After nearly three months in NICU, family celebrates son’s first birthday with a fundraiser

Seven months into her pregnancy, Jess Dornfeld was diagnosed with preeclampsia – a serious complication that includes high blood pressure. It was discovered when she visited her clinic for a COVID-19 test.

High blood pressure during pregnancy can cause complications for both parent and child. In many cases, the baby must be delivered early.

Jess and her wife, Kate Dornfeld, welcomed their son Theo last November. Theo was 10 weeks premature and weighed just over two pounds at birth. His lungs were underdeveloped, and Theo’s delivery team worked quickly to help him breathe. When he stopped breathing following delivery, they resuscitated him, placed him on oxygen, and took him immediately to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital.

Theo spent almost three months in the NICU, where he continued to grow with breathing and feeding support. Jess and Kate took turns visiting while also caring for their first child at home. Theo’s hospital stay took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, significant renovations at the St. John’s NICU, and a holiday season that made it even harder to be away from their son.

“We were both there every day,” said Jess. “It was great that he could receive that level of care so close to home, especially with another child to care for. The nurses did so many crafts and activities with him through the holiday season. We got to bring home a Thanksgiving card with his handprint as a turkey. With every new milestone or month, they made a banner for his crib.”

They were also able to see Theo whenever they wanted over video, thanks to a tablet installed next to Theo’s crib. The video feed was a huge comfort to Jess and Kate when they couldn’t be in the NICU. In honor of Theo’s first birthday, they launched a fundraiser to give back to the team at St. John’s and provide additional support for other families with a baby in the NICU.

“We wanted to provide something that would benefit the babies, nurses, and families,” said Kate. “We worked with the nursing team to identify items that would be especially helpful.”

Jess and Kate set a goal to raise $3,000 from family and friends. With the money raised, they will purchase swaddles, board books, mamaRoo swings, and newborn swing inserts – used to support smaller babies in the swing – among other supports for premature babies and their families in the NICU.

The mamaRoo swing rocks babies. It calms and comforts them, in turn promoting healthy development.

“It helps with infants whose parents aren’t able to be there all the time to rock them,” said Susan Vang, RN, BSN, nurse manager at the St. John’s NICU. “We used to have volunteers to come in and rock the babies, but we’ve had to put that on hold during the pandemic. These rockers also help free up nurses, who will often do the rocking themselves.”

The family has already surpassed their $3,000 fundraising goal, and they’re working with Vang to identify other supports they can provide for families. They plan to collect donations until Theo’s birthday on Nov. 21. They’ll then purchase the items and deliver them to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Theo is at home gaining strength with ongoing support from his family and care team.

“Theo went home about a week after his original due date, which was great considering his initial size – although it probably felt endless for the family,” said M Health Fairview Neonatologist Heather Podgorski, MD, who cared for Theo in the NICU. “We’ve developed a Neonatal Follow-Up Clinic that they brought him to shortly after leaving the hospital.”

Podgorski added that her job isn’t only about supporting newborns, but also caring for their families – something the Dornfelds’ fundraiser will help with. For their part, Jess and Kate are thrilled to have Theo home for the holidays this year, and excited to give back to the place that made it possible.

“They’re the reason he has a first birthday,” said Jess.