NICU: Support for baby Kaydence

Kaydence’s due date was 1/16/25, and I was scheduled for a cesarean on 1/9/25. But I had made it to a doctor's appointment on 12/20, and I was having high BP, so I was sent over to triage for evaluation, which led to them having me do a 24-hour urine test and said I was anemic. I was then scheduled to come in the next day, Saturday night, to have an IV for my low iron and turn in my 24-hour test, and there were levels of high protein.

I had a doctor's appointment on 12/26, and I was still showing high blood pressure and in pain/having contractions. My doctor said we were scheduling me for my Caesarian sooner (the next day).

My significant other was at work, and I had called him home so we could prepare as I was set for the next day for surgery.

Kaydence was born on 12/27 at 11:25 am and was showing signs of rapid breathing, which led him to the NICU just four hours after he was born. I was separated from my newborn just 20 mins, if that of being able to hold him in the recovery room. He was put in a room on breathing treatments and was showing no signs of improvement and was transferred to the children’s hospital for better care since the hospital I had delivered at was not equipped to care for him completely with his respiratory issues. Thankfully, my significant other was able to follow the transfer and be with our son since I could not be transferred to the hospital to be closer to him.

We have been in the NICU for 9 days now with some improvement, but he’s still having events which is prolonging our stay. This has been emotionally and mentally draining on both of us.

I was discharged just after 24 hours of surgery since I was able to do all the things I needed to be released, and I didn’t give myself any time to heal afterward. I was released and at the NICU the next day to be with our son.

We were set up and prepared to deliver on January 9th, and I was still working. My partner had to take off work way earlier due to the circumstances of delivering early and being in the NICU. It brought my work to an end earlier as expected as well, which leads me to not being prepared to pay the remainder of my bills for the month on top of all the unexpected expenses of having to spend being in the NICU.

I really didn’t want to do this, but looking at my bank account and the amount of bills I have due on top of the emotional distress of having a newborn and dealing with postpartum in the NICU, the last thing I want to have to worry about is our financial situation. I have not heard back about my maternity leave and my short-term disability.

I’m trying to raise at least some money to put towards bills, gas for traveling, food for both of us, and the hospital bills for myself and medical bills we will be incurring from the NICU as well since we are still waiting on his social to be delivered to set him up under insurance.

We’ve had many people reach out to us with prayers and asking if there is anything they can do for us. Any help towards our goal is greatly appreciated, and we will be forever grateful.