New camera technology unites families with premature babies even when they’re apart

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — First-of-its-kind technology in Southern Colorado allows local families at Penrose St. Francis Hospital to be with their premature babies even when they’re physically somewhere else.

“We’re already having a lot of anxiety as it is, but I believe it would be tenfold if it wasn’t for this program,” said Sydney Keller, mother to Octavia Rose.

Arriving way ahead of schedule, Octavia was born just in time for Penrose St. Francis to launch its new NIC-View cameras. Octavia came into the world after 27 weeks of pregnancy weighing just over 2 pounds.

“She was due on August 19 of this year, but I had her on May 24,” said Keller.

Her parents spend hours upon hours in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU. However, they inevitably have to go home to eat, sleep, shower, and care for their pets. Octavia’s father Christopher Allen also has to return to work next week. Meantime, he’s gotten comfortable using the NIC-View camera to see Octavia through an app on his phone.

“I use it to say goodnight to Octavia every night,” said Allen.

The couple can share the app with their families who won’t be able to meet Octavia until after she’s discharged from the hospital. That likely won’t happen until after her originally scheduled due date in August.

Down the hall, Bridgett Quintana also shares the NIC-View cameras with her family in Alamosa. Baby Naledi has been in the NICU for the last month of her life. Her older brothers like to watch her sleeping in the app.

“It helps because I have two boys at home," said Quintana. "They miss her and really want to meet her.”

Thankfully for the Quintana family, Naledi is expected to be discharged on Saturday.