Everly has been living in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis, Indiana, since birth. To mark her milestone 100th day, her parents threw an unforgettable party for her.
Tyler and Lindsay Staup, Everly's parents, are both teachers. Everly was born on March 21 and has been in the NICU since then.
"We thought we could tie in the tradition inside the NICU just to make it fun and joyful," Lindsay told Good Morning America.
"We were like, we had to do something fun, to just bring joy and create memories with her," she added.
On Everly's special day, she was dressed in a glittery golden crown with an oversized 100, a custom white onesie, and a sunny yellow tutu.
100 days in the NICU
The baby's parents wore a T-shirt that matched Everly's outfit, with the words "Hip Hip Hooray. It's the 100th day."
Lindsay told the outlet that they had a big photo shoot and her mom was the one who created the design of Everly's onesie. Her mom also designed the shirts, prepared balloons, found the little 100-day crown, and made everything fit from her head to her toes.
According to the mother, the doctors, nurse practitioners, and NICU nurses at Riley participated in the fun on Everly's 100-day milestone, making the event beyond special.
Tyler said that Riley has the best nurses and doctors, and their family loved them as they made them feel welcome and truly cared for them, especially their daughter. The father added that it's great to know that even if they're not there most of the time, Everly's in wonderful hands due to the nurses and doctors' work at Riley, per ABC News.
Celebrating the special day
A hospital's NICU is usually filled with newborns and infants fighting for their lives while being hooked to numerous machines. According to Standford Children, newborn babies who need intensive medical care are often placed in the NICU.
The NICU offers advanced technology and well-trained healthcare professionals to provide special care for the tiniest patients. It also covers areas for babies who are not sick but need specialized nursing care.
Infants who need extensive care do better if they are born in a hospital with a NICU than when they are moved to another hospital after birth.
Usually, babies admitted to the NICU are preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy), have low birth weight or are less than 5.5 pounds, and have a condition that requires special care.
Everly received treatment for Duodenal Atresia, an abnormality where the duodenum or the first part of the small intestine is blocked, and various other complications due to prematurity, such as chronic lung disease.
Despite experiencing setbacks, Tyler said that his daughter has remained resilient.
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