SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Maverick and Maximus have been in the Avera NICU for 49 days so far with their mother Emily.
“We had the boys at 25 weeks and two days gestation, so they’re about 32 weeks and one day gestation now. So they came up here right after birth and it’s gone really well,” Maverick and Maximus’s mom, Emily Sumption said.
While the boys are doing well, being in the NICU is not how families want to spend their first Christmas season with their children. To help bring festivities to the NICU floor, Avera made special ugly sweaters for all the babies.
“We have felt that we just cut out a couple of different sizes in the sweater pattern,” Avera RN Tanya Barnhart said. “And then we have all sorts of different things we use for decorating some peel and stick like puffy stickers, lots of pom pom balls, pipe cleaners, glitter, all sorts of stuff.”
While the babies are the ones wearing the garb, it’s the parents who are seen with smiles from ear to ear.
“Most of them are so excited to be part of this and most of them picked out their own sweaters for their baby,” Barnhart said. “And we’re so happy with all the different things that they saw. And I think you could just see that they were coming into the holiday week, that it was something that brought them happiness.”
While their first Christmas season may be in a hospital, it was made a little brighter thanks to some sweaters.
“I feel like it just brings a little holiday cheer when you’re not really around any holiday stuff. You know, you don’t get to go out and do the normal holiday things you do with your babies,” Sumption said.
“It’s hard being in the hospital for the holidays, even harder when it’s your child that’s critically ill,” Barnhart said. “And this is their baby’s first Christmas, the first big milestone. So it really gives them something to focus on other than just being here.”
Avera was excited to distribute the sweaters just in time for National Ugly Sweater day, which is Friday. Next week, Santa will also be taking a trip to the NICU to spread holiday cheer.
