Mercyhealth NICU babies gifted with handmade Halloween costumes

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Dressing your newborn up for Halloween is a memorable moment for most parents, but for babies born prematurely, a traditional costume isn’t always an option as they recover in the hospital.

Just in time for Halloween coming up, a Mercyhealth NICU nurse rings in the occasion by making 52 costumes by hand to ensure babies have a costume so they do not miss out on the holiday.

JoAnn Gorsline is a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse at Mercyhealth’s Javon Bea Hospital–Riverside. She made the costumes that include Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Babybel Cheese, a cheeseburger, fries and more.

“Parents always comment about how they love having the costumes. It makes the stay easier, it makes having a baby in the NICU seem more normal, not so (much like being in a) hospital and out of the ordinary, just some normalcy in the middle of a very trying time in their lives,” said JoAnn.

Mercyhealth is designated by the state of Illinois as a Level III Regional Perinatal Center. This designation is the highest in the state, reflecting Mercyhealth’s specialized expertise and comprehensive resources to treat the smallest and sickest babies.