NICU Baby and His Dying Mother

Some say the bond between a mother and child is stronger than any other emotional bond. Some believe it's a chemical produced in the body while the mother is carrying her unborn child, called oxytocin, and some believe its just a love so strong because they've relied on each other so much for so long. Either way, the bond is amazing and unlike any type of love imaginable.

A story about a NICU nurse carrying a baby to his dying mother shows how strong the love actually is. In the story, the mother is dying and in a coma. The NICU nurse has been working for 20 years in that field, and decided to get permission to take the baby to the mother on the mothers last day. The nurse describes how she took the baby's swaddle off so he was only in a diaper and laid the baby's bare skin on the mother's bare chest and wrapped the mothers arms around her baby boy. The infant's father was in the room and as the nurse swaddled the baby so she could take him back to the NICU, he saw one big tear roll down the mothers motionless face.

The mother passed away a few hours after that, but it's comforting to think that she passed away knowing her baby boy was going to be alright, and knowing she got to spend a few of her last moments holding him in her arms. No one knows what caused the last tear, nor will we ever, but some like to hope it was caused from overwhelming joy brought to the mother from her baby son.

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/159990/nicu_nurse_shares_heartbreaking_story

First Essay

My idea for my first project started with the use of drugs and how they effect peoples daily lives. I quickly changed from this topic because the deeper meaning to the use of drugs is how they make you feel. Some people take drugs doctors prescribe them to make them feel better physically, but some take them not prescribed to make them feel better mentally. I'm not sure how yet, but I want to help people everyday when I'm older.

I've thought about being an Army nurse, but I wouldn't want to be away from my family for that long of time. I've also thought about being a doctor, but that much time in med-school would take away time from being able to live out what I actually love doing. I've decided I want to be a Neonatal Nurse. These nurses work in the Intensive Care Unit for babies. People have asked me if I can handle it, but in reality, most of the babies live. They might have difficulties, but I would want to know that I did everything I could to make them well.

I followed a few doctors around for interim, and I ended up following a Neonatologist around one day. I got to see how the babies and families were treated, and how the nurses dealt with the babies. They have to wash their hands before they touch a baby and right after, to prevent infection. They also have soothing baby noise makers around. I asked one nurse about it and she said she didn't know if it helped the babies or the nurses more. The job, I can imagine, is emotionally and physically draining, but beyond worth it. I can't imagine spending my day with anything I love more.