From NICU Mom to Foster Parent: One Nurse’s Path to Caring for Medically Fragile Babies

When a newborn requires specialized medical care and the parent is temporarily unable to meet those needs, the baby may enter foster care for safety and support. It’s a situation many families find overwhelming and emotionally taxing.

10 Tampa Bay’s Forever Family series recently revisited the story of Melissa, an ER nurse and foster parent who knows exactly what that fear feels like. Two of her biological children spent time in the NICU after birth, and she described the experience as “so overwhelming” because “you don’t know what to expect.” She even completed part of her nursing certification while one of her babies was admitted.

Melissa says those early days shaped her view of nursing and family support. She remembers how the NICU team cared for her whole family, saying NICU nurses “go above and beyond for the entire family, because it’s much more than just the baby.”

Years later, Melissa became a foster parent specifically for medically fragile newborns discharged from the NICU. Many of the babies placed with her had spent weeks in the hospital. Some were drug-exposed, and others faced infectious complications or withdrawal symptoms. “Lots of drug-addicted newborns, unfortunately,” she said, adding that many babies were “struggling with infectious diseases.”

One of those babies was Amelia, whose biological mother made the heartbreaking decision to leave her in the hospital because she couldn’t safely care for her at that time. Melissa said, “I imagine she knew she would find an amazing family to love her. And we are that amazing family.” She calls Amelia “truly a gift” and says her entire family adores her.

Although her love for the babies is clear, Melissa is quick to remind people that foster care is not designed to separate children from their parents. “Foster care is not about adoption,” she said. “Foster care is about reunification.”

She works directly with birth parents as they address the challenges that led to foster placement. Many of the parents she meets grew up without healthy parenting models. Melissa often asks, “How can parents learn how to be a good parent when you’ve never seen that modeled?”

She emphasizes that these parents are not choosing hardship. “None of these parents would ever, ever, ever choose to be in this situation,” she said. Many biological mothers have thanked her for caring for their babies during a vulnerable time, telling her, “Thank you so much for being the mom they need.”

Melissa is currently fostering another NICU baby who spent five weeks in the unit before coming home with her. He is now doing extremely well. “He’s doing really amazing,” she said, adding that “our heart’s in it for the right reasons.”

Her story highlights how nurses and foster parents can play essential roles in helping families heal, rebuild, and eventually reunite.

For more Forever Family stories or to learn about fostering and adoption, visit HERE.

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