Oh Baby, look what’s coming to Sunnybrook…

I’ve been through labour, twice. I’ve also lived through a few construction projects at home. In a strange way, the two share a common thread of anticipation, pain and overwhelming satisfaction when all is said and done.

These two worlds are becoming one on top of the main wing of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. A massive multi-year, and multi-million dollar project will all come to fruition on September 12, 2010, when the brand new Women & Babies Program will officially open its doors at Sunnybrook’s Bayview campus. The square footage alone is awesome (120,000 sq.ft). Someone described it to me this way: taking the size of a community hospital, and plunking it onto our Hospital’s main building. The architectural angle is only one side of this impressive venture. But the heart of this story lies with the more than 4,000 families, who will welcome their new babies in one of the most advanced and patient-friendly labour and delivery units in the country. In fact, families were consulted during the design process, and their needs and wishes are echoed in every detail.

To appreciate the new space, you really have to walk through the old one. For years, Sunnybrook has been a tenant at 76 Grenville Street in downtown Toronto. The old space is a maze of tiny rooms, dim lighting and drab décor. One birthing room is aptly nicknamed “the closet”, because it’s so small, fathers are often forced to step outside during the birthing process to accommodate Hospital staff. That will soon be replaced with a new labour and delivery room with its own nickname: the Presidential suite. The design of this extra-large modern room is mimicked in 20 such others, which are flooded with light from an expanse of windows, and housed with amenities to meet all the needs of patients and staff.

The neonatal intensive care unit is another massive improvement in form and function. Right now, families dealing with the emotional realities of having a preemie are crammed into one small room. There is barely enough square footage to stand, let alone have some private bonding time. In the new neonatal ICU, every family will have their own room, with space for parents to visit and sleep. Families will even have their own separate hallway to enter their baby’s room, so they can feel comfortable coming and going.

And the Women & Babies Program will offer so much more: units for high-risk pregnancies, dedicated surgery suites, family lounge areas with fireplaces and colorful play areas for inpatients to enjoy, a high-risk ambulatory clinic and follow-up clinics. Picture all that in a large, bright space adorned with spa-like colors. It almost makes me want to have another baby! (Ok, not quite…)

Unlike both my pregnancies and home renovation projects, construction on the Women & Babies Program is on time and on budget. So the countdown is on to September 12 when Sunnybrook’s newest addition, could help you welcome yours.

Check out my video for a sneak peek at the current construction, and what the finished project will look like!