A NICU Nurse Made Halloween Costumes For All 80 Babies In Her Unit.
Some of the tiniest trick-or-treaters in Pittsburgh got to celebrate Halloween in style, thanks to one nurse with a creative streak and a big heart. Riley Smolsky, a registered nurse who has worked in the neonatal intensive care unit at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital for nearly six years, crafted costumes for all 80 babies in the unit. The costumes included Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, a pumpkin spice latte, painter Bob Ross, peas in a pod, peanut butter and jelly, and Heinz ketchup and mustard, all designed to fit babies of different sizes and even to work for twins. Smolsky said she wanted the outfits to fit just right and give families a great photo opportunity for Halloween, but mostly she wanted to make everybody smile.
She did not do it alone, since friends, family, and members of the Duquesne Women's Club Soccer Team all pitched in to help the costumes come together. Baby Owen became a hot dog for his first Halloween, and his moms, Sara and Zoe Kreinberg, were delighted to spend time with him in his costume. Another little patient, a preemie named Ezra, wore an Elmo costume, and his parents, David and Megan Schmiech, shared their gratitude for the surprise. Smolsky said she believes a gesture like this can make the dark days a little bit brighter for NICU families, and for parents spending a first Halloween in a hospital, a baby dressed as a hot dog is exactly the kind of bright spot that helps.
