GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The NICU babies at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital celebrated Halloween a little early this year thanks to handmade costumes from members of the Child and Family Life team.
Gay Sexton, Child Life assistant at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, and the rest of her team have been turning babies into bumblebees, superheroes and fruits for three years now. All the costumes are handmade by Sexton and her mother.
Sexton has an entire notebook of costumes that parents can choose from, and by Halloween, all 117 babies have their own unique look.
This year's favorite? An NICU full of little pumpkins.
The three-year tradition not only brings smiles to the hospital, but can also bring a sense of normalcy and comfort to parents.
“These activities and costumes bring excitement and activity to the NICU,” said nurse Kelly Jager, RN. “It makes things seem a little more normal for families who might be going through a difficult time.”
Sexton says she and her mother made just over 200 costumes this year, and looks forward to continuing the NICU tradition.
NICU babies celebrate Halloween
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