As a neonatologist at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, Dr. Katie Hanson has guided countless families through the challenges of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). But when her son James was born prematurely, she experienced those challenges in a new way. For two months, she became both physician and mother, seeing the NICU from a perspective that forever changed how she connects with the families she serves.
James was born at just 28 weeks, three months premature, after a routine prenatal visit turned into one of the scariest days of Dr. Hanson’s life. “Everything looked fine that morning,” she remembers. “But by that afternoon, my water broke. Within hours, James wasn’t tolerating the situation and had to be delivered urgently.”
That night, James entered the world weighing less than three pounds. He spent the next two months in the NICU at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - St. Louis, cared for by the same team Dr. Hanson works alongside every day.
Life in the NICU
Though Dr. Hanson was familiar with the NICU as a physician, living it as a mother opened her eyes in new ways.
“Life doesn’t stop when your baby is in the hospital,” she said. “I still had two older kids at home, bills to pay, school activities to juggle, but all I wanted was to be at James’ bedside. That’s something I couldn’t fully appreciate before experiencing it myself.”
She also came to see how small gestures from the care team made a huge difference. Nurses often anticipated her needs, refilling her water bottle, cleaning her breast pump parts, and making sure she felt supported during long and exhausting days.
“As a physician, I already respected my colleagues for their skill and dedication,” Dr. Hanson shared. “But as a mom, I saw how those little acts of kindness lifted such a burden. They made me feel cared for as a person, not just as James’ mom.”
James’ NICU course was, in many ways, smoother than Dr. Hanson feared. Still, the weight of her medical knowledge was heavy. “I knew every possible complication he could face,” she admitted. “I couldn’t turn off those worst-case scenarios in my head. At the same time, I leaned on my partners to be objective, and they included me in his care in ways that felt meaningful but also safe.”
A Full-Circle Celebration
James came home just before Halloween, and a year later, the Hanson family marked his first birthday with gratitude. Instead of gifts for James, they asked friends and family to donate items for NICU families – clothes, baby gear, and supplies to help make the environment feel a little more like home.
“When you’re in the NICU, you don’t need much because the hospital provides so much, but little things like having clothes that fit, or a baby swing when the unit doesn’t have enough, can mean everything,” Dr. Hanson explained. “We had the resources to bring what James needed, but not every family can. That’s what inspired us.”
Recently, Dr. Hanson and James delivered the donations back to SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital - St. Louis, reuniting with the nurses who had cheered him through his earliest days. Some of those nurses even attended his first birthday party at home.
Lessons of Perspective
Now back at work, Dr. Hanson says the experience changed how she connects with families at the NICU.
“Not that I would wish this on anyone, but it’s made me a different kind of physician,” she reflected. “I understand the exhaustion, the juggling act, the constant worry. Sometimes I share parts of our story with families—just to offer hope or to let them know they’re not alone.”
Looking back, she says what stands out most are the moments of compassion, big and small, that carried her family through. “James’ story is one of resilience, but it’s also a story of community,” she said. “We’ll always be grateful for the care that brought us from those first terrifying moments to where we are today.”
The Hanson family’s story is a powerful reminder of the love, gratitude, and perseverance that define the NICU experience.
