Regine Monteau and her siblings’ lives were transformed thanks to NewYork-Presbyterian’s neonatal care. Now she is giving back in an amazing way: caregiving in the very specialty that helped her and her family years ago.
Regine Monteau is months into her job as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, but her relationship with the Hospital began years ago.
In fact, it started the day she was born: Regine’s parents were already raising one daughter when they were surprised to learn that they were expecting not just another child but three. Regine’s mother was due to have triplets, and the family couldn’t have been happier. However, the joy soon turned to worry when it was discovered that an umbilical cord had prolapsed and one of the triplets wasn’t getting enough nutrients. Faced with mounting health issues, Regine’s parents followed their hearts and made a brave decision.
“I was born at 29 and a half weeks,” Regine says. “My parents decided to deliver early to save my baby brother’s life. My sister and I were two pounds; my brother was one pound.” The eldest of the triplets, Regine was born mere minutes ahead of her two younger siblings at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
The triplets required expert care to thrive. “I spent about two months in the NICU; my mom was there 24/7,” Regine says. “That first year of life can be pretty difficult. ... After the NICU, I spent some time in the PICU [pediatric intensive care unit]; I was in and out of the hospital with infections.” Amid these challenges, Regine and her family found strength and support both in each other and the compassionate staff of NewYork-Presbyterian. “You’re kind of at the mercy of the NICU’s care. Hearing how my parents were talking—attributes like compassion, dedication, competence, and resilience were common themes in my parents’ narratives about our NICU story.”
Regine and her siblings successfully graduated from the NICU and went on to become a nurse, a cybersecurity analyst, and a medical student.
Though Regine grew up thinking she’d become a teacher, she realized that she had a different calling. “I always loved kids, but hearing how the nurses made my parents feel at their lowest is the fuel to my care as a NICU nurse now,” she says.
Her experience at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital at the Children’s Hospital of New York has confirmed that this is the place for her. “The unit has welcomed me with open arms,” she says. “Some nurses have even told me ‘welcome home’ after hearing that I am one of Columbia’s NICU graduates.”
Excellent caregiving helped Regine get her start in the world, and she is devoted to giving excellent care in return. “Our testimony has a huge impact on my approach to care now,” she says, “because it shows the impact the team has on the lives of neonates and their future.”
