How Chicago Hospital Brings Joy To NICU Babies And Their Families With The Annual Costume Contest

Emily Mahboobeh
Oct 15, 2023
Oct 15, 2023

It's that time of year again, folks! Hospitals all over the country are getting into the Halloween holiday spirit by doing something incredibly sweet—dressing up some of the most adorable patients you'll ever lay your eyes on: the little ones in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)!

In fact, many of these hospitals even host NICU Halloween costume contests on Facebook, where people get to vote for their favorites. But let's be real for a second: how on earth could you ever pick a favorite from these cuties? It's simply impossible!

Here's a glimpse of some of the hospitals that are all in on the Halloween excitement this year. And if your NICU is taking part, remember to send us snapshots of your Halloween cuties—we'd absolutely love to feature them!

Advocate Children's Hospital

Advocate Children’s Hospital in Illinois is also hosting its annual Halloween costume contest, with contestants competing on Facebook for the most likes. There are so many creative and cute costumes and babies that this will definitely be a tough choice!

Plug your ears! Someone woke up little Lennon, a screaming mandrake. Her parents handmade her magical plant costume!

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

Identical twins Keeley and Hannah can’t wait to grow up and become Irish dancers like their family!

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

Alaysia was born at just 23 weeks old. Since day one, she's been fighting a tough fight in the NICU.

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

It’s fitting that Alaysia’s parents dressed her up as a little boxer/fighter as she truly is “Mommy and Daddy’s little fighter.”

“Give me two of everything – one for me and one for my twin!” Twins Joseph Richard and Annemarie Charlotte are ready for the ball game!

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

They can’t wait to meet their older brother Anthony, who is waiting for them at home.

Benjamin is the biggest pumpkin in the patch! We think he's cute enough to PICK!

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

Identical twins and deep-sea scuba divers Dalen and Trey are making a splash in the NICU!

Source: Advocate Children's Hospital

Aurora HealthCare

Aurora Health Care, with two centers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Downers Grove, Illinois posted its annual NICU Halloween Costume contest on its Facebook page earlier last week.

Nothing that clear, all the littlest patients are winners, nonetheless, fans and followers can vote for their favorite Halloween costume through October 29th at 12 PM CST. Voters can cast their vote by “liking” their photo—and yes, you can vote for more than one. The photo with the most likes will win a prize!

Here are some of the adorable contestants and their even cleverer captions:

Source: Aurora Health Care

We literally CRAYON’T even believe how cute Anastasia and Euvis are! It’s safe to say they are the cutest crayons in the pack!

It's clear to SPOT that Saint and Isiah are the cutest cows of the herd!

Source: Aurora Health Care

HAY NOW! There’s no need to fear Grayson the scarecrow!

Source: Aurora Health Care

The ‘no wake zone’ is Alivia the mermaid's favorite place in the sea to get her beauty sleep!

Source: Aurora Health Care

Henry Ford Health

Over at Henry Ford Hospital in SE Michigan, the NICU team made a heartwarming choice – they decided to opt out of the contest aspect of the costume celebration. And it's not hard to see why when Dana Jay, the manager of Public and Media Relations, explained, "It would be impossible to choose a favorite!"

But that didn't stop these NICU babies from joining in on the Halloween fun.

Source: Henry Ford Health

The incredible staff at Henry Ford had a beautiful idea – they dressed up these tiny heroes as characters from beloved children's storybooks.

Source: Henry Ford Health

What makes it even more special? Every single costume was lovingly handmade by one of the nurse's mothers.

Source: Henry Ford Health

When you see the photos, you'll be amazed by the craftsmanship – in fact, we think the woman who created these costumes deserves a celebration of her own!

Source: Henry Ford Health

This year's costumes were inspired by timeless tales like "The Cat in the Hat," "Corduroy," "Madeline," and "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Source: Henry Ford Health

And that's not all – beloved characters like Horton from Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who," Waldo from "Where's Waldo," and a delightful pile of spaghetti and meatballs inspired by "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" also joined in on the fun.

Source: Henry Ford Health

Source: Henry Ford Health

Our warmest wishes go out to all the precious babies, their loving parents, and everyone whose little one is courageously fighting in the NICU.

Source: Henry Ford Health

Strength, luck, and endless patience to you all. We're sending our very best vibes your way, hoping that the joy of the spooky season lingers a little longer before Mariah Carey takes over the holiday scene.

Source: Henry Ford Health

We'd love to hear your thoughts and discover your favorite costumes, so please share them in the comments below! And don't forget to give us an upvote if you enjoyed this heartwarming story. Until next time, follow us and stay tuned for more uplifting tales!

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