Support Lauren, Ben, and Baby Simon

Hi Friends and Family!

Lauren and Ben were overjoyed to welcome baby Simon David Steidel in the early morning hours on 9/5. Lauren was diagnosed with preeclampsia prior to Simon's arrival, which resulted in an earlier than expected arrival to make sure both mama and baby were safe and healthy. This early arrival was not without its challenges, as Lauren ended up needing a C-section after an induction and many hours spent in labor. 

Baby Simon has been in the NICU since he was born, and is getting stronger every day! He needed oxygen support for several days and just graduated from that this morning. The next step is to get him off of the feeding tubes and finish a course of antibiotics before he can join Lauren and Ben at home.

Lauren was discharged earlier this week, and she and Ben have been spending days at the hospital while getting some well deserved rest at night. The trip from their home in Brooklyn to the hospital on the Upper East Side is quite the trek with exorbitant parking costs to boot. Their medical expenses are higher than anticipated given the circumstances. Any little bit donated will help lessen the financial burden and allow Lauren, Ben, and Simon to get through this time and settle in as a new family. Thank you for your support!