3 Mothers Bonded By NICU Stays Reunite For The First Time
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) – Three mothers who first met at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit inside Children's Hospital Colorado last year reunited on Wednesday. It was the first time since their children were born and were able to go home after receiving extended care from doctors and nurses.
"I just think there's an instant bond there," said Katie Sullivan. "It can't compare to any other relationship, almost like family."
Sullivan's son, Liam, is 14 months old. When she was 20 weeks into her pregnancy, she learned during a routine ultrasound there were abnormalities with her son. Liam has spina bifida and needed fetal surgery. The family traveled to Colorado and got the procedure three weeks later. While at Children's, she would meet the other two mothers two weeks later.
"It was comfort, it was hope. It's a very isolating experience to be going through something so intense," Sullivan said. "It was such a great support system, we would have family meals right here at this table."
The other mothers had their own challenges, one with a daughter who was born weighing less than 2 lbs. The other mother has twins who had to share her uterus and placenta. But meeting each other helped them to get to their delivery date and support the group as new mothers.
"Having each other is something that we will never forget," she said. "When we are having a rough day, we totally understand."
The reunion was a chance for them to catch up and thank the hospital staff who helped them get through this difficult chapter of their lives. They remain in contact over the phone and plan to make each other a fixture in their futures.
"It's incredible, it's incredible to be on this side of things. It's such a relief," Sullivan said. "It's going to be such a joy to watch them grow together."
