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Heartwarming Photos Capture Essential Cuddle Time for NICU Mothers
by Emily Carter
May 14, 2023
Images by March of Dimes/Schaumburg Photography
These stunning photographs highlight the importance of skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their babies in the NICU. For many mothers, the most cherished moment during childbirth is the first time they hold their baby close. However, for those whose infants are born prematurely or require urgent medical attention, those precious moments can be all too brief.
Kangaroo care, or skin-to-skin contact, has proven advantages such as alleviating discomfort, lowering stress levels, decreasing the risk of infection, promoting brain development in infants, and fostering a deeper bond between mother and child through physical closeness. This practice is recommended by the March of Dimes and endorsed by health professionals worldwide.
Yet, in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where premature or critically ill infants are under constant supervision, carving out time for these meaningful interactions can be challenging. This past week, in celebration of Mother’s Day, the March of Dimes collaborated with Saint Luke’s Hospital to create unforgettable experiences for NICU moms by offering photography sessions that captured their skin-to-skin bonding moments.
The March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program at Saint Luke’s Hospital assists mothers who are either on bed rest or at their infant’s bedside. Babies born prematurely—before reaching 37 weeks of gestation—often face severe health risks and may deal with long-term disabilities such as respiratory issues, vision impairment, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays. In the United States, approximately 380,000 babies are born prematurely each year, translating to about one in ten births. The premature birth rate in the U.S. surpasses that of many other high-resource nations.
The March of Dimes is committed to advancing groundbreaking research through a national network of five Prematurity Research Centers, where scientists and researchers are working together to achieve significant breakthroughs in the field of prematurity.
Photographers—some of whom have had children in the NICU—teamed up with March of Dimes and Saint Luke’s to document these special bonding sessions. The resulting images powerfully illustrate the deep connection between mother and baby.
“Mother’s Day, particularly a new mom’s first with her baby, can be particularly tough for families with children in the NICU,” stated March of Dimes president, Laura Mitchell, in a press release. “Our NICU Family Support Program collaborates with Saint Luke’s Hospital and over 100 other facilities across the U.S. to provide families with the support they need during this challenging time.”
These photographs reveal the profound significance of these moments for new mothers. Congratulations and Happy Mother’s Day to these resilient women.
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In summary, the heartwarming photography sessions provided by the March of Dimes and Saint Luke’s Hospital not only celebrate Mother’s Day but also highlight the essential bond formed through skin-to-skin contact in the NICU, offering crucial support to mothers during a challenging time in their lives.