Team Rallies Together to Welcome Triplets at Lakeridge Health

Stephanie fondly remembers the moment when she realized she was pregnant with not one, but three babies all at once. 

“I was shocked, excited, and terrified,” Stephanie says. “I saw the ultrasound technician write down Baby A, Baby B, and Baby C at my first appointment, but I had to call my fertility clinic to confirm if I was having triplets,” says Stephanie.

“When I called, they asked, ‘Are you sitting down?’ she says. 

Nine months later, Stephanie and her husband James have gone from a family of three with their two-year-old son, Beau, to a family of six, welcoming two boys and one girl who were born at the Oshawa Hospital on May 31, 2022.

Stephanie, a Community Palliative Nurse with the North Durham Family Health Team who has also worked at Lakeridge Health, preferred to give birth close to home, but most importantly wanted to do whatever was safest. “In addition to having a toddler, we live in Durham Region so James and I wanted to be able to deliver as close to home as possible, and safely,” explained Stephanie.

Planning was underway for an elective delivery on June 6. But in the weeks leading up to delivery, Stephanie was in and out of the hospital with some concerns about Baby C along with on and off bleeding.

So, on May 31, the team led by Dr. Gregory Athaide, Department Chief and Medical Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Lakeridge Health, decided it would be safest for Stephanie to deliver the triplets at 35 weeks pregnant - one week sooner than expected.

“There are complexities with delivering triplets, with increased surgical, anesthetic, and maternal risks,” says Dr. Athaide. “What started as a usual morning, soon changed into a discussion about what was possible for this patient that day. Almost instantly, there was a beehive of activity, with a positive energy level that was clearly contagious. It was a full team effort.”

The team rallied together to secure the resources needed to prepare for multiple scenarios while providing the best possible care. Stephanie successfully delivered Alastair (Baby A), Bria (Baby B), and Corvin (Baby C).

“Everything turned out perfectly and my experience was absolutely fantastic at the hospital,” says Stephanie. “Every single staff member we came into contact with was great and extremely caring and compassionate to our situation.”

Post-partum, Stephanie had issues with blood pressure and was readmitted to the hospital for a couple of days.

“One nurse in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, Lyna, was my angel nurse,” says Stephanie. She went above and beyond and made sure I was looked after when I was going through a rough situation. However, every step of the way, everyone was fantastic.”

With everyone back home, including Stephanie and the triplets, the family is settling in well. “Beau has been a great big brother and he loves his younger siblings. He’s doing amazingly well,” says Stephanie.

“I’m really proud of our team,” says Dr. Athaide. “Despite the pressures in the health-care system that the team continues to face, the multi-disciplinary team worked together to provide exceptional care to this family and many others, including a set of high-risk twins later that same day.” “This is a great example of the comprehensive services we offer at Lakeridge Health as we continue to provide safe, accessible, and high-quality care close to home for Durham Region residents.”

When asked if she has advice for other parents of multiples, Stephanie explains, “Connecting with others who have been through the experience is really helpful. I joined a group called Durham Parents of Multiples, which has a really good support system for those who are expecting or already have multiples.

Congratulations to Stephanie and James!