The Baby Whisperer

Family nurse Peggy Neil retiring after 45 years

There is no doubt that Peggy Neil loves her job. The joy she takes in taking care of infants shines through when you see her interact with her patients. Even after more than four decades in the nursing profession and thousands upon thousands of infants she has seen, every child with Neil is still looked at with the same love and passion as when she started way back in the early 1970s.

“I love moms and babies. They’re my life. I have been taking care of moms and babies for 45 years now and I’ve loved every minute of it,” says Neil.

Neil was born in Milford and did her nursing on the maternity floor at Picton hospital. She then moved to public health in Belleville for a spell and returned to the County to join the newly-formed Quinte Family Health team, and that’s where the rest of her career was spent. It’s been such a significant part of her life that speaking of a future without seeing patients clearly makes Neil a little nervous. But she also says she knows in her heart that this is the right time to say goodbye to nursing and start a new chapter in her life.

Neil is very excited to see what that the future has in store, but is equally sad to leave some of the programs she has created. Two prime examples are the small group infant massage classes that Neil teaches and Babeez’N’Arms (BNA), which is a group for moms and babies that has been running in Wellington for 12 years now. The group not only provides peer and professional support, but Neil does a baby assessment for every infant that comes to the drop-in, complete with an exam and measurements for weight, length, and cranium size. The mom then leaves with a card from Neil containing all the info from the exam. For moms that come week after week, it becomes a great way of checking-in and a fascinating way of watching your child grow from and infant to a toddler. The genesis of BNA came out of ideas based on a group out of Tweed that focused on rural moms and their babies.

“Rural moms are really isolated. I can pick about four moms here that didn’t know a soul before they came to BNA. Since arriving they’ve met other moms and I give them info on other groups to go to,’ says Neil.

For this baby group Neil has had help from the same volunteer since day one of the program. Marilyn Hackett will also be retiring in February, and Neil wanted to make sure Hackett was recognized for her efforts as well.

There is growing concern as to who could possibly fill the shoes of a woman so loved, and so passionate about serving her community. Stories abound of how Neil has given her cell phone number out to countless patients, telling them to call anytime with questions.

Also, tales of Neil doing home follow-ups with moms who may have issues with mobility. Basically, going above and beyond the call of duty in every way, shape and form when it comes to helping babies and their parents. As far as carrying the torch, Neil will be interviewing two potential candidates next week and she says that both would be great fits for the position. But there is an exponential X-factor in the service and care that Neil provides. Her style of care comes from another time and place, where doctors and nurses went above and beyond their call of duty to keep their patients healthy.

Chelsea Field and her daughter have been coming regularly to BNA, and she thinks that losing Neil will be make it harder for mothers in this area to get the same kind of care of and love from another nurse.

“She is so energetic and encouraging. It’s such a pick-me-up as a mom to have someone like Neil waiting in the wings to help you. We also took her baby massage class and that was amazing as well. We are going to miss her. She is such a gem,” says Field.

Field goes on say that she is one of the moms with Neil’s cell phone number and was the recipient of a few wise texts from Neil when Field had mom questions.

Home visits were another aspect of traditional nursing that Neil felt important to carry on. When a mom has a new baby, Neil will see the infant post-natally at the hospital, and then to make sure they are settled, will visit the mom at home as a follow-up. It’s a lot more than nursing that Neil provides. There is a holistic approach she’s taking as well as being a counsellor, and a friend for moms going through their most stressful times. The community will be losing a real contributor when Neil retires. Her 45 years to the area she grew up in should be recognized and commended. Neil is the last in a line medical professionals who took their job steps further than what was needed because they took an oath to help people in need. For Neil, there were no regular hours for nursing. It was her life. She lived to be a nurse and her passion for moms and babies will be deeply missed in this area. Hopefully some of Neil’s magic will rub off on the person or persons taking her place.

“I have so many years of experience now, I can answer a lot questions, I’m happy that I get to keep some kids out of the emergency room with some guidance and I love helping parents understand better the health of their children. I’m going to miss it all terribly,” says Neil.