Boston Hospital Staff Dress NICU Infants for Holiday Photos

Healthcare workers at Massachusetts General Hospital photograph infants in neonatal intensive care units wearing festive costumes during holiday events. The practice occurs every Halloween and on other seasonal occasions across the Boston area, where hospitals share images of costumed babies with the public.

Registered nurse Mariah Arlin, who wore a shirt reading "NICU boo crew" during the recent shoot, said the tradition helps counter the psychological strain of the hospital environment. "I think that there is a lot of, like, PTSD that parents actually experience from being here," Arlin said. She noted that while the unit is a difficult place for families, staff aim to create positive memories and provide happiness during the stay.

Jeffrey Andree, a photographer in the hospital's imaging department, has led these holiday shoots for several years. The work took on personal meaning more than a year ago when his daughter required nearly a month of treatment in the same unit. "Seeing your child in one of these units is not fun, and having just a little bit of joy … the smiles on the parents' faces and the kids, the staff loves it and it's just a complete morale booster," Andree said.

Andree's daughter is now 19 months old and is recovering well. Hospital staff maintain the costume traditions to mark milestones for children receiving intensive care, offering a moment of celebration for families during long hospital stays.