There's an overwhelmingly large amount of occupations to choose from, but when I was only about eight, I decided I wanted to be a neonatologist - otherwise known as a doctor that takes care of sick babies when they're born - and it's never changed. I pretty much decided that's what I would want to do for the rest of my life without hardly knowing what the job consisted of, but as a super orderly, excessively uptight, type A child, I had my life planned out before I figured out the tooth fairy isn't real.
Anyways, I was offered the opportunity to shadow a Pediatric doctor at a local hospital, and I took it in a heartbeat! I learned so much amazing science about the body of a baby, how to tell if they're healthy or not, and I got to see some adorable little ones! Visiting the hospital and getting more familiar with what the job consists of made me fall in love with the career even more, and the babies absolutely melted my heart. Lately, I've caught myself wishing to fast forward just a few years so I can be hired and spend the rest of my life with precious little humans under 10 pounds. (I'm pretty sure I'm the only teenager that wants to get a job and go to work every day, but I undeniably can't wait!!)
When I arrived at the hospital, I met up with the doctor, and she showed me a Power Point about how she examines babies to make sure they're healthy. Granted it was super complex (because it was made for students that have already completed medical school and were completing their internship and residencies), she simplified it for me as much as she could, and I learned a lot. Here are a few of my favorite facts that I never knew before:
1. Babies are blue when they are first born
Yes, you read that right - blue!! Because they don't have or need any oxygen in their blood when in the womb, their skin is blue when they're born, but it quickly changes to a healthy, normal color!
2. Babies have a built-in "moisturizer" when in the womb
They have a white paste-like substance on their skin while they are in the womb, which serves as a moisturizer to protect their skin from shriveling up from the fluids around them. If you look at a baby shortly after they were born, you can see what hasn't been wiped off. It isn't harmful to a baby for it to stay on, but it usually comes off in their first bath.
Science is amazing, isn't it?! I soaked up all the information she told me like a sponge, and then she took me to go watch a scheduled C-Section. Blood doesn't bother me, so I didn't pass out while watching the procedure (thank God)! I got the chills when I heard the baby's first cry, and was so thankful to have been given the incredible opportunity as to be able to experience that moment. We finished up the day by checking in on multiple different babies, and I was able to help examine them, listen to their breathing, and dress them up in their tiny little clothes! I strongly suggest that if you have taken an interest in a certain occupation and think it's something you want to pursue, that you reach out and try to find someone that you can shadow for a day! Spending time with someone that has the profession you are interested in will help you decide if that career is the right or wrong path for you to take, and for me, I think neonatology is definitely the right one.
This is the outfit I wore for the day! I linked a similar dress below and the company that the necklace is from! Be on the lookout, because the necklace usually comes back every fall or winter!
Necklace | Similar Dress | Similar Shoes
They have a white paste-like substance on their skin while they are in the womb, which serves as a moisturizer to protect their skin from shriveling up from the fluids around them. If you look at a baby shortly after they were born, you can see what hasn't been wiped off. It isn't harmful to a baby for it to stay on, but it usually comes off in their first bath.
Science is amazing, isn't it?! I soaked up all the information she told me like a sponge, and then she took me to go watch a scheduled C-Section. Blood doesn't bother me, so I didn't pass out while watching the procedure (thank God)! I got the chills when I heard the baby's first cry, and was so thankful to have been given the incredible opportunity as to be able to experience that moment. We finished up the day by checking in on multiple different babies, and I was able to help examine them, listen to their breathing, and dress them up in their tiny little clothes! I strongly suggest that if you have taken an interest in a certain occupation and think it's something you want to pursue, that you reach out and try to find someone that you can shadow for a day! Spending time with someone that has the profession you are interested in will help you decide if that career is the right or wrong path for you to take, and for me, I think neonatology is definitely the right one.
This is the outfit I wore for the day! I linked a similar dress below and the company that the necklace is from! Be on the lookout, because the necklace usually comes back every fall or winter!
Necklace | Similar Dress | Similar Shoes
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