Emergency C-section at 28 weeks: Dylan’s story

09/19/2022

At her six-month pregnancy checkup, Alyssa Devens received some shocking news. She had pre-eclampsia, a potentially serious pregnancy complication. She needed to go to Vassar Brothers Medical Center immediately for observation.

After a few days in the hospital, her high blood pressure remained a concern, so on Feb. 14, 2022, Valentine's Day, little Dylan was born via emergency c-section. He had met just 28 of the normal 40 weeks gestation, and weighed 2 pounds and 14 ounces, about the size of a butternut squash.

Dylans story - premature baby in incubator on oxygen — *Dylan weighed 2 pounds and 14 ounces at birth*

Dylans story chunky baby on blanket six months old — *Dylan posing for his 6 months baby photo*

NICU Awareness Day

Sept. 30 is Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Day — a day to recognize premature infants, the strength of their families and the work of our NICU health care professionals.

"The doctors, nurses and anesthesiologists were all amazing," Devens said of her NICU experience with Dylan. "Obviously, they knew how scared we were and that this was not the plan at all, but they always made us feel like everything as going to be OK."

Dylans story - premature baby in blue hat held by mother — *Dylan spent 65 days in Vassar Brothers' NICU*

'Little prince' goes home after 65 days

After 65 days in Vassar Brothers' NICU, Dylan came off oxygen support and was ready to go home. Devens said it was a bittersweet day for her family.

"After two months of seeing the staff every day and how invested in your little guy they are, you feel a little sad that you won't see them anymore," she said. "They treated Dylan like a little prince."

Today, Dylan is a happy healthy seven-month-old and a New York Yankees fan in the making.

Dylans story - chunky baby sits in chair with Yankees outfit on — *Dylan, at 7 months, wears a New York Yankees onesie*

Related patient story: Woman's water breaks 9 weeks early: Michaela's story

Expertise offered in Hudson Valley

Vassar Brothers' NICU is part of an alliance with New York Children's Medical Providers Services, P.C., an affiliate of the nationally ranked health system, Connecticut Children's, where medical providers care for critically ill and premature infants in the Poughkeepsie hospital.

Each year, Nuvance Health cares for more than 550 premature babies in our NICUs and about 7,000 babies are born each year in our birth centers.

Learn more about the pediatric alliance with Connecticut Children's.