Today we’d like to introduce you to Shauna Worrell-waldron
Hi Shauna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a New Graduate Registered Nurse working in a new city, new state and in a new nursing specialty (the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), I was very observant as I wanted to learn everything about this specialty. One night shift that I worked I noticed a patient I was taking care of had clothing in their drawer that their parents brought from home. The clothing appeared to be cut up with holes in them. The holes were from healthcare staff making openings with scissors in order to access medical devices in the NICU. I questioned why we would do such a thing. Why were we cutting holes into clothing that parents, family and friends purchased for the preemies in their lives? That night I began to doodle designs that would prevent this from happening. On other shifts I observed parents dressing their premature babies for the first time. One would think this occasion would bring joy, ease and positive memories and not be nerve wracking. For some parents dressing their baby for the first time whilst attached to medical devices, tubing and wires made them very anxious, stressed and fearful of hurting their baby. Although designs are becoming more inclusive, most clothing designs for premature babies tend to not be accommodating to medical devices nor are they designed to provide ease and comfort for parents as they dress their babies. Growing up I can recall hearing people speak about “preemies” (premature babies). Most of the time the mention of prematurity came with feelings of sadness. So I named my clothing brand “Welcome Preemie” to take away the negative thoughts/emotions around prematurity and welcome positive emotions instead.
My company also curates custom gift boxes for NICU families and their babies. The Gift boxes are made up of items that would be useful and comforting for a family on their NICU journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would love for every NICU parent to have access to my Welcome Preemie NICU Pajama. I would also love for every NICU in the country and internationally to have access to and dress babies in my Welcome Preemie NICU Pajama. Working on these goals but they do come with obstacles and challenges.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have worked as a Neonatal ICU Registered Nurse for 13 years and I really enjoy it! I always knew since becoming a Nurse that I wanted to work with babies. I have worked in both a Level 2b and a Level 3 NICU during my NICU career. I am very proud of the evolution of Welcome Preemie. It started with one question and now I am able to assist caregivers of premature babies by making the dressing experience in the NICU easier, safer, less stressful and joy filled. What sets me apart from others is that I am a small business owner who thrives in making each customers experience dressing their baby easy and joyful. It is testimonies like this one from a NICU parent that keeps me going! “The Welcome Preemie Pajama made it very easy to dress my boys. It is great quality. Super soft. Washed well!. Didn’t noticeably shrink. It was great for my boys who have PICC lines and monitors on them the entire time. It was so great to be able to put my babies in them knowing it was created especially for them. Every NICU baby should have a Welcome Preemie Pajama. I would definitely recommend the Welcome Preemie Pajama to other NICU parents.” -NICU Parent-
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see this industry growing and keeping up with the trends. I see the industry becoming more aware of what works best for the customers. More creativity and innovation for sure!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.welcomepreemie.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/welcomepreemie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/welcomepreemie
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/welcomepreemie/
Image Credits
Shauna Worrell-Waldron