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In This Issue:
Giving birth to a child prematurely can be a whirlwind experience for parents filled with high stress, intense emotions and difficult decisions. Yet sometimes, even the smallest gesture of kindness can help parents get through this difficult time. That was certainly the case for Michelle and Steve McKay, who drew on their own experiences in BWH’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and set out to help other couples in comparable circumstances.
Michelle McKay could never have guessed that she would go into labor on May 8, 2003. At only a little more than 24 weeks into her pregnancy, the first-time mom gave birth to twin daughters – Mia Elizabeth and Angelina Marie, each weighing slightly more than one pound. Sadly, Angelina only survived her birthday, while Mia remained fighting for her life in BWH’s NICU.
A Small, Yet Precious Gift“After we lost Angelina, it took me a few days before I felt ready to go to the NICU to see Mia,” recalls Michelle. “I remember walking back to where Mia was being cared for with my husband, when he turned to me and said, ‘Wait until you see what’s in her isolette.’
Mia was all bundled up with a little knitted yellow blanket tucked around her. It was so touching and really made me feel as though someone cared. We later learned that the blanket was actually handmade by one of the nurse’s mothers.”
Remembering the comfort she felt when seeing the little yellow blanket in Mia’s isolette, Michelle, thanks to her coworkers at Keldara Salon and Day Spa, found a way to help other parents of NICU babies by donating small teddy bears to the premature infants. “I know how much I appreciated seeing that yellow blanket, at a time when I was completely unprepared to be in the hospital. I only hope that these teddy bears will provide some comfort for other parents, like the blanket did for me.”
A Special Thank YouDuring Mia’s time in the NICU, the McKays learned to practice “Kangaroo Care,” a method of skin-to-skin care that promotes parent/infant bonding especially with premature babies, which they found to be an exciting experience with their daughter. “It was difficult enough to be in shock from going into premature labor and birth, but being robbed of holding your child in the beginning, that was definitely hard. Kangarooing provided that missed opportunity and is proven to aid in the wellness of the preemies’ health.”
The McKays discovered that there is a particular type of chair that best facilitates Kangaroo Care and decided to donate one to the NICU in honor of Angelina. “In the beginning, we were just going to donate the chair ourselves, but with so many people wanting to know what they could do to help, Michelle and I decided to open it up to others, should they want to contribute,” said Steve. “Our coworkers, family and friends were amazingly generous, and in the end, we raised more than $2,000, which was actually enough to buy two chairs.”
The McKays chose to donate the second chair in honor of Mia’s primary nursing team, who had worked diligently to care for their daughter for the more than 100 days she spent in the NICU. “The nurses really helped put us at ease and did so much for Mia,” said Michelle. “This is just our small way of saying thank you.”
The McKays will finally be able to take home “Mighty Mia,” as they’ve taken to calling her, in the next few days. She now weighs more than five pounds and is doing very well. “We look forward to taking Mia home and to beginning our new life with our daughter.”