ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Three and a half months old is pretty much brand new when talking about a newborn, but for one family, that’s 14 weeks baby Ahmad Edwards has never left a hospital room.
- NICU cameras allow parents to spend time with babies 24/7
- Parents can log into app and live stream their baby
- Angel Eye Camera funded by Johns Hopkins All Children's Foundation
“You’re carrying a child for nine months and you’re planning for him to come home, you’re talking about his growth and all these things that are going to happen once he’s born, and then it’s all kind of like snatched away from you when they get sick,” said Antoinette Goggins, Ahmad’s mom.
Ahmad was born with necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease of the intestine.
In his short life, he’s had several surgeries to correct the problem, and until it’s corrected, he will continue to live in the NICU at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
It’s not easy for his parents, who live 45 minutes away.
“It’s been a challenge, especially trying to work and trying to balance home and trying to be here,” said Goggins.
But a new program at the hospital is making this new normal a little bit easier.
“Some families have other children at home or they live far away, so this is a way for them to feel close to their baby, even when they’re not here,” said Barbara Belluccio, registered nurse at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
It’s called the Angel Eye camera, funded by the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation, so parents can log in to an app and live stream their baby any time they want.
For Goggins, it’s made all the difference.
“It eases my mind to know that I can go in at any time and watch his moments,” said Goggins.
Moments she says she is so thankful to have.
“This is what I see. I see this. Even though I can’t hear him, I know he’s in a good mood. And that puts me at ease,” said Goggins.