An Army of Care for Naoma

Our baby girl was born with a severe case of meconium aspiration syndrome. Naoma breathed in dangerous fluid during an otherwise normal birth. This caused breathing problems and extreme hypertension. The transport team from Children’s National Hospital moved fast and with a lot of care. They were professional, kind and obviously supported by world-class technology and expertise. We felt safe and cared for, even with a global pandemic underway.

During our first night at Children’s National, Naoma had so little oxygen in her blood that doctors recommended ECMO, a type of life support. It was a traumatic and scary time. Surgeons, specialists, nurses and other medical staff poured into the room like an army going to war. They clearly had the best experience and science on hand. They also had humanity and emotional intelligence. This was a big deal to me.

Naoma started to improve within 12 hours. We held her for the first time on day seven and took her home not long after. Today, she is extremely strong and perfect in every way. Thanks to Children’s National, except for the little battle scar on her neck that will fade, it’s as if the whole thing never happened.