A medical centre in the US is holding graduation ceremonies for babies who are leaving their Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The Birthplace is a birthing centre facility in CaroMount Regional Medical Centre, North Carolina, which prides itself on the holistic view of birth and the celebration of families.
Their philosophy focuses on family-centered care, the health and safety of mother and baby and crafting a soothing and comfortable experience.
Melissa Jordan is a neonatal nurse at the facility. She wanted to do something that encompassed this ethos and also celebrated their exceptional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients – babies who are born 6 weeks or more premature.
She was inspired after one special bub had been with the facility centre for 2 months, going from fighting for his life to being discharged into the arms of his loving family.
That is definitely an achievement worth celebrating – and Melissa came up with a great way to do it in style – mini graduation ceremonies!
And oh, are we so thankful she did.
That was 6 months ago, since then there have been 14 adorable graduates from the program and all the adorable glory has been captured by Bella Baby Photography.
Bella Baby Photography is known for its natural approach to newborn photography and hospital portraiture – the perfect match for Melissa’s grad idea.
“Bella Baby captures this beauty by using only ‘real things’…natural window light, trained photographers and professional-grade digital cameras,” explains the site.
Each of the graduates from the NICU program receives a unique graduation cap and a bespoke portrait from Bella Baby Photography.
Babies who are admitted to NICU are those who are born 6 weeks (or more) premmie and require intensive medical care – so leaving the centre is a huge occasion for celebration for every party involved, especially the new family.
These portraits will unquestionably be treasured by the families forever.
