Sunshine Hospital’s NICU team helping bubs get home for Christmas

The tiny Christmas miracles at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital NICU have met Santa for the first time, while their parents navigate the emotional rollercoaster of their unexpected early arrival.

Around every corner are stories of love, hope and determination; each a little Christmas miracle.

What unites them is the rollercoaster journey to parenthood that has taken an unexpected turn and delivered these parents, and their precious tiny babies, into the caring arms of the team at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine.

It is a busy neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where monitors keep track of fragile heart rates, monitor breathing and warn of temperature fluctuations that could signal a sudden deterioration.

Above the hum of monitors can be heard loud cries from babies almost ready to go home; the ones who have reached the magic milestone of 2000g and no longer need breathing support or help with feeding.

In other rooms the cry is so soft you might miss it. The parents don’t, ever-watchful. When asked how early their baby was born they give not just the weeks, but the days, so vital is the time in the womb.

You can tell the new parents: still in shock; their plans all awry.

Mum Ashley Smith watches over her daughter Remi at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital NICU in Sunshine. Picture: David Caird

“I was at the hairdressers in Albury getting my hair done,” Ashley Smith says. “I wasn’t due until late January.”

Daughter Remi had other plans and arrived eight weeks early on Sunday 7 December. By 2am she was crossing the border from NSW into Victoria, flown to the NICU that is part of the 30-bed Newborn Services Unit at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Her worried mum followed a day later by ambulance and, with husband Andrew travelling back and forth from Albury while also caring for their daughter, Millie, 8, the family has stayed connected on FaceTime.

“I am so grateful to my stepdaughter Alaeigha. She is 17 and has really helped out and been an amazing support, she’s great,” Ms Smith said.

Remi has since been transferred back to the Albury Wodonga Hospital in time for Christmas.

Parents keep a vigil around their baby’s temperature-controlled cots where they watch and wait for them to grow, meet milestones, get well and come home. They stroke tiny hands, almost transparent and no bigger than a 20-cent coin; tentatively, but tenderly touch little feet, tiny toes.

PJ Ng Souvanlasy is visited by Santa at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine. Picture: David Caird

In the five years since this NICU opened there have been more than 9600 premature babies cared for, 1743 this year alone.

The smallest weighed 365g, the earliest born at 25 weeks and the longest stay was 229 days.

Clinical nurse specialist Amy Goodwin says it is a privilege to care for babies during what is an extremely stressful time for their families.

“Parents find leaving their babies in hospital is incredibly distressing, so being able to reassure them that their baby is in safe and caring hand helps support them during their NICU journey.”

Twins Tobenna and Kenenna Ogbonna who were born at 31 weeks, 2 days in November and will be home in time for Christmas. Picture: David Caird

Chioma Ogbonna has twin boys in the NICU, Tobenna and Kenenna, who were born on November 7. She is a pharmacist and her husband a GP, yet she says she was “really nervous” holding her tiny newborns at first.

The staff, she said, helped her gain her confidence.

The twins were born at 31 weeks plus two days when the membranes protecting one twin suddenly ruptured. Ms Ogbonna said both she and her husband knew the signs of early labour and headed to the hospital, aware that this was one of the risks of a multiple pregnancy.

Her sons are home for Christmas and will celebrate with their family that also includes three sisters aged 14, 11 and eight.

“Our boys are a precious gift,” Ms Ogbonna said.

Newborn Services Nurse Unit Manager Michelle Ryan says the NICU is a place of hope.

“It is where staff witness incredible stories of survival and resilience, reminding them of the strength of the human spirit,” Ms Ryan said.

“In NICU, we often celebrate small victories, such as a baby’s first breath without assistance, weight gain or going home after treatment, creating a positive and uplifting atmosphere.”

Baby Niamh Francis with parents Anne O’Rourke and Tim Francis in the NICU at Sunshine. She was born on November 20 at 32 weeks, four days. Picture: David Caird

Finally home this week are Anne O’Rourke and Tim Francis with baby daughter Niamh, who was born in November at 32 weeks and four days.

It is not the first time the Woodend couple have been here, but Niamh is their first living child.

Their son, Xander, was born at this hospital and diagnosed with asymptomatic sepsis last September. Sadly, he died hours after birth.

It was a heartbreaking experience and frightening for the couple to face another emergency caesarean when Niamh was born, although Ms O’Rourke said the staff were reassuring and understanding.

“They knew our history, that we had lost Xander, and the entire time from the minute they started talking about potentially doing a C-section with Niamh they reassured us that while it was an emergency it was not that kind of emergency,” she said.

Xander wasn’t premature, but his heart rate was slowing during labour.

“He was septic, he had pneumonia. Xander died in our arms.”

This week they took Niamh home, a much long-for little girl; the baby Ms O’Rourke dreamt of.

Other Christmases have been tinged with the sadness of miscarriages, the loss of their treasured little boy, but now Niamh has given them reason to celebrate.

Michelle Ryan said staff were thrilled when parents take their baby home. “That’s what we are all working towards from the moment the baby is admitted to the ward. It is a great reward for the entire team,” she said.

“Christmas decorations and a visit from Santa offers our families a sense of normalcy. It’s an opportunity to create joyful memories during a challenging time, and photos are cherished keepsakes.”

Early arrival: mum Meagan Wheelahan snuggles up to daughter Sabrina Hinga, who was born on December 9 at 36 weeks, 1 day. Picture: David Caird

Meagan Wheelahan from Werribee South was admitted at 35 weeks plus three days because of doctors’ concerns that she was at risk of preterm labour. Sure enough, daughter Sabrina Hinga was born five days later, on December 9.

Weighing in at a relatively bumper 1840g, mum and bub were admitted to the lower acuity special care unit. Now the race to get home to dad Lindsey and big sister Lailah, 4, before Christmas – by hitting the 2kg mark – is on.

Bhushan Nampally and Pyrinka Gajjela with their daughter, who was born on December 3, at just 26 weeks, 6 days. Picture: David Caird

Heading home with their daughter seems a long way off for Bhushan Nampally and his wife Priyanka Gajjela. They have a three-year-old at home, who was also a “premmie” born at 28 weeks and weighing just 957g. Son Reyansh spent three months in this NICU before going home.

Mr Nampally says Reyansh is now a happy, healthy and lively little boy which gives them hope for their new daughter, who is yet to be named.

Ms Gajjela said at her 20 week scan doctors were concerned as her baby daughter was not growing as expected.

She was closely monitored and when the baby’s heart rate started to drop, she was born early in December at 26 weeks, a tiny 702g.

IT worker Mr Nampally said the family felt blessed to have the care they received from the hospital’s NICU team for both their children.

“Honestly, it feels like we are in heaven,” he said. “We are surrounded by care; truly blessed in terms of how they look after the babies and their families.”

Gingerly cradling her daughter, Ms Gajjela said the staff gave families the confidence and hope that anything was possible.

Originally published as Sunshine Hospital’s NICU team helping bubs get home for Christmas