A little piece of our NICU story

AS NICU Awareness Month wraps up, I wanted to share a little piece of our story. Two years ago, I unexpectedly became a NICU mom when our son Emmet was born at 29 weeks.

You know those ‘what’s in my hospital bag?’ videos? Turns out... you don’t actually need the perfectly packed bag. I had PPROM (basically my water broke early), we went to the hospital, labor progressed, and Emmet was born that same day. Don’t get me wrong, it would’ve been nice to have some comforts from home, but my husband and I showed up with just our phones, wallets, and car keys.

Emmet spent 49 days in the NICU. Honestly, so much of that time is a blur. You’re so focused on your baby. Their numbers. Their milestones. The next hurdle. Meanwhile, you kind of forget... ‘Oh right. I just had a baby too. What am I doing to take care of myself?’

We lived close to our NICU and had an incredible support system. But I still remember the little things that showed up along the way. A few books for us to read to Emmet from the Triple Heart Foundation. A NICU journal from one of our nurses.

We were blessed to have an amazing support system, but not every family has that nearby. Love Like Lottie is one way we can help fill that gap.

We brought Emmet home exactly 2 years ago today on September 30, NICU Awareness Day!

With Love Like Lottie, we’re hoping to make those hard days a little lighter for families who are walking a similar path.

Thank you to everyone who has helped spread awareness, made a donation, or even is just following along with what Love Like Lottie is doing.

-Rachel