Halloween is a time for costumes, candy, and spooky fun, but for families whose babies are in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the holiday can often feel bittersweet. As they navigate the challenges of having a baby in the hospital, the festive spirit of the season can sometimes take a backseat. However, at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb NICUs, the nurses and staff have found a heartwarming way to bring a little extra joy and love to families this Halloween.
Every year, the incredible NICU nurses at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb go above and beyond to create special moments for their patients and their families. They handcraft unique Halloween costumes for the babies in their care, allowing families to celebrate the holiday together, even if their little ones are still in the hospital. These costumes, made with care and creativity, help to turn the NICU into a place filled with laughter, smiles, and the magic of the season, despite the difficult circumstances.
This year’s Halloween costume lineup is nothing short of adorable. The NICU babies have been transformed into little pumpkins, superheroes, butterflies, gnomes, and even an avocado. Each costume is carefully crafted, with the tiniest details making them as special as the babies wearing them. From the green leaves of a pumpkin costume to the little superhero capes fluttering behind the babies, each outfit represents the love, care, and dedication of the NICU nurses who spent hours creating these outfits.
“We know the holiday season can be emotional for NICU families,” said Megan Kemp, the neonatal ICU nurse manager at Wellstar Cobb. “Our team looks for ways to create positive moments, crafting costumes and working with families to capture some of the cutest Halloween memories. It’s truly an honor to care for these patients and their families.”
For families with babies in the NICU, the holidays are often a reminder of how much they are missing. They may not be able to take their babies home yet, and they might not be able to celebrate in the traditional sense with costumes and trick-or-treating. These families often face feelings of uncertainty, stress, and worry, all while watching their little ones fight through difficult medical challenges. In such a time, small moments of joy can mean everything.
The handmade costumes are more than just a way to dress up the babies—they are an act of kindness and love that helps to create lasting memories during a difficult time. For parents who may be spending long days in the NICU, the costumes give them something to smile about. The photos taken of these little ones dressed as pumpkins, superheroes, and even an avocado become cherished keepsakes, a reminder of the love and care that surrounds them, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
The NICU nurses work closely with the families to make sure each baby gets the costume that suits their personality. While many of the costumes are designed with Halloween themes, the focus is on creating a moment of joy for both the parents and their babies. The NICU team helps the families capture the moment with photos, providing them with a keepsake that will stay with them long after their baby has left the NICU. These memories are a lifeline during a time when many moments feel uncertain.
“The NICU experience can be isolating for families,” said Kemp. “Being in the hospital with your baby for an extended period of time, you miss out on things like Halloween. It’s important for us to be able to give families an opportunity to have a positive, joyful experience, even if it’s in the midst of a very stressful time.”
These tiny costumes also bring a sense of community to the NICU. As families move through the emotional rollercoaster of their baby’s health, they are often surrounded by the love and support of the NICU staff, as well as other families going through similar experiences. The shared joy of seeing these little ones dressed up in their adorable costumes creates a bond among families and staff alike. There’s something universally heartwarming about the sight of a baby in a cute costume, and for a few moments, the weight of the situation is lifted by the joy of the holiday.
While these costumes are certainly a bright spot in the NICU, they also serve a deeper purpose. For many of these families, their time in the NICU is long and uncertain. The handmade Halloween costumes give them something to hold onto, a way to celebrate even when their world feels upended. These moments are more than just about the holiday—they’re about finding joy in the small things, even when life feels tough.
“We understand how hard it can be to be in the NICU during the holidays,” Kemp said. “By making these costumes and taking photos, we are giving these families something positive to hold onto during an incredibly difficult time. It’s a small way we can make a big difference.”
This year, the tiny pumpkins, superheroes, butterflies, and avocados are bringing not just smiles but a sense of hope and joy during a tough season. The NICU staff at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb have worked tirelessly to craft these costumes with love, ensuring that these babies and their families have something to celebrate. In a place where hope and heartache often coexist, the nurses’ kindness and creativity have created moments of pure happiness for families who need it most.
“These tiny pumpkins are bringing a little extra joy during a tough time,” Kemp said. And with every tiny costume and every joyful moment captured, the NICU team at Wellstar Kennestone and Wellstar Cobb is showing these families that even in the hardest of times, there is always room for love, laughter, and a little bit of Halloween magic.
