When baby’s first Valentine’s Day has to happen in the neonatal intensive care unit, hospital staff bring the red and pink hearts and cupids bedside so parents don’t miss out on a holiday photo shoot with their little loves.
On Wednesday, Feb. 12, Children’s Hospital of Orange County staff in the NICU and the Small Baby Unit were helping families create Valentine’s Day-themed photos to send to relatives and for social media.
Jacqueline Duran takes a photo with her daughter Olivia Koo during a Valentine’s Day photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Olivia has been at the Small Baby Unit for more than 3 months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Elizabeth Murillo takes a photo of her daughter Elizabeth during a Valentine’s Day photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Elizabeth has been at the hospital for two months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Diana Hurtado, Family Support Program Coordinator, and staff take a cart of Valentine’s Day props to patients rooms in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Patrick Tejada holds his son Patrick Alesandro Tejada in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The younger Patrick, who has been at the hospital for nearly two months, was preparing to have a Valentine’s Day photo shoot. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Props are available for Valentine’s Day photo shoots in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Jacqueline Duran holds her daughter Olivia Koo before a Valentine’s Day photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Olivia has been at the Small Baby Unit for more than 3 months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Diana Hurtado, Family Support Program Coordinator, helps Jacqueline Duran get her daughter Olivia Koo ready for a Valentine’s Day photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Olivia has been at the Small Baby Unit for more than 3 months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Patrick Alesandro Tejada checks out the Valentine’s Day props during a photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Patrick has been at the hospital for nearly two months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Show Caption1 of 8Jacqueline Duran takes a photo with her daughter Olivia Koo during a Valentine’s Day photo shoot in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, CA on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The event helps families create photos for family and social media as they spend the holiday at CHOC. Olivia has been at the Small Baby Unit for more than 3 months. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Expand“We’re hoping to bring a little bit of joy to the families,” said Diana Hurtado, family support program coordinator at CHOC. For some of these parents, their baby’s stay in the NICU could be a few months up to eight months or longer.
Eighty babies are being treated every day on average at CHOC, its officials said.
With a cart full of hearts and other props, Hurtado visited patient rooms, helping parents make a fun memory aside from the hospital tubes and machines.
Patrick Tejada, his wife Kristal Carranza and their baby, Patrick Alesandro Tejada, have been at CHOC for nearly two months. Baby Patrick was born with an esophagus condition.
Tejada said he appreciated the work of the staff and the break the photo shoot offered. His son got dressed up in a red flannel shirt and jeans for his photo, smiling as he laid in a basket under a sign spelling out “love.”
“These nurses,” Tejada said, “they’re really a godsend.”
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