Finn: first baby admitted to the Special Care Nursery
In year one, 718 babies born at The Mother Baby Center were admitted to the Special Care Nursery.
Seven weeks before their first baby was due, Alissa and Daniel Maloney began learning how unpredictable parenthood can be.
Finn Daniel Maloney was supposed to be born at a community hospital close to home. But when Alissa’s water broke prematurely, the community hospital was at full capacity. Instead, the couple was directed to The Mother Baby Center – a building that combines Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s maternal and fetal services with Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota’s pediatric specialty care. It was Feb. 5, 2013, just one day after The Mother Baby Center had opened.
They arrived having had no tours or birth classes. They had not even had a baby shower yet. “It was chance that we ended up at The Mother Baby Center. But it all worked out for the best,” said Alissa. “I knew we were at the best place for a premature baby.”
Finn was born on Feb. 6 weighing 3 pounds, 8 ounces at birth. “We were able to hold him right away – but not for long. We had a few minutes to take pictures and then he went to the Special Care Nursery,” said Alissa.
Finn was the first baby admitted to the Special Care Nursery, an area dedicated to the care of babies born prematurely, in The Mother Baby Center. There, he was set up with monitors and a feeding tube, but he was able to breathe on his own. Alissa and Daniel joined him there a few hours later. Their private room made it a comfortable setting for everyone to get to know each other.
Finn went home about two weeks later weighing 4 pounds, 2 ounces. While healthy overall, he needed some ongoing support with feeding. Alissa and Finn returned weekly to meet with a lactation nurse. “That was incredibly helpful. I would recommend that to any new mom who is breastfeeding,” said Alissa.
A year later, Finn is a happy, curious baby. He loves being with the other kids at his day care, and he sensibly decided to sleep through the night about two weeks before Alissa returned to work.
“He’s still small for his age, but he’s healthy,” said Alissa. “We were lucky.”
All about Finn
Favorite food: Green beans
First word: Da-da-da-da
Most recent milestone: Pulling himself up to stand
Favorite toy: Sophie the Giraffe
What makes him laugh: Count von Count from Sesame Street
Most resembles: Everyone says he looks like his uncle because he has the same strawberry blond hair.