RICHMOND, Va. -- Baby fever might just be a real thing.
A group of 11 NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) nurses at the Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU gave birth during a six-month period this year.
Nurse manager, Sharon Cone, said, “I was so excited for each team member when I learned they were pregnant, but quickly recognized the impact having SO many babies and staff out on leave would have on remaining team members, especially during the peak time for summer vacations!”
VCU said caring for tiny preemies and critically ill newborns can be a demanding job, so it’s no surprise that their NICU nurses are a tight-knit group.
That level of closeness helped them navigate their own pregnancies while caring for babies at the hospital — especially for some who some, like nurse Megan Spataro, who gave birth their first child.
Rachel Seese has been a nurse in our NICU for just over a decade and welcomed her second child in June. "I loved having others going through the ups and downs of pregnancy with me and all the support we provided one another. To this day we all still group text,” she said.
VCU also said all 11 nurses were faced with the hard decision of choosing to get vaccinated while pregnant. Ultimately, they all got vaccinated at different points in their pregnancies, and some while breastfeeding.
