ROME, GA, May 6, 2022 – Mother's Day will never feel the same for Jessica Marcellini.
The Cedartown mom gave birth to her first child, Michael Anthony Marcellini Jr. on Feb. 23. Little Michael came early and tipped the scales at only 3 pounds, 4 ounces at 31 weeks, but the staff at Floyd Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) provided the care he needed, she said.
Ms. Marcellini said her son now weighs 10 pounds and is doing well. "It really blows my mind," she said. "It seems like every day he changes a little bit. I can't believe how big he is now."
She expressed gratitude for the treatment Michael received in the NICU.
"We received such excellent care there," she said. “The staff, everyone, they become like family. Some of them are now my Facebook friends. They really spend so much time explaining things and making sure you understand. We learned so many things and it's not like they just send you home with no help."
She said the care she felt from the NICU staff was endearing. "In some ways we were kind of sad to go. Yes, we were very glad to be going home, but I really knew that I was going to miss them."
Floyd Medical Center has the only Level III NICU in northwest Georgia, providing babies with specialized care, including breathing support, food and nutrition, and temperature support and regulation.
NICU's discharge planning coordinator works with families to make sure the transition to home goes smoothly, gradually preparing them.
Generally, babies in the NICU can go home when they:
- Maintain their body temperature in a bassinet
- Breathe on their own
- Nurse or feed from a bottle
- Consistently gain weight
- Are in stable medical condition
Ms. Marcellini said she is also grateful for the AngelEye Health cameras installed at the babies' bedsides in the NICU. The cameras allow moms and dads to peek in on their little ones remotely.
"That was really comforting to know we could look in on him even when we couldn't be there," she said. "It was also good for grandparents who were waiting to see the new baby."
She said the way she feels about her little one is somewhat surprising, even thought she loved him even before he was born.
"I heard people talk about that connection, how special a mother's love is for her child. I thought I understood it, but there is nothing like that feeling once you give birth."