Three Indianapolis brothers each spent a long time in the neonatal intensive care unit after they were born well before their due dates, but all are doing well today.
By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org
Imagine – three pregnancies, three premature babies, three extended stays in the neonatal intensive care unit over four years.
Kimmie and Matt Bridges don’t have to imagine. They lived the difficult experience, but all three of their little boys are thriving today.
The Indianapolis family joined the Riley NICU Superhero Walk over the weekend, their first time participating in the reunion/fundraiser that supports babies and families in both the Simon Family Tower and Maternity Tower NICUs at Riley.
Super babies Beau, 4; Conor, 3; and Rudy (RuRu), 6 months, were each delivered several weeks early due to Kimmie Bridges’ battle with pre-eclampsia, a life-threatening condition that can occur during pregnancy.
Beau was born at 33 weeks, weighing 3 pounds, 4 ounces; Conor was born at 29 weeks, weighing 2 pounds, 14 ounces; and Rudy was born at just over 26 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 11 ounces.
All told, the babies spent 198 days in the NICU at Riley, though Rudy, the smallest, was there the longest – 98 days.
Rudy was also the first of the boys to be born in the Riley Maternity Tower, which opened in November 2021. The experience was easier, Kimmie Bridges said, because she and her newborn were in the same hospital as she recovered. Previously, babies were delivered at IU Health Methodist Hospital, then transferred to Riley if they needed advanced preemie care.
“I’m thankful every single day for Riley Hospital for Children for saving all of my babies’ lives and my life,” the boys’ mom said.
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