Madison Allen knows what it’s like to have a child in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It wasn’t that long ago when her own son was in one.
“When Weston was born, he was having trouble breathing and his oxygen levels were extremely low,” the Baldwin native and 2012 Habersham Central High School grad tells Now Habersham. The doctor admitted her son to the NICU and that’s “where they found he had a lung infection and would need antibiotics.”
Allen’s newborn stayed in the NICU for a week. She and her husband Joey stayed with him.
That experience left a lasting impression on the young mother. Now, she and a high school friend who experienced a similar situation are teaming up to brighten the holidays for NICU families in Northeast Georgia.
NICU gift baskets
Allen and Amber Loudermilk of Mt. Airy are putting together holiday gift baskets for NICU babies and their parents.
Each basket will contain items clearly considered by parents who have been there; receiving blankets, chapstick, and small journals for parents to jot down their NICU experiences. They’ll also include personalized onesies with “NICU strong” written on them, a blanket for mom and dad, and activity books to help parents occupy their time during the long days and sleepless nights.
And giving a nod to the holidays, the baskets will include clear ornaments for NICU keepsakes. Hospital bracelets, leads, and caps can be placed inside the ornament. The idea is that hopefully, one day, parents can look back on their NICU experience with their child and talk about the challenges they overcame.
“There are so many babies that are fighting to go home. You never know what tomorrow will bring.”
The pair plans to deliver the gift baskets to the NICUs at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville and Braselton on Christmas Eve. If they get enough donations, they’ll branch out to the NICU at Northside Hospital in Forsyth, as well.
They launched a GoFundMe page in the hope of making that happen. So far they’ve raised $445 of their $500 goal.
Other types of donations are appreciated, as well.
“Gift cards for fuel and food are always welcome, as some parents are constantly commuting back and forth to the hospital,” says Allen. “We can incorporate anything that is donated!”
Other suggested donations include:
- granola bars and snacks
- body armor drinks
- reusable water bottles or thermos mugs with lids
- hand sanitizer
- pens
- crossword puzzles, word searches, coloring books, and crayons.
- lotion
- newborn and/or preemie formula
If you’d like to help, there’s still time. They’ll be collecting donations through December 22.
To donate money, visit the fundraiser for NICU Christmas Baskets on GoFundMe.
To donate specific items, click here to contact Madison Allen on Facebook.
NICU Strong
Today, as she reflects on those difficult days in the NICU, Allen says the experience reminded her to “be humble and to always count my blessings. Things could always be worse.” She adds, “There are so many babies that are fighting to go home. You never know what tomorrow will bring.”
And while Allen and Loudermilk are grateful their children are now healthy and at home, both moms feel a sense of camaraderie with parents who are going through what they did.
“Madison and I are extremely fortunate that our children only spent a week in the NICU,” says Loudermilk. She says she hopes the gift baskets will “let some NICU moms and dads know that they are not alone. That they will get through this, and they have people in the community that are rooting and praying for them!”
Allen encourages those parents to “keep their heads up” and offers this advice: “Spend as much time with your baby as possible. Stay positive and ask for help when you need it. Together, we are NICU Strong!”
Updated on 12/22/19
