Family Story Assets (Word Document, Photos)
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Rubi Guzman had an uneventful pregnancy
until, for unknown reasons, she went into early
labor. Her son, Andres, was born prematurely
on September 28, 2015, at 25 weeks, weighing
1 lb.,15 oz. Nothing could prepare Rubi and
her husband, Israel, for the fear and uncertainty
that would come during most of their baby’s
4-month hospital stay, but March of Dimes
NICU Family Support was there to help.
While the professionals in the NICU at Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital
in Chicago handled Andres’s medical emergencies, Jessica Bowen, MSW, LCSW, NICU Family Support Specialist, immediately cared for his parents. Rubi says, “I never had
to go looking for her. She always found us!” Jessica offered information about the NICU; helped them create a keepsake of their baby’s milestones; prepared them for their first Kangaroo Care experience — holding their son skin-to-skin — and set up holiday celebrations.
While the professionals in the NICU at Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital
in Chicago handled Andres’s medical emergencies, Jessica Bowen, MSW, LCSW, NICU Family Support Specialist, immediately cared for his parents. Rubi says, “I never had
to go looking for her. She always found us!” Jessica offered information about the NICU; helped them create a keepsake of their baby’s milestones; prepared them for their first Kangaroo Care experience — holding their son skin-to-skin — and set up holiday celebrations.
“I try to anticipate ways that we can make each day just a little bit
easier — with a class, a change in family-centered care practices, or
something as simple as a smile,” Jessica explains. She also arranged
for Sara Johnson, a former NICU parent of twins and a key part of
the parent-to-parent volunteer program, to spend time with the
family and listen to their concerns. “I wanted to get involved to
provide hope, encouragement and support to the Guzmans because
that same compassion had such a positive impact on my own family,”
Sara explained.
Israel, Andres’s dad, spent as much time as he could by his son’s side and recalls, “Without
NICU Family Support, our whole experience would have been scarier. The professionals were
great, but we couldn’t expect them to be with us.” The best preparation with Jessica and the
staff was the 3-week transition from hospital to home, leading up to Andres’s discharge on
January 28, 2016, after 123 days, when he weighed 8 lbs.,12 oz.!
