More than 30 babies and their families attended a reunion yesterday at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull Hospital in celebration of the hospital’s recent multiple-birth baby boom.
Twenty-six sets of twins and one set of triplets were born at the hospital in 2017.
“In the years that I’ve been at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull, I have seen a few multiple gestations,” said Paul Kastell, MD, chief of OB/GYN at Woodhull, 760 Broadway in Bushwick. “Twenty-six sets of twins in one year and a set of triplets—that’s a big deal. Even more so given that all but one set of twins were conceived naturally.”
Babies and families were treated to a holiday-themed brunch served by their favorite NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull nurses, midwives, and doctors. Each family in attendance received a supply of diapers, a gift certificate to a local grocery store, and other exciting giveaways.
“We couldn’t believe that we could conceive naturally, let alone have three at once,” said Lucretia Alexander-Haynes, mother of the triplets. Ms. Alexander-Haynes and her husband Neil Haynes welcomed Adonis, Benjamin, and Carter in August. The triplets were delivered at 34 weeks after a healthy pregnancy.
The Haynes triplets and their fellow “multiples” were delivered in NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull’s new Mother-Baby Unit. The unit features 15 private rooms, where infants can room in, allowing for an early bonding opportunity for families.
Earlier this year, the hospital announced its designation as Brooklyn’s first “Baby-Friendly” hospital. Awarded by Baby-Friendly USA, an initiative of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the designation recognizes hospitals that encourage and promote breastfeeding and mother-baby bonding.
“Today’s reunion is an exciting, festive occasion, but it’s also a testament to the importance of accessible, high-quality pre-natal care,” said Gregory Calliste, CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “We are proud to offer all New Yorkers the best possible care throughout all stages of life.”
“As families and young ones gather for today’s reunion, their health and strength is a testament to Woodhull’s extraordinary pre-natal and maternal care services,” said U.S. Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan). “All New Yorkers deserve access to high quality medical care, and Woodhull is working to ensure that our City’s youngest residents get a healthy and happy start in life.”
