Understanding the Cost and Courage of NICU Journeys This #NICUAwarenessMonth

“I meet you not with balloons or lullabies,

But in a room where silence hums and machines cry.
You’re barely minutes old, your breath’s become a fight,
Wrapped in tubes through day and night…”

As nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), we have encountered many newborns, not in the comfort of their mother’s arms, but in cribs surrounded by machines, wires, and constant vigilance. 

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Every day, we come across multiple cases where babies are rushed to us within minutes of birth, before their mother has even had a chance to hold or see them. For us, this is not unusual. But for the families, especially first-time parents, it is a moment of intense fear. And, what may have started as a celebration becomes a whirlwind of medical terms, consent forms, and uncertainty. 

So, as we acknowledge NICU Awareness Month this September, we want to speak from our hearts as nurses to honour the strength of families and the incredible fight for their tiniest warriors.

A Nurse’s Voice from the NICU

NICU treatment becomes essential when a newborn enters the world too soon (premature), too small, or too fragile to survive on their own. Some are born with lungs that haven’t fully learned to breathe, some weigh less than a bottle of water, and others arrive in distress, with tiny hearts beating too fast, or sometimes too slow.

While taking care of them, our hands move with urgency. But our hearts? They stay soft. Because here in the NICU, we are the first ones, standing beside the doctors, to hear these tiny heartbeats outside their mother’s womb. The first to watch their chest rise and fall with machine-assisted breaths. The first to whisper, “You’re doing great, little one,” even if they can’t yet understand us.

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When the parents of these babies break down emotionally, we try to remain steady. And when no one is looking, we cry too. Quietly. Because we understand what’s at stake. Yet we return the next day, ready to face it all over again. 

And, slowly, we fall in love with the small moments, like celebrating a 10-gram weight gain or when a baby finally feeds without the aid of a tube. For us, these little ones are not just patients; they are our tiniest warriors. We celebrate each breath they take on their own like a miracle, because in many cases, it is.

But as each day passes, the joy of welcoming a new child becomes laced with rising medical bills and exhaustion for the families. Parents who should be home picking out onesies instead spend their time calculating NICU costs. 

The Cost of NICU Care: Financial Toll Beyond Measure

A single day of treatment in the NICU can cost anywhere between ₹5,000 and ₹50,000, depending on the city and level of care required. According to recent statistical reports, here’s a general estimate location-wise:

→ Hospitals in Mumbai: ₹35,000–₹45,000* per day

→ Hospitals in Delhi: ₹20,000–₹30,000* per day

→ Hospitals in Bangalore: ₹25,000–₹40,000* per day

*Please note that these costs may vary due to factors such as specific location, type of NICU treatment, and the attending physician.

When a baby stays for 30 to 60 days or even beyond, these expenses can quickly run even into lakhs, including post-NICU medications, follow-ups, and home care.

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For most families, NICU costs are not something they are prepared for. We’ve seen parents selling jewellery, breaking savings, and borrowing money to keep the treatment going to save their baby.

And in such times, crowdfunding becomes a ray of hope, helping parents continue their baby’s NICU treatments without the constant fear of running out of funds.

Also read: NICU Charges In Mumbai 

The Role of Crowdfunding in Saving a Newborn’s Life

When families find themselves out of options to manage the medical treatment costs for their newborns, crowdfunding can serve as a lifeline. It helps bridge urgent funding gaps, enabling hospitals and families to move forward with critical procedures without delay.

This support gives NICU babies a fighting chance at life that might otherwise be jeopardised due to financial constraints.

Source: Envato

Online crowdfunding platforms like ImpactGuru make this possible by connecting such families with a vast community of donors. In many cases, help arrives within days through contributions from strangers touched by the family’s struggle. 

What might take months to arrange through loans or savings becomes available quickly, ensuring no treatment is delayed. 

Also read: How Did Fundraising With ImpactGuru Help The Paswan Family - A Story Told Through Pictures 

A Message of Strength & Hope 

This NICU Awareness Month, we aim to share the stories of resilience we witness daily – newborns fighting against all odds and families that stand strong despite fear and uncertainty.

These journeys remind us that survival is not just about medical care, but also about timely support that helps parents focus on their child instead of overwhelming costs. And, crowdfunding has often been that pillar of hope for them, that ensures no family’s fight is cut short simply because of high expenses.

Source: Canva Pro

And, amidst all this, the greatest reward for nurses like us? 

Watching a child who once arrived fighting for life go home in their parents’ arms, healthy and safe. Those moments remind us why every effort– medical, emotional, and financial- matters.

This September, let us honour not just the struggles inside the NICU, but also the hope that carries families through, proving that every baby deserves the chance to heal, grow, and be loved.

Disclaimer: This article has been written from a nurse’s perspective for narrative purposes. The experiences and perspectives shared are representative and intended to highlight the realities of NICU journeys.