Each year, one in 10 babies in the U.S. are born prematurely. For the Cushing family, that statistic is two in two. Eleanor and Spencer’s eldest son, James, was born at just 24 weeks gestation. Their newest addition, Walter, was born at 31 weeks.
Today, both boys are doing well, thanks to respective stays in the CHOC small baby unit (SBU), a special unit within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that focuses on caring for the unique needs of the smallest and sickest babies.
Big brother James
James Theodore was born at a local hospital weighing just 1 pound 6 ounces. He was transferred to CHOC when he was 1 day old and spent four and a half months in CHOC’s SBU.
James’ SBU stay – July to November – was filled with myriad health challenges, in addition to his goals of gaining weight and learning to breathe on his own. During his hospitalization, James fought off a bloodstream infection, was intubated multiple times to help him breathe, underwent a minor cardiac procedure and eye surgery, and worked through feeding challenges. By the time he graduated from the SBU, his weight was up to 6 pounds. He was discharged with supplemental oxygen and a pulse oximeter to monitor the oxygen levels in his blood and had multiple follow-up appointments to track his progress.
Throughout a lengthy hospitalization, CHOC staff made sure the Cushings still had the opportunity to celebrate traditional milestones with their new baby – including his first Halloween. He was dressed up as Winnie the Pooh – in a Build-A-Bear costume, since typical Halloween costumes were still too big for him. His parents and nurses donned coordinating outfits to round out the Hundred Acre Wood characters.
James is now 3 years old. He’s smaller than other kids his age and has a slight speech delay, along with a new prescription for glasses. But despite his early start in life, James is doing well.
Each year on James’ birthday, the Cushings return to CHOC’s SBU to visit the doctors and nurses who cared for him during his early days.
“Despite James’ life-threatening obstacles, the SBU team was able to care for our son and save his life,” Eleanor says.
Little brother Walter
Due to her existing medical issues, Eleanor knew she would likely deliver early with any additional pregnancies. When she and Spencer were ready to add another child to their family, they switched medical plans so that she could eventually deliver at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, right next door to CHOC’s expert neonatologists and other pediatric specialists.
Walter Rudolph was born at 31 weeks gestation and admitted to CHOC’s SBU, just like his older brother. At birth, he weighed just 3 pounds, 7 ounces. Walter’s goals in the SBU focused on growing and gaining weight. Six weeks after birth – and two weeks before his original due date – he was discharged from the hospital. In that time, he had grown to 5 pounds, 11 ounces.
During Walter’s SBU stay, he was cared for by many of the same doctors, nurses, and developmental and respiratory therapists who cared for his older brother.
“When James was born, it was so nice to see so many familiar faces from our first SBU stay,” Eleanor says.
These familiar faces included Dr. Kushal Bhakta, medical director of CHOC’s SBU, and Dr. Michel Mikhael, a CHOC neonatologist.
“Our medical team was not only super smart, but they were also warm and compassionate,” Eleanor says. “There was always a theme with staff; they were always asking, ‘Do you have any questions? Can I get you anything?’”
Eleanor and Spencer are both nurses by trade, but at CHOC they got to focus on just being parents.
“Because of our medical backgrounds, we knew what the machines and monitors were doing, but we didn’t have to worry about any of that. We got to focus on just being parents,” Eleanor says.
With two NICU stays behind her family, Eleanor’s message to CHOC staff is a simple one.
“Thank you to everyone who walked us through this journey,” she says. “We are a stronger family because of it.”
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Learn more about CHOC’s Neonatology Services
CHOC Hospital was named one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings and ranked in the neonatology specialty.
