A full circle of care as a nurse becomes a patient to deliver her own daughter

This Mother's Day, Gabreille “Belle” is celebrating not only her first year of motherhood, but the unique, full-circle journey that brought her daughter Lenore into the world, at the very same hospital in which she works. As a registered nurse at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s - Milwaukee Campus in Milwaukee, WI, Belle spends her days providing compassionate care to others. But when it came time to give birth to her daughter, the roles reversed, placing her in the care of her trusted colleagues.

“I was a little bit nervous at first,” Belle admitted, laughing. “I mean, having your friends see you at your most vulnerable, it’s kind of weird! But it was also incredibly comforting. I knew the people taking care of me, and I knew just how skilled they were. Honestly, ten out of ten, I’d do it again.” For Belle, choosing to deliver at Ascension Columbia St. Mary’s wasn’t just about convenience. It was about trust, familiarity and the deep bonds she shares with her team. “Being a woman of color, giving birth can be really scary in our country,” she said. “So knowing I was in an environment where I would be treated with respect, that made all the difference. I knew everyone around me would do everything to make sure my daughter and I were safe.”

Throughout her labor, Belle allowed herself to be the patient. She leaned on her team, trusting them, even when her daughter’s delivery came with some unexpected challenges. “Lenore came out a little purple, a little slow to start breathing,” she recalled. “That’s when my nurse instincts kicked in, I was watching everything. But they did everything right. And they made me feel so safe, I didn’t even know until later that the cord had been wrapped around her neck.” One of her nurse colleagues, Moira, stood out for her above-and-beyond care during labor. “She kept repositioning me, using a peanut ball to help me dilate faster. She flipped me every hour like a pancake,” Belle joked. “But seriously, it made such a difference.”

On the other side of the birthing bed, Belle found that her experience has deepened her connection to her patients. “I always tried to provide compassionate care, but now I get it on a whole new level,” she said. “When a mom is worried about her baby not breathing right away, or the baby’s in the warmer and not in her arms, I’ve been there. I feel that.”

Her story is a testament to the culture of care at Ascension. “Everyone here just wants good outcomes. A healthy mom. A healthy baby. That’s what we’re all about.” This Mother’s Day, Belle holds healthy, 5-month-old Lenore close, grateful for the extraordinary team who supported her through the most vulnerable, and most beautiful, moment of her life. Of her fellow nurses, she shared: “I love them. I appreciate them. I trusted them with my life, and with my daughter’s. I’ll never forget how they made me feel.”

Learn more about our birthing hospitals at Ascension.org.