A preemie baby who spent 8 months in the NICU with nowhere to go was adopted by her nurses

In 2020, a Lancet study shows that 13.4 million babies were born prematurely, or 37 weeks before full pregnancy.

That’s approximately 1 in every 10 births worldwide.

This study involved WHO, UNICEF, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine researchers.

Being born prematurely is one of the major causes of early baby deaths. Advances in medicine have significantly improved the survival rates of preterm infants compared to decades ago.

Surviving premature babies are at higher risk of serious health issues, disabilities, and developmental delays, even into adulthood, with conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Therefore, providing them with excellent care from the beginning is vital.

Taylor and Drew Deras are nurses who work in the neonatal intensive care unit. They take care of tiny babies who need special attention.

In 2021, both met a little girl who greatly impacted their lives.

The girl’s name was Ella. She was born prematurely, at only 23 weeks and 1 day, at the Methodist Women’s Hospital NICU in Omaha, Nebraska.

Taylor Deras was one of the nurses who looked after her.

The biological mom of Ella was in her 20s and struggles to find work and a place to call home. The baby’s dad is not in the picture.

According to the Derases, Ella’s biological mother was in her early twenties and faced challenges maintaining steady employment and securing stable housing. Her father was absent from her life. As a result, she eventually became a ward of the state.

Taylor said she wanted to take care of Ella because she really cared about her, and she wanted to make sure Ella would grow up with a loving family.

“I knew I kind of wanted that challenge as a nurse to be able to take care of her and see where things would go and what she would do,” she said.

Ella faced a difficult journey as she was born prematurely, just barely able to survive.

She spent eight months in the NICU at Methodist Women’s Hospital before moving to another NICU for more treatment, according to Good Morning America.

She relied on a breathing tube for many months and was seriously ill, with doctors unsure if she would make it through some nights.

Despite these challenges, Ella gradually improved, eventually feeding from a bottle and requiring only minimal oxygen support.

In December 2021, the Derases learned Ella was in state care and decided to become her foster parents.

Taylor expressed her love for Ella, seeing her first as a patient and then as their child.

“First, I cared for her as my patient, and when we became foster parents, I loved her like my own child.”

They were approved as foster parents and cared for Ella from December 2021 to November 2023.

“As a foster parent, the guard I had to protect myself from getting attached to someone else’s child disappeared,” Drew Deras, 34, said. “I realized this child needed me, and I needed her.”

The Derases supported Ella when she left the hospital in April 2022. They adopted her officially on National Adoption Day, November 18, 2023.

They found Ella’s adoption day incredibly special and perfect.

“When the judge said, ‘She is now your child,’ it was … this is what we’ve been praying for and what we’ve been wanting. And it was really like a dream come true,” Taylor said.

“It was even more perfect than you could have imagined,” Drew added. “I’d say, like, our wedding day is the only one you could compare it to,” he continued.

The Derases are overjoyed with Ella’s progress and vibrant personality.

With regular speech therapy and other treatments, Ella, born prematurely, is thriving and reaching milestones like walking and talking, just like other 2-year-olds.

The couple feels incredibly lucky to have Ella, their little miracle. They express gratitude for her presence in their lives and the love they share with her.

“Don’t give up during the process, even though it’s tough,” Taylor said, adding that if you want to adopt, do it as many kids need families who will love them.

Watch the amazing journey of Ella, the baby who was born prematurely below: