Key Points
- Four NICU nurses created a coloring book to help siblings understand what happens when a baby is in intensive care.
- A NICU season affects the whole family, including siblings who may feel confused, afraid, or overlooked.
- Small acts of compassion can become meaningful reminders of God’s love during stressful seasons.
- Waiting seasons can strengthen faith as families depend on God for hope, courage, and endurance.
- Christians can reflect Christ by noticing overlooked needs and serving families through practical care.
Four NICU nurses at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford created a unique children’s coloring book that is designed to teach older siblings about the NICU. Many NICUs limit the number of visitors allowed to see babies who are hospitalized, and oftentimes, kids are not allowed in the NICU at all. It can be very confusing for siblings to understand where their new sibling is, why they are there, how long they may need care, and why their parents are splitting their time between home and the hospital.
If siblings are allowed to visit their baby brother or sister, entering the NICU can be a very confusing, scary, and overwhelming experience. There is constant beeping, machines around the baby's crib, tubes connected to their sibling, and rules about how to behave in this setting. The coloring book features the entrance doors to the NICU at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and the following pages offer some insight into what they might see if they visit the unit. Key items included are a hand-washing station, babies in incubators, feeding tubes, CPAP machines, and more.
This small coloring book is a big expression of love towards families navigating the overwhelming experience of having a child in the NICU. God often works through small, thoughtful acts of compassion that minister to the entire family during difficult seasons.
How Does a NICU Stay Affect the Whole Family?
When an infant is in the hospital, this family crisis impacts every member of the household. Our youngest spent 2.5 months in the hospital, most of that time in the NICU, until the last few weeks, when she was transferred to the Children’s Hospital that had a more lenient visiting policy. During this time, my husband and I took turns being at the hospital while the other one was home with the remainder of our children.
While our daughter was in the NICU, only adults could visit, so my kids all knew of the baby we were caring for. It was so hard for them to truly understand what was going on because they had not met their sister in person. They were praying for the baby, but really could only begin the process of attachment once she was moved to the Children’s Hospital and they were allowed to meet her.
Our kids felt overwhelmed by seeing this little one attached to cords and tubes. We spent so much time explaining what each tube was for and what to expect in the months to come. When the baby needed surgery, they struggled to process how such a small human could go through something so scary. When Mom or Dad was tired or unavailable, they felt concerned or had to be more flexible as their schedule was impacted, too!
Additionally, when she came home, she still needed special care, so the kids had to make extra space to accommodate their sibling's needs. Everyone was part of loving, caring for, and sacrificing for their sister, who had more complex medical needs.
Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Families who walk through this sort of trying season have a special opportunity to carry each other’s burdens.
How Can Small Acts of Kindness Become Ministry?
Often, the things that have the greatest impact on someone’s life during a tough time are the small acts of kindness. Compassion often looks ordinary. These sweet coloring books are not a medical treatment or a major program, but they met a real emotional and spiritual need.
Jesus often took note of the small ways he could show love. He took time to touch the sick (Matthew 8:14-15), he welcomed the children (Matthew 19:13-15), provided meals to the crowd (Matthew 14:13-21), and spoke words of encouragement (John 14:27). When we slow down and take note of the needs around us, finding ways to bless others, we are living as Jesus did.
We can follow the example of these thoughtful nurses and take the time to show care for others who are walking through a stressful time. Take time to send a handwritten note of encouragement, prepare a meal for a family, be a prayer warrior for those in the trenches, supply gifts or childcare for those navigating a longer hospital stay. These minor acts become lasting reminders of God’s love.
When I reflect on our NICU time, I see God’s provision fulfilled by generous people around us who sought to be the hands and feet of Christ. Friends who offered gift cards, childcare, and meals. Others who bought baby supplies or provided funds for our family as we were stretched thinner in that season. Others who prayed and offered words of encouragement. God was with us, and we felt his love through the generosity of others.
How Can Christians See the People Waiting in Hard Seasons?
Waiting seasons test our faith in unique ways. Waiting for a child to come home from an extended hospital stay can be agonizing at times. During our waiting season, God brought several verses to my attention that highlight the ways he uses waiting to bless us (even when it feels so very hard).
Isaiah 30:18 states, “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
Psalm 27:14 encourages, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Isaiah 40:31 promises, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
God uses our difficult ‘waiting seasons' to stir up in us a faith that is deeply rooted and strong. Our faith goes from hypothetical to entirely necessary. Our faith becomes the thing that matters more than anything else in front of us; it’s our lifeline to hope and strength even when we otherwise feel entirely defeated. Remember that God's presence is in the waiting room. He is not just with us in the miracles but also in seasons of stress and uncertainty.
What Can Christians Learn from These NICU Nurses?
1. Why Does Ministry Begin with Observation?
These nurses noticed a need that is often overlooked. Compassion often starts with paying attention and then determining how you can make a difference. Some questions that can help us with our observations include:
Who feels invisible right now?
Who is carrying a silent burden?
2. How Does Creative Care Reflect God’s Heart?
Coloring books are a creative way to show love to families in a tough season. These nurses used their imagination and creative skills to create something that is a tangible way to support those they serve. Christians can use their creative skills to offer unique solutions to the needs we observe in our daily lives!
3. How Can Every Calling Become a Ministry?
Nurses, teachers, administrators, and neighbors can all reflect Christ in their work! Ministry is not limited to church programs. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ in every place we go.
These coloring books represent more than just an activity; they are a message to these kids that someone sees them and cares about their situation. Each believer can look for ways to show thoughtful compassion in their homes, neighborhoods, churches, workplaces, and more! Ask God to show us how to notice the overlooked, serve through small details, and reflect God’s love to families walking through seasons of fear and waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions about NICU Families and Christian Compassion
- Why would siblings need help understanding the NICU?
Siblings may feel confused, afraid, or left out when a baby is hospitalized, especially if they cannot visit or do not understand the machines, tubes, and hospital routines. - How can small acts of kindness help NICU families?
Small acts of kindness can offer comfort, reduce loneliness, and remind families that they are seen, supported, and loved during an overwhelming season. - What can Christians do for families with a baby in the NICU?
Christians can pray, provide meals, offer childcare, send encouragement, give gift cards, help with errands, and make space for the whole family’s emotional needs. - What does the Bible say about waiting during hard seasons?
Scripture encourages believers to wait on the Lord with courage and hope, trusting that God is present even when answers are slow or circumstances feel uncertain. - How can every calling become a ministry?
Every calling can become a ministry when believers use their work, creativity, compassion, and attention to serve others and reflect the love of Christ.
For Further Reading
- Are We Supposed to Carry Each Other’s Burdens?
- What Does It Mean to Wait on the Lord?
- What Does it Mean to Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus?
- How Did Jesus Interact with Children?
- What Is Christian Empathy?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/zGel
