NICU baby treated by same neonatal doctor as her mom goes home after 9 months

VOORHEES TWP., N.J. -- A baby born weighing just over a pound was finally able to head home after spending 285 days in the neonatal intensive care unit at a New Jersey hospital.

The baby was under the care of the same doctor who saved her mother's life three decades earlier.

Myla was born at 24 weeks after her mother, Chi Obufor, began experiencing complications last May.

"It's been rough, challenging and exhausting," Obufor said.

She said her own mother urged her to go to Virtua Voorhees Hospital to be checked, a decision that led to Myla's early delivery and long NICU stay.

Obufor soon learned that her daughter's care team included the same doctor and nurse who treated her 31 years earlier.

"My mom's lit up and she's like, 'That's him,'" she said. "Seeing how happy and excited she was gave me peace of mind that I am exactly where I need to be."

Dr. Leonard Goldsmith, an attending neonatologist, said the experience was deeply meaningful.

"It was a very fulfilling experience. I can remember with clarity taking care of Chi and her mom like it was yesterday, and skip ahead 31 years later and it's like déjà vu all over again," he said.

Myla's discharge prompted an emotional sendoff from staff who had cared for her since birth. Her family says they are grateful for the team that supported both generations through life-threatening moments.