LOUISVILLE, Ky. — They're the tiniest, most critical patients at Norton Children's Hospital. For many of them, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been their only home; an isolating experience for hundreds of families each year.
Dr. Tamina Singh sees it all, the ups and down of life in the NICU. She stepped into the role of medical director for the NICU last July, but her career as a Neonatologist spans decades.
"The first baby I treated probably has a job now," Dr. Singh said with a smile.
Born and raised in Jamaica, it's where Dr. Singh started her career, inspired by her own pediatrician when she was 6.
"She was so gentle. I remember her being so reassuring and those are the qualities I definitely wanted to emulate," Dr. Singh said.
Recently, the two reconnected during a trip back home. Her former pediatrician still practices there today.
Here in Louisville, Dr. Singh's also the director of Neonatal Cardiovascular Services at Norton Children’s. She's treated premature babies, as young as 22 weeks gestation, to full-term babies with congenital heart defects. There's a wide range of difficulties that come with both and Dr. Singh makes it a priority to be there for the families, hoping to ease some of the burden.
"Pregnancy and expecting a baby is supposed to be such an incredibly joyful time, so when our families are faced with the situation, where they realize they might not be able to take that baby home right away, that’s going to bring a lot of stress and grief sometimes," Dr. Singh said. "So, our job as providers in the NICU is to still make them feel as they’re a parent."
"Whether it's a diaper change or a bath or just a snuggle. Just providing comfort to their little one, that's a huge part of what we do," she said. "Because there are a lot of machines and bells and whistles and alarms going off."
The 101-bed unit at Norton Children’s Hospital is the region’s only NICU that is Level IV — the highest designation possible from the American Academy of Pediatrics. While Dr. Singh spends most of her time here, she's still very much involved with Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital (Level III), and other local and regional hospitals.
She's also a familiar face in the delivery room when doctors are expecting risky deliveries or premature births. She tries her best to make sure the parents get a moment with their newborn before the baby's taken to the NICU for what could be a lengthy stay.
"Just seeing that joy of a family being able to snuggle for a minute before we whisk the baby away... that's always very special to me when we can have a chance at a bonding experience in the delivery room," Dr. Singh said.
Much like her patients, Dr. Singh finds joy in the little things.
"At the end of the day, if you can do something or say something to make a family feel a little better, or rest easier, or just find some comfort, that's a really good day," she said.
Before the pandemic hit, former NICU families would often return to Norton Children's for a reunion with the medical teams who gave them a fighting chance.
"It's always so lovely when you can remember them all. You don't need a nametag. You just see the baby and it's maybe a year later. You reform that connection and that's so rewarding," Dr. Singh said.
This last year was the first that reunion didn't happen, but Dr. Singh is still able to see a majority of her patients at Norton Children’s Neonatal Follow-up Clinic, often after they’ve received lifesaving heart surgery.
It's one of her greatest joys to send them home.
Contact reporter Brooke Hasch at bhasch@whas11.com. Follow her on Twitter (@WHAS11Hasch) and Facebook.
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