SPECIAL SECTION Having a baby: From delivery to when critical care is needed
Paducah, Kentucky. Austin had to leave the hospital for days at a time to work, while Jillian stayed in Louisville with Tate and Tripp. “Everybody asked, ‘Are you going to transfer them back home if you can?’ I didn’t see a point in it. They were getting the best care they can possibly get at Norton Children’s,” Austin said. “So why take them away from it? It’s a three-hour drive, but it’s worth it.” “When a baby is born that premature, anatomy is formed but not completely developed,” Mia said. “Their heads are premature. Their stomachs are premature; their lungs are premature — so we have to support them as they grow. That’s what’s so important. That’s why these patients are placed in incubators and put on a ventilators, and given so many extra supports.” The TBU has 15 beds, and in its first month it saw about 30 patients — Tate and Tripp being two of the first. Through Norton Children’s care, they continued to grow and develop, and went home in May. “The tiny baby unit is a blessing for anyone in that type of situation. The staff is phenomenal at what they do,” Austin said. “They did exactly what they needed to do to make Tate and Tripp strong, independent babies so we could take them home — and that is amazing. We are so thankful for that.” “Everybody in this unit is dedicated to this. It took a team of providers, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists and nutritionists working together to bring this vision to reality, and I’m super proud of where we are today,” Mia said. “It’s going to be tremendous for the babies and their families. And that’s the focus.” –Dakota Sherek
New mom Jillian Myers with her newborn twins
Austin and Jillian Myers holding Tate (left) and Tripp (right)
New hospital unit for tiniest babies puts parents at ease Meet twin boys who are among its first patients
the very best for all babies
B
Premature babies are our most vulnerable patients. They deserve the very best care available — no matter where they are. Now that Norton Clark Hospital’s Level II NICU has joined the Norton Children’s family, we’re creating a vision to expand the Jeffersonville, Indiana-based unit and offer a developmental care model that elevates the level of care to that of Louisville’s two Norton Children’s NICUs. Norton Children’s NICUs work together to provide the right level of care at the right time for babies while maintaining a level of trust that is a necessity when caring for these tiny patients and their families. With an expansion of services at the Norton Clark location, Southern Indiana families have more options to stay close to home while their babies are in the NICU. How you can help Norton Children’s NICUs are part of the “Just Imagine” campaign, a visionary journey that will help bring better health to children throughout Kentucky, Southern Indiana and beyond. Just imagine what your help can do. Visit JustImagineCampaign.com .
ecoming a first-time parent can be nerve-wracking — especially when that day comes much sooner than expected. “It’s been a roller coaster,” said Austin Myers. Austin and wife Jillian’s identical twin sons, Tate and Tripp Myers, were born premature at 26 weeks,
beds and making it feel smaller,” said Mia Coulter-Nellums, R.N., nurse manager of the Norton Children’s Hospital NICU. “For our staff, our providers and our families — because the sheer size alone can be overwhelming.” From that research, Mia was inspired to start the TBU within the NICU. The specialized unit is staffed by nurses who have gone through additional education and training to care for premature babies. “The care for patients of that size is so specialized; this really provides the additional expertise that is needed for that patient population,” Mia said. “The nurses trained for the TBU care for those babies every day. This allows families to get to know the nurses, and the nurses get to know the babies and learn what is normal for each baby. That familiarity can help nurses spot subtle changes or abnormalities more quickly than someone who comes in and is not as familiar with that baby.” The core group of highly trained staff members ultimately provide an additional comfort for parents, especially for the Myers family of
six days. Each weighed under 2 pounds. “When they come out and they’re 1 pound, 11 ounces, you don’t really know what they need,” Austin said. “But at Norton Children’s tiny baby unit, they know exactly what they need to be doing, and it’s great.” The tiny baby unit (TBU) opened in April 2024. It’s a dedicated section of the Norton Children’s Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The TBU is specifically for babies who weigh 2.75 pounds or less, and typically these babies are born at 28 weeks or earlier. A usual pregnancy is about 40 weeks. “The concept of the tiny baby unit originated from research I did several years ago about taking a large NICU such as ours at 101
Left to right, Tate and Tripp Myers
12
13
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator