Lily spent her four-day life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Emanuel Children's Hospital. For her last two days, we were moved into a special room of the NICU for families in situations such as ours. This enabled us to have all the nursing staff and technology, but still have privacy. It was a godsend.

One thing we missed however, was the opportunity to hold Lily at the same time. While the NICU had individual recliners for our use, Daddy and I were not able to sit together and hold Lily until we moved a cot into our room in her final few hours. And passing her back and forth was tricky because of everything she was hooked up to.

We have set up a temporary fund at Emanuel Children's Hospital Foundation. Our goal is to raise enough money for the NICU to purchase a loveseat recliner so that Mommies and Daddies like us can hold their babies at the same time. Recliners are comfortable for new moms, especially those who have had c-sections like I did.

We don't know exactly what this amount is. The hospital is currently researching it, but our best guess (based on our own La-Z-Boy research!) is $2,000. Any additional money raised will be used for general NICU support. If we don't reach our goal, whatever we raise will also go to the NICU. In any case, we are happy to promote funds raised for the NICU.

Click here to MAKE A GIFT ONLINE
Or mailed to: Emanuel Children's Hospital
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
P.O. Box 4484
2800 N. Vancouver, Suite 111
Portland, OR 97208