Lucas

Child's Birth Year
2025

State/Province/Territory
Arkansas

NICU Hospital for my journey
UAMS

My NICU Graduate's Journey
Lucas Arroyo came into this world unexpectedly on Aug 1st 2025 at 31 weeks. Our family had just moved to Arkansas after I retired from the Air Force the week prior. I quickly developed preeclampsia and was unknowingly experiencing a hemorrhage at the placenta and umbilical cord impacting Lucas’s blood flow. Thankfully, Lucas came out 6 hours after symptoms started weighing in at 4lbs and 17.75 inches long. He came out screaming and was immediately taken to the NICU. He was on oxygen support for about 4 days and spent the remainder of his NICU stay learning how to breathe, regulate his temperature, eat and of course gain weight. After 55 days we took home our smiley, healthy, and big boy who now weighed almost 7 lbs. Lucas has been smiling since he was 4 days old (picture above) and he hasn’t stopped. It’s like he knows how lucky he is to be alive and wants to share his joy with the world!

What makes you proud of your NICU graduate?
His life started with an uphill climb and he has fought through everything with a smile and is genuinely the happiest baby in the world! He has hit all his milestones and is continuing to show the world his beautiful smile!

Weight at Birth (lbs. or Grams)
4lbs

Weeks Gestation
31 weeks

Time spent in the NICU (Specify Number of Days, Months, or Years)
55 days