New parents, Aynsley and Riley Ostoforoff, from Castlegar, BC, were thrilled to welcome their firstborn baby, with a due date set for January 4th, 2023. What should have been a mother’s most joyous experience quickly turned into a whirlwind journey when their little girl, Ava, entered the world prematurely. Prior to Ava’s arrival, Aynsley was experiencing abnormal fluid leakage, which prompted a visit to her hometown midwife. After a precautionary ultrasound, the midwife confirmed that Aynsley’s membranes had ruptured, meaning that she could go into labor at any time. As a result, Aynsley was transported by ambulance and a medical plane to Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) in Kamloops, BC, where her husband Riley met her soon thereafter.

Aynsley spent ten days under the care of RIH’s Obstetrical Services team before going into full labor on November 25th, 2022. After enduring five long hours of contractions, she was rushed into an emergency C-section. Early the next morning, Aynsley was brought to the Rita C. Mercier Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where she met her newborn baby girl for the very first time. It was here that baby Ava spent the first weeks of her life. During their time in the NICU, the Ostoforoffs were met with incredible emotional and physical support. Feeling confident in the exceptional care and guidance they received, Aynsley and Riley prepared to take Ava home, relieved to have overcome such unexpected circumstances. Little did they know, their journey was far from over.

After being home for only three weeks, Ava was exposed to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and began displaying symptoms of respiratory distress. Given her condition, Ava’s pediatrician recommended they return to RIH to ensure Ava would have access to the proper resources required for her care. After three restless days of waiting for a medical plane and clearance due to weather conditions, Ava was readmitted to the Rita C. Mercier NICU on January 4th, her original due date. Based on their prior experience at RIH, Aynsley and Riley were at peace knowing that their baby girl was going to be in good hands.

Once again, they were met with open arms, unwavering support, empathy, and kindness from the Royal Inland Hospital staff. The RIH staff proved to be the family’s greatest advocates, ensuring they didn’t have to relocate to a different hospital despite Ava surpassing the standard NICU age. They entrusted Aynsley and Riley to actively participate in Ava’s recovery, teaching and allowing them to care for her as her health improved. Furthermore, the family appreciated the privacy offered in the new private NICU rooms, allowing them to be emotionally raw and comfortable during challenging times. Throughout their journey, they felt supported every step of the way and were eager to return home with their baby girl.

Aynsley thanks the incredible team of medical staff at RIH for ensuring the safe return of baby Ava. “The kindness, professionalism, and compassion of the RIH staff helped us through two very terrifying and difficult journeys in our lives. We cannot put into words the amount of gratitude we have for all of you,” shares Aynsley.