Book Drive for UMHL Neonatal Unit

Story

Our daughter Sophie was born in the University Maternity Hospital Limerick just before Christmas last year and she hasn't had the easiest start in life. She was born 6 weeks early and, as a result, required care in the Neonatal Unit. Sophie spent a total of 52 days in the neonatal unit before we could finally bring her home in February. Having a baby admitted to to NICU after birth is an experience that can never be fully explained. Lisa didn't get that first cuddle with Sophie after birth that she always dreamed of. Instead, she was whisked away to the neonatal unit and Lisa first properly saw her precious baby girl through the casing of an incubator with many different tubes and wires attached and a tiny mask on her little face. The neonatal unit became our home for the next 52 days and the staff made every effort to make the experience as normal as possible. The celebrated every milestone, took our first family photo on Chrsitmas day and gathering around to wish us farewell on day 53 when we were discharged home. During this time all the nurses, doctors and clinical specialists provide Sophie with the utmost level of care, whilst also supporting us through a beginning of parenthood that we never could have anticipated or planned for. Since Sophie’s discharge we have wanted to show our appreciation for all the care and support given to our little family and have decided to run a book drive. During neonatal babies' earliest days, a lot of emphasis is on encouraging bonding between the child and the mother such as skin to skin contact which can encourage breastfeeding. Darren began reading to Sophie in the hope that she would recognise his voice and they could bond in a different way. A number of staff members commented on this and said it was good to see dad's reading to their babies. Research suggests reading to children, even as young as premature babies, encourages their cognitive development. This was something Darren never realised but was an added benefit to an activity he enjoyed as a social bond with his daughter and helped make a very difficult and worrying time a little bit easier. All funds raised will be used to purchase children's books which will be donated to the UMHL Neonatal Unit so new parents can read to their little warriors.