Welcome to Nicklaus Children's Hospital. For Health. For Life.

By: Jennifer Rodriguez Anzoategui

The first year of a child’s life is full of wonderful firsts: The first nerve wracking car ride home after the hospital, the first time he or she smiles, the first time a child actually sleeps through the night (yay) and, of course, the first time you hear your child’s voice. Your child will begin to communicate with you and express himself long before you even hear his first word.
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By: Cristina Edmunds

My family and I recently relocated to Birmingham, Al. One of the many things on my to do list was to find a counselor in this new city. In one of our first sessions together, she asked me this seemingly simple question. “What does it mean to you to be a mother?”  I started to answer by listing off things that I do as a mother, tasks that I assume as my son’s mother, but that’s not what she asked me. I had to stop, take a breath, and answer as honestly as I could.
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By: Cristina Edmunds

In honor of Rare Disease Day 2018, I’m sharing with you my experience so far in raising a child with a rare diagnosis. So rare, in fact, he shares the diagnosis with approximately 50 other people worldwide. For us, this means many things physically, and emotionally. It requires patience, the ability to acquire and hold on to new knowledge, the openness to learn how to care for your child in a way that does not come naturally, and making peace with unknowns. Let’s dive in.
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By: Eileen Garcell Garcia

I am grateful for the opportunity I have been given to be able to provide support to expecting families on the journey to parenthood. Although pregnancy is a time of great joy and excitement, for some parents it can be filled with uncertainty and anxiety, especially when the baby’s health is of concern.
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By: Maeghan Garcia

It’s always a good idea to educate yourself and try to prepare for the challenges that parenthood will inevitably bring. There are various parenting self-help books available and, of course, an experienced mom or dad may be able to offer a pointer or two. But even if you do access all your resources – guess what? You’re going to make mistakes because you’re human and child-rearing is not a perfect science. I promise that nobody has it completely figured out.
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