The front lawn of the Sydney Adventist Hospital was transformed into a Teddy Bears Picnic of dreams when the annual event kicked off beneath sunny skies and a halo of coloured balloons.
Hundreds of families who had delivered their babies at the San in the past two years came back to reunite with their doctors, midwives, and nurses. They checked in on how things have been going and connected with other families sharing their parenting journey.
There were plenty of hugs and smiles, as well as the occasional tear, as Mums greeted their obstetricians as old friends, reliving their experiences together and celebrating their precious milestones.
“It’s such a personal experience, having a child and starting a family, and we feel very privileged to play a part in that journey,” CEO Brett Goods said.
“We deliver about two-thousand babies here every year and each one is very special to us. It’s always very touching to see our doctors and midwives reunited with these families because they develop such lasting connections.”
There are around 30 obstetricians at the San and 100 midwives working in the maternity department, sometimes delivering generation after generation within families.
Recently, a proud Grandma showed off her third grandchild, born at the San, just like his Mum.
And then there was a trio of San midwives who each fell pregnant and gave birth to their own little baby girls, within a few weeks of each other.
Their bubs were among around 3900 babies born at the hospital in the last two years, which includes 37 sets of twins.
Each mother is traditionally given a small toy San Bear as a gift when she gives birth at the San, and once a year, the giant version hosts a Teddy Bears picnic with music, games and entertainment.
It’s a much-loved tradition that keeps the San community beary happy indeed.
