Many hospitals in other cities across the state don't have the special care needed for premature babies, so those children are rushed by ambulance to Sacred Heart at RiverBend's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Springfield.
Neonatal staff stays connected with those families through a children's festival back at the hospital each year. A premature baby can spend anywhere from 3 days to 3 months in a hospital. These times can be stressful for families and therefore start to become close to the doctors and nurses here.
"We take care of these babies but we take care of moms and dads and grandparents and siblings, so we do become part of their family and we become a home away from home when they're up here and in a neighborhood they don't know," said Maureen Beringer, NICU registered nurse.
Many volunteers come out to make the festival possible. There are games, magic shows, and even visits from local first responders. Staff say it's a great opportunity to see these premature babies grown up, healthy and catching up with their peers.