Babies we'll never forget

I too work in the NICU and can totally relate to how this little guy touched so many lives in such a short time. It's amazing how their personalities and will to fight are inherent at birth. We've seen a few stories like yours, and no matter what the outcome is, I've never regretted my choice to work in the NICU. Keep up the good work!

How wonderful that you were part of this little one's life. I'm glad you were there with love, support and caring. Our job is so hard sometimes, yet often we are the only ones bringing love to these little ones! My prayers and thoughts are with you and your "little prince"!

Oh boy! Too many to count! The micro twins that ended up with shunts, the many 23 weekers that just held on and on, the big term birth asphixia babies I've had to disconnect from vents....

All those special little guys that have gone home, in one sense or the other.

I have so much respect and admiration for nurses like you who work with little ones. It takes a special person with a truly compassionate heart. Your story demonstrates just that. It was very touching and reminds me of why I want to become a nurse. Keep up the good work!!

I have been in the NICU for over 5 years. My most memorable is still my first. A 23 weeker born on the night my orientation staryed in the unit. I was in awe....I took care of her most of my residency then picked her up as a primary after. She had 5 gut surgeries, sepsis, CLD, ROP, .........She went to the connecting childrens hospital @ 9 months. When I went to visit her the first time I just cried! I went to see her often. When she was getting ready for discharge at about a year I had the most memorable conversation with her mom. When I asked if she had ever considered withdrawing support she said no, she had always left it in Gods hands. She told me that she knew from pregnancy that this baby would be different...special. She was very active in her church, after the baby was born her husband also became very active in the church. It brought them together and made them a complete family.

She spent very few days at home here and there but was always readmitted for dumping. She died of multi-system failure at 15 months. Her parents called to the NICU so I could go say good-bye.

The ones that really stick in my mind are the term asphyxia babies that we let go. Especially the ones where the parents hold off making a decision and subsequently the baby weans off the vent. Then to let them go we have to withhold food and fluid. Disconnecting the vent and letting the baby go in minutes to an hour is easier than watching them dehydrate for days and days. We NICU nurses don't do Hospice stuff well, we just aren't used to it.

My "god-daughter" born 6 weeks premature, abdominal organs outside of her body, spina bifida and hydrocephalic. Delivered naturally in an ER that "DOESN'T DO BABIES! (was supposed to be c-section at the Uof M hospital)

This doll baby was not "supposed" to survive. God worked incredible miracles and she is now almost 3 years old, brilliant and beautiful!! She may never walk, but she will touch hearts in a VERY special way!! I was so blessed to be able to be at the hospital when she was born -- spent countless hours at the children's hospital with her mom -- love that girl!! Miss her terribly -- we are now 10 hours apart -- used to live 10 minutes from her. Thank God for e-mail and digital cameras!!!!

I was reading all your messages. I am a junior this year in a BSN program and my daughter just gave birth to a darling little girl at 28 weeks, Nicole Christine. She weighs 2#12 ozs., and is only 14.4" long. Have not done my maternity rotation yet, so went to library and got a good book on Premature babies written my a NICU MD and a nurse practioner, it has kind of scared me about all the things that can go wrong. My daughter is not handling this very well and I have been very supportive. is it normal for her to not seem to want to call the NICU? She does visit every day, though. is there something I should be doing to help her cope better? Grandbaby is doing ok, she is under bili lights which I understand, but is having hard time tolerating her feedings, they are feeding her through a syringe on a pump. I feel uncomfortable asking too may questions since I am only the grandmother and not the parent, and am afraid because of new regulations they won't tell me too much!