Silver Cross NICU: Caring for the Tiniest Patients and their Families
Silver Cross is 3 for 3!
Aug. 1 marked the 3rd anniversary of the hospital’s Level 3 Perinatal Center designation, which means it’s able to provide highly specialized care for moms with high-risk pregnancies through its maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) program – and for seriously ill or premature infants through its 24-bed Amy, Matthew and Jay Vana Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
In just 3 short years, the hospital has provided exceptional, lifesaving care to over 900 babies and 900+ moms who historically would have been transferred out of Silver Cross to receive the level of care they required.
Instead, they were able to stay close to home; close to their family support system; and, most importantly, close to each other thanks to the superior care offered in the hospital’s 24-bed NICU, and mother/baby and labor and delivery units – the busiest in Will County with 3,100+ deliveries every year.
“Giving moms and babies the healthiest possible start is so important to our community – and to Silver Cross,” explains President/CEO Michael Mutterer. “Our Level 3 Perinatal Designation means patients have access to everything they need, including on-site support of Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital’s neonatologists and pediatric specialists, pediatric surgery, anesthesia, radiology, cardiology, neurology, rehabilitation services, respiratory therapy, superior nursing care in our Mother/Baby Unit and our NICU, and maternal-fetal medicine support for moms with high-risk pregnancies.”
Happy Babies and Families Celebrate at NICU Reunion
In September, the hospital’s NICU – the only one in Will County – hosted its second annual NICU graduate reunion with more than 200 guests at the KidsWork Children’s in New Lenox. Little could be heard over the joyful sounds of baby talk, laughter and the patter of little feet exploring the museum’s many exhibits.
Throughout the month, the hospital also shared pictures and stories of happy, healthy NICU graduates on its Facebook page. Among them was Alice White of California. Alice’s parents Megan and Jeffrey flew home last fall from Los Angeles to her parents' home in Orland Park for a "High Tea" themed baby shower at a quaint cottage restaurant nearby.
Instead of attending her own baby shower, however, Megan ended up at Silver Cross with severe preeclampsia. Her daughter, Alice, was born Oct. 19, 2024, at just 29 weeks and 5 days, weighing 2 lbs. 8 oz, and spent 58 days in the NICU.
“Silver Cross is only five minutes from my parents’ home,” Megan said. “I’m glad they were so close, and they have such a wonderful NICU. I don’t think we would’ve received the same care here (in California).”
Throughout her pregnancy, Megan said she experienced nausea, headaches, swelling, and difficulty breathing.
"I didn't feel well when I left for Chicago, but people were flying in from all over the country for the shower, so I arrived a few days early so I could spend time with them."
Soon after, her family—many of whom are medical professionals—checked her blood pressure and, with concern, brought her to the Orland Park Fire Station to double check. She was, in fact, in hypertensive crisis and needed emergency care.
At Silver Cross, with husband Jeffrey at her side, doctors confirmed severe preeclampsia and performed an emergency C-section. “They said, ‘It’s going to seem like a SWAT team in there, but we know exactly what to do.’”
Alice proved to be a tough little fighter from the start. She breathed with the help of a ventilator for only three days, and then graduated to a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. “The NICU staff felt like family,” Megan said. “They taught us how to care for her and included us in every moment.”
Just before discharge, an MRI revealed a brain bleed. “We didn’t know if it would cause lasting damage, but all tests since show she’s meeting every milestone.”
Alice was discharged on Dec. 16, the 76th birthday of Megan’s mom’s. Now, she’s a giggly, book-loving baby with eight teeth and a big appetite. To celebrate her first birthday, the family is planning a celebration with a special theme: High Tea, just like the baby shower that never was.
