{"id":20176,"date":"2025-05-08T11:51:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T16:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/?p=20176"},"modified":"2025-05-08T11:51:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T16:51:11","slug":"mom-who-was-nicu-baby-now-cares-for-premature-infants-as-a-nicu-nurse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/chicago\/2025\/05\/08\/mom-who-was-nicu-baby-now-cares-for-premature-infants-as-a-nicu-nurse\/","title":{"rendered":"Mom Who Was NICU Baby Now Cares for Premature Infants as a NICU Nurse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to a Full Circle Journey<\/h2>\n

When Christine Parasram makes her rounds through the neonatal intensive care unit at Flushing Hospital in Queens, New York, she’s caring for newborns with the same care she once received as a NICU baby herself \u2014 and as a NICU mom.
\nBorn in the same hospital where she now attends to prematurely born patients as an assistant head nurse, Parasram has found herself coming full circle: from the baby being watched around-the-clock to the one working at odd hours to assuage the same fears her parents once had.<\/p>\n

A Personal Connection to the NICU<\/h2>\n

Sitting down with Jenna Bush Hager for an interview with TODAY, Parasram shares that her decision to become a NICU nurse was sealed when she had her own experience as a parent. Even 10 years after giving birth to her daughter Emily, Parasram still recalls the anguish of having to leave her baby \u2014 all 2 pounds, 2 ounces of her \u2014 in the care of a NICU team.
\n\u201cWe were anxious. We were nervous. We were scared,\u201d Parasram recalled. \u201cIt\u2019s just the idea of leaving your baby behind, your most prized possession behind. It was very overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Impact of NICU Nurses<\/h2>\n

Through the experience, the NICU nurses offered her hope.
\n\u201cThe nurses were amazing. Not only was she their patient, I was their patient as well,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI remember them holding my hand and actually going into the NICU … crying, and just being so overwhelmed, and them just having me in their arms.\u201d
\nThe impact of the nurses’ care of Parasram and her daughter was profound. So much so that, despite being a newly minted second-time mom, she decided to make a career change. She left her job as a medical assistant at a dermatologist’s office behind to enroll in nursing school.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou went back to school to become a nurse when you had a toddler, a baby at home, which is a ton of work. But it was worth it,\u201d Bush Hager noted, to which Parasram agreed.
\n\u201cIt was definitely worth it,\u201d Parasram continued. \u201cI still remember how they made me feel. And it\u2019s an honor to be able to provide that to someone else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Life as a NICU Nurse<\/h2>\n

Parasram has worked in the NICU for seven years now, where her hours can be long and grueling with 12-hour shifts that often include overnights.
\n\u201cIt gets hard, but it\u2019s our love, it\u2019s our passion for what we do that keeps us in the game,\u201d she explains of the nurses she works with. \u201cThat keeps us going.\u201d
\nBabies in the NICU at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Chicago are showing off their Olympic pride as the 2024 Olympic Games open in Paris.<\/p>\n

A Surprise and a Sense of Community<\/h2>\n

On May 8, Parasram appeared live on the TODAY Plaza, where she was surprised by a former NICU patient and the patient\u2019s grateful mother. In an emotional moment, she was also joined by her fellow nurses, whom she considers family.
\n"It\u2019s such a rewarding job to watch the most critical baby, the smallest baby, then grow, flourish, and then go home," Parasram said.
\nBabies in the Cleveland Clinic Children\u2019s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are getting ready for the total solar eclipse.<\/p>\n

Sharing Hope and Experience<\/h2>\n

Plus, there’s the deep fulfillment in knowing that by sharing her personal journey with the uncertain parents who come through the NICU, she can provide a sense of comfort about potential futures to come, where their little ones aren’t so little or vulnerable anymore.
\n\u201cI love telling them stories, and letting them know that even though our babies are so tiny, they grow by the second,\u201d she says. \u201cI do love sharing my stories, because I do see that anxiety, and it does help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Christine Parasram’s journey from being a NICU baby to becoming a NICU nurse is a testament to the power of compassion and the impact that healthcare professionals can have on their patients’ lives. Her story serves as an inspiration to many, showing that with dedication and passion, one can turn their personal experiences into a career of helping others.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n