart is living outside of your body."
It felt extremely real and extremely hard. I'd cry to Kody every single night I left the hospital.
The baby, Oliver, was born on Nov. 27 – five weeks early – weighing just under five pounds.
Meghan’s first moments of motherhood were difficult and worrisome. But the staff in the NICU alleviated her concerns.
Over the next 18 days, she got to know the nursing staff. Leaving Oliver each night never got easier, but she knew she could call the NICU at any time to check in on him.
It was so nice to hear a kind voice say: ‘Everything's good, you can rest and know that he's taken care of.'
Meghan and Kody took Oliver home on Dec. 15 – right in time for a quiet, cozy Christmas as a new family of three.
As she unpacked Oliver’s bags, she pulled out the special keepsakes the NICU staff had put together for him, including a banner with his name that hung over his hospital crib, and a surprise Christmas ornament with an imprint of his foot.
Oliver, who just turned 1, is a happy, smiley, and busy boy who loves trying new foods and making his parents laugh.
And each day, Meghan and Kody are thankful for the care they received at WRHN.
“So much can go wrong in the NICU, and seeing how calm, confident, and kind the nurses always were, it was amazing,” Meghan says.
I’ll never forget the way they treated Oliver and me and Kody, too. It’s amazing what they're doing for families every day.
As an employee of WRHN Foundation, Meghan already understood the role of donor generosity in healthcare. But after Oliver’s NICU stay, she gained a deeper appreciation.
“Your child is your whole world, and you want to make sure they have the care they need,” Meghan says. “Oliver had that. And that gives me a huge amount of gratitude for the community.”
This Giving Tuesday, your gift will go further in support of the NICU.
WRHN's NICU cares for more than 850 babies per year.
