NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull Celebrates Multiple-Birth Baby Boom
Brooklyn's First "Baby-Friendly" Hospital Delivers 26 Sets of Twins and One Set of Triplets in 2017
Dec 06, 2017
More than 30 babies and their families attended a reunion today at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull—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 NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. “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, NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull 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 Representative Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY). “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.”