Welcome to the NICU.

As an attending neonatologist, I may be introduced at times as “the supervising physician” or even “the doctor in charge,” but I am far from truly Being In Charge.

Because the babies are as much “in charge” as any of us. They are the ones driving the bus and driving the narrative, the ones for whom we show up.

The NICU belongs to the babies and their families.  The rest of us—nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists, social workers, case managers, speech/language pathologists, ECMO specialists, physical and occupational therapists, lactation consultants—are all privileged guests as well as team members.

In decades of attending to NICU babies, I've learned from them that we are each unique and we are all beloved. None of us is independent and none of us has it easy.  We are all growing and learning and struggling—together.

When Jesus says we must become like little children in order to receive the kingdom of heaven--the kingdom that it is our Father's good pleasure to give us-- could He possibly mean that we can learn from babies?

I think He does, and I think we can.

Let's set aside our expectations and fears, scrub up to our elbows, and walk through the automatic double doors into the world of the NICU.