The first Christmas with a newborn baby is an amazing time for new parents who get to start their own holiday traditions and witness exciting first moments like opening their first Christmas gift and meeting Santa Claus for the first time.
However, for parents with babies in the NICU, many of these first Christmas moments are impossible since they can’t actually take their baby out of the hospital. And while one Atlanta hospital NICU decorated to make the unit festive for the holidays, the nurses knew the parents were still crushed they were missing out on so many ‘firsts‘.
The staff at the WellStar Atlanta Medical Center decided that since the babies couldn’t leave the hospital to celebrate Christmas, they would bring Christmas to the hospital by inviting Santa. On December 4 and 10, Santa made a special stop to the hospital to meet the babies and families, and take pictures.
“Santa was incredibly sweet and gentle with our girls, and we loved the event,” said Rachel Speer, whose premature twin daughters are in the NICU. “The mission is to provide comfort and support to families who are in crisis,” said Heidi Squires, a March of Dimes employee who coordinates support programs for families with children in the NICU. “It’s just one of the many things we do to support our families and normalize their experience in the NICU.”
Can you believe this Santa Claus went to the hospital so parents with premature babies could get a photo of them together?
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[Featured image: Claire Elise Photography]
Santa Visits NICU Babies Who Can’t Leave The Hospital To Meet Him is an article from: LifeDaily