Nikki never felt whole when she was away from Baby Beau

Thirty weeks into her pregnancy, Nikki was rushed to the hospital with pre-eclampsia. All efforts to stabilize her blood pressure and lengthen the pregnancy were for naught, and Baby Beau was born 10 weeks early via emergency c-section, weighing just over 3 pounds, as Nikki fought for her own life.

Nikki’s health complications prevented her from even seeing her baby as she recovered in ICU. As time passed, and she was able to visit Beau in the NICU, Nikki found herself despondent, depressed and “never feeling whole” when she was away from him. The only thing that kept her going was knowing that the breast milk she was pumping for him was something critical for his health and survival - and something that only she could do for him.

Through TEACUP®, Nikki found support and resources that she desperately needed, such as weekly NICU visits from our program coordinator, a hospital-grade breast pump to express life-saving milk for her baby, and connection with other preemie parents through our NICU-based support group. Nikki was also given referrals to help with her postpartum depression. TEACUP’s® support did not end when baby Beau left the hospital. Home visits ensured that Nikki felt supported and validated in her new life as a preemie parent, and reassured her that she was not alone. TEACUP provided a crib, diapers, and clothing to ensure Baby’s Beau’s safety and health. But if you ask Nikki, it’s knowing that someone still cares that means the most. “No one else calls to check in on us. But she [TEACUP® coordinator] still remembers us. And that means a lot.”