Baby spends 170 days at Broward Health, now ready to go home
FORT LAUDERDALE — After a five-month stay at Broward Health Medical Center, baby Alanie Lettsome is finally going home. Born at just 23 weeks and weighing a little over one pound, Alanie defied the odds and graduated from the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
According to a release from Broward Health, Alanie's mother, Stuart, sought care at the hospital's flagship location due to cervical incompetence, putting her at high risk of premature delivery.
Three days after arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Stuart gave birth to Alanie during her 23rd week of pregnancy. Weighing only 1 pound, 1 ounce, Alanie was classified as a micro preemie.
Although Alanie required extensive care in his early days and was placed on a ventilator, he managed to avoid common complications associated with premature births, such as brain bleeding and intestinal issues, as reported by Broward Health.
Under the dedicated care and monitoring of Broward Health's multidisciplinary team and his parents, Alanie is now ready to go home, weighing over 9 pounds.
"At Broward Health, I felt loved," said Stuart. "They made sure I was taken care of mentally and physically, from ensuring I was well-fed to taking me outside for walks."
During Alanie's extended stay, Stuart participated in the hospital's weekly NICU scrapbooking hour, documenting Alanie's journey and connecting with other NICU parents.
Dr. Johny Tryzmel, a specialist in neonatology and pediatrics, highlighted the family-centered approach of Broward Health's NICU.
"Our patient is not just the baby, it's the whole family. We're focused on providing family-centered care and involving the family in the baby's care from the beginning. This is fundamental to achieving the best outcome," Tryzmel said.
"Our main goal is to send home a healthy baby, and we value the opportunity to celebrate our NICU graduates."