One night, 32 weeks into her first pregnancy, Dr. Emily Fedro experienced bleeding and cramping. She and her husband, Joe, headed to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital.
“I had just started my residency at the time. I stayed in the hospital for a few days while my care team tried postponing labor and delivery, but Lexi was determined to come early. The nurses were amazing and treated me like a mom first, not a doctor. Sometimes people assume I know everything about medical care, but what they don’t realize is that doctor brain and mom brain do not work at the same time,” she smiled.
Lexi stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) while she learned to eat and gained weight. Dr. Fedro was especially impressed with the nurses’ expertise and attention to detail.
“Every one of them paid such close attention to Lexi. They picked up on every little thing, every subtle change, that might require the doctor’s attention. I’m an ER doctor. Babies that little scare me,” she admitted. “It just blew me away how they knew my baby so well. While Lexi stayed in the NICU, I delayed my maternity leave and went back to work. It was extremely reassuring knowing these nurses were there for her. It got me through my days.”
Theresa, one of the nurses, provided a special level of comfort to Dr. Fedro and her family.
“My mother-in-law had been diagnosed with stage 4 uterine cancer that year, and Lexi was her first grandchild. When she came to visit, Theresa told her about a similar situation in her own family and opened up about the stresses of cancer. It was a really memorable moment.”
Lexi was able to go home after 43 days in the NICU.
Back to the NICU
Two years later, Dr. Fedro’s second daughter, Ellie, was born.
“She also decided to come at 32 weeks. I kind of knew the drill at that point, but every baby is different. By this time, there was a new NICU with all private rooms at Advocate Good Samaritan. The new rooms provided a more private, safe and comfortable space.
Again, Dr. Fedro went back to work until Ellie was able to come home. Ellie weighed a pound more than her big sister had at that age, and Dr. Fedro hoped she’d be able to come home sooner. Unfortunately, Dr. Fedro caught a virus and inadvertently brought it into the NICU.
“It was a very stressful setback. Ellie ended up with a severe infection with complications. I felt extremely guilty that I had caused her extra days in the NICU. I was at my weakest, and again, the nurses were all there for my baby and me. They all reassured me it wasn’t my fault. We’re moms and humans and these things happen. They made me feel so much better.”
After 50 days in the NICU, Ellie was discharged and went home to be with her parents and big sister. But their family wasn’t yet complete. Dr. Fedro’s third child, Nicholas, was born in 2021 and came even earlier than his sisters.
“He decided to one-up his sisters and come at 28 weeks. Being a micro-preemie, there was a whole new level of care and concerns,” she explained. “He only weighed two pounds and had to be intubated. It was nerve-wracking.”
The same nurses cared for Nicholas. They felt like friends and family. And once again, the nurses helped to care for her entire family during their third NICU journey.
“They must have some kind of radar,” joked Dr. Fedro. “I was having a particularly emotional day after a family conflict. The nurses were all so supportive and came in to check on Nico and also offered me and Joe comfort and reassurance. It was simply amazing.”
Together, Dr. Fedro’s babies spent a total of 166 days in the NICU. Today, all three are thriving. Lexi is 5, Ellie is 3 and Nicholas is 18 months old. Despite living closer to other hospitals, they still choose Advocate Good Samaritan for their care.
“As a mom, your babies are your entire world. It’s hard to give up control, leave them and let others care for them. But the nurses and care team put me at ease. I could go home and sleep and know they were providing the best care for them. It’s hard to find that kind of trust.”
How you can help
Advocate Good Samaritan is part of Advocate Health, a not-for-profit organization that relies on philanthropy for many of its programs and services, including the hospital’s NICU programs. To help families like Dr. Fedro’s, please consider making a gift today.