As a first-time mother, embarking on the journey of parenthood as a single mother by choice, I anticipated challenges throughout pregnancy and my first few weeks as a mom. However, nothing prepared me for the unexpected early delivery of my baby at 32 weeks, followed by a daunting 10-week stay in the NICU. Amidst the exceptional care provided by the staff at Hemby Children's Hospital ICN, Jennifer A. Cannon was a stand-out nurse filled with compassion and drive that makes a lasting impression on every baby and family she interacts with. I’m a very type-A, anxious person who prefers knowing as much as I can about any new situation, and in a matter of hours I was thrown into a stressful medical setting with no understanding or preparation for it. It felt like drinking from a firehose (on top of all the emotions and hormones that accompany any birth).

Jennifer was assigned to us about a week into my new life as a NICU parent. She really stood out in taking her time to explain the context behind her approach to my baby's care. I found so much comfort in Jennifer as she helped me understand the rationale behind the small details—how each lead, monitor, tube, and care task helped my baby grow, breathe, and thrive in specific ways, and allowed me to thoroughly understand what I could expect from each milestone. As I was trying to learn all the new medical terminology and routines, one of my new favorite vocabulary words was learning what a “primary” nurse was when Jennifer shared, she would be assigned to my baby for most of her shifts. In those shifts, Jennifer went beyond her role as a nurse, helping me understand the ins and outs of the NICU monitoring, care, and prognosis—she had a reassuring way of explaining my baby’s progress, milestones, celebrations, setbacks, and mundane progression I might expect each day. She helped me get through the initial struggle of bonding when I couldn’t hold my baby for more than 30 minutes a day. She helped me learn how to read my baby's hunger, gas, and discomfort cues. She explained everything in ways I could understand and digest, clearly drawing on her many years of experience. I will never forget when she told me, “Remember, it’s like we’re asking her to run a 5k yesterday, and again today, and she’s having to train and recover and build up that endurance every time.”

Jennifer became such a big advocate for my baby and me—helping me understand what I, too, could advocate for as I got to know her sitting crib side all those weeks. She shared an amazing amount of wisdom that better equipped me in general as a parent for caring for my baby and getting to know them. Jennifer made our seemingly endless struggle go by so much faster and more peacefully. Finally, the firehose started to feel more like a gentle summer rain. It’s been a week at home now, and I have already used that knowledge more times a day than I could possibly count as I navigate our first nights, feeds, pediatrician appointments, and more. As happy as I am to be home, I am shocked to find myself missing those days in the NICU during Jennifer’s shifts—having her comforting presence and witnessing the passion she puts forth in her job every day. But as I navigate motherhood at home, I am comforted knowing that Jennifer is providing other babies and families with the same exceptional care that she provided us. I am so grateful for her impact on our lives, and the guidance she provided us from birth to our NICU graduation day.