Trials of premature babies move and inspire families in DF

Premature babies admitted to public hospitals in the Federal District received a photo shoot full of affection. Each click is part of Purple November, an awareness campaign about prematurity. The photos, taken with sensitivity, helped to dispel the daily apprehension of the risks of birth before nine months.

Paloma Gonçalves is the mother of little Isac de Jesus (featured photo), one of the premature babies admitted to the Neonatal Unit (Uneo) of the Ceilândia Regional Hospital (HRC). At the end of October, she was thrilled to participate in the shoot next door, skin to skin, with her son.

“These records will be kept forever. Every time we look back, we will remember what we went through and see that everything worked out in the end,” she said. “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the hospital team for all their care with the premature babies and the affection they show, including with their families”, highlighted Paloma.

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Other HRC Uneo babies were also models. Photographers Alessandra Moraes Oliveira Nardes, Marcos Bontempo dos Santos and Ricardo Khalil Lamia recorded the shoots with the theme “A Dive into the HRC Neonatal Unit”.

See photos from the rehearsals:

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Since 2016, HRC’s Uneo has carried out photo shoots and exhibitions. “There’s a lot of love and emotion. The mothers, the team and the volunteer photographers come together to celebrate the little warriors, who fight bravely to survive”, reports the Nursing Supervisor at Uneo HRC, Raíssa Alves de Sousa.

According to Raíssa Alves, the action is an invitation to delve deeper into the universe of prematurity, to learn about the challenges, struggles, uncertainties facing the new life and the victories of these families. Psychologist from Uneo at HRC, Denise Percílio highlighted the importance of welcoming the “premature family”, who are born with the baby.

“We, the team, need to understand this baby and his family. Being in neonatology is not something mechanical”, explained Percílio.

HRS: good memories

On Tuesday (11/7), photographer Andreza Lopes recorded the first memories of 23 premature babies admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Neonatal Intermediate Care Units (NICU) of the Hospital Regional de Sobradinho (HRS).

The theme of the essay was “Fighting Against Prematurity”. Mothers and babies received makeup and costumes, respectively. Each baby received a kit with clothes and letters made by the hospital team itself. The objective of the activity is, mainly, to offer families a moment of closeness and remembrance.

“This is important care for the women and their babies we care for. The entire hospital NICU team strives to create good memories, even during the period of hospitalization”, explained the HRS NICU Nursing Coordinator, Valquíria Vicente da Cunha Barbosa.

Purple November

In 2023, the Purple November global campaign brings the motto “Small actions, big impact: immediate skin-to-skin contact for all babies, everywhere”. The color purple symbolizes sensitivity and individuality, which are typical characteristics of premature babies.

To celebrate the month, several units in the DF network plan actions between families and babies. The focus will be, among others, on providing moments of lightness, relaxation and support, especially for mothers who “live” in hospitals. In addition to the photo shoots, other activities will be offered:

See the schedule:

‌Sobradinho Regional Hospital (HRS)

09/11 – 2pm – Bingo with the mothers
11/14 – 3pm – Craft workshop
11/17 – 3pm – Solemn session with management, employees and mothers
11/24 – 9:30 am – Mother-to-mother conversation‌

Eastern Region Hospital (HRL)

11/21 – 10am – Breakfast with panel on Purple November, the role of the multidisciplinary team and reports from mothers of premature babies‌

Brasília Maternal and Child Hospital (Hmib)

14/11 – 8am – Cinema session, conversation circles and distribution of kits at Ucin Canguru
11/16 – Photo shoot for mothers and premature babies

Ceilândia Regional Hospital (HRC)

11/17 – 8am – Breakfast in honor of families of premature babies
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Santa Maria Regional Hospital (HRSM)

11/17:
8:30 am – Opening
9am – Premature birth, causes and how to prevent it
9:40 am – Break
10am – Neuroprotective measures, ambience
10:40 am – Minimum Handling
11:20 am – Medications most used in prematurity
12pm to 1:30pm – Lunch
1:40 pm – Aspects of motor and respiratory development
2:20 pm – Skin to skin and the promotion of breastfeeding
3pm – Speech therapy for premature babies
3:40 pm – Neonatal palliative care
4:20 pm – When the baby arrives early: psychological aspects of prematurity
5pm – Closing