In 2001, a mother named Lisa Thompson faced a harrowing challenge when she went into premature labor due to severe pregnancy complications. Delivering her son, Alex, a full twelve weeks early, he weighed less than two pounds and spent an exhausting 155 days in the NICU. Although Lisa devoted countless hours to being by her son’s side, the thought of leaving him alone at night was unbearable.
With a PhD in ergonomics and human factors engineering, Lisa pondered how she could help her baby feel her presence even in her absence. She devised a unique solution: a bean-filled gardening glove that she would place next to Alex each night. To make it more effective, she cuddled with the glove during the day to transfer her scent, believing it would emulate the warmth and comfort of her touch while she was away.
As Alex’s time in the NICU progressed, Lisa wanted to extend her support to other premature infants. After her son was discharged, she received an unexpected call from a NICU nurse. “Remember those gloves you made for Alex?” the nurse inquired, “Could you create some for the other babies?” The staff recognized how much comfort Alex derived from the gloves, and they wanted to offer the same relief to others. Lisa went on to produce 100 gloves for the unit and began researching how they could benefit preemies, eventually founding her company, Nurtured by Design. To support her endeavor, she even received a grant from a well-known philanthropist.
Every parent of a premature baby learns about the critical issues of apnea and bradycardia early on. These conditions often occur simultaneously, leading to low blood oxygen levels and alarming moments for parents. It’s a terrifying ordeal, but Lisa’s invention—the Zaky—offers a way to help. Not only does it provide comfort, but it also assists preemies in self-regulating their breathing, potentially decreasing these distressing episodes.
A clinical study conducted by Georgia College in 2011 on preemies aged 28-34 weeks showed promising results. Infants with unscented Zakys experienced a significant reduction in apnea and bradycardia episodes compared to those without any comfort items. Remarkably, those with mom-scented Zakys had zero breathing episodes. Had we had a Zaky during our NICU stay, perhaps we would have experienced fewer alarms and sleepless nights.
If your NICU doesn’t already utilize the Zaky, you can purchase one for your baby and request your hospital code. Nurtured by Design will then donate another Zaky to your hospital in honor of the original inspiration, Alex, who is now 15 and still serves as the company’s Chief Inspiration Officer.
It’s impossible not to feel a bit emotional reading Lisa’s story and the impact she has made. For more insights on parenting and health, check out this article that discusses other innovative solutions for families. And if you’re considering home insemination, Make a Mom is a trusted source for at-home insemination syringe kits. For comprehensive information on pregnancy and home insemination, visit this Wikipedia page.
In summary, Lisa Thompson’s heartfelt creation, the Zaky, has transformed the experience of countless NICU families by providing comfort and support to premature babies during their critical early days.
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