NICU baby home in time for Mother’s Day

Baby Kareem is home in time for Mother’s Day!
A mother in a headscarf holding her baby son. Her husband stands beside her in a hospital unit. Around them are gathered smiling clinic staff in scrubs. The family are heading home for Mother's Day.
Amour, holding her baby, Kareem, with her husband standing next to her with members of the care team in NICU.
Born at 22 weeks and 2 days gestation, he spent 146 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Monash Children’s Hospital.

There were big smiles and joyful tears on the ward, as the NICU ‘graduate’ headed home this week dressed in a graduation gown and cap.

‘I am going to soak up all the cuddles and enjoy just being at home with my baby after so long at the hospital,’ said first-time mum, Amour.

‘The NICU staff were amazing. With it being such an emotional and vulnerable time for us parents, it’s been quite difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But they’ve kind of been like my backbone while I’ve been here.’

Amour’s mum, Dianna, was on hand as the new parents farewelled staff. She is revelling in her new role as grandma and has a little something special planned for her daughter on her first Mother’s Day as a mum.

مبروك (Congrats) to Amour and husband, Basem, on becoming parents. We wish you every happiness.

Today, we celebrate mothers everywhere. We extend our thanks to the mums in our teams who balance family life with work.

We also acknowledge that Mother’s Day is a difficult time for many people. For those who have experienced loss, faced struggles with conception, or are missing their mothers today, we hold you in our thoughts.

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