Mother praises program at local hospital that collects donation for NICU babies

A local mother whose baby was born months premature is praising a new program that helped their family find comfort during nearly 150 stressful days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

MIDDLETOWN, De. - A local mother whose baby was born months premature is praising a new program that helped their family find comfort during nearly 150 stressful days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Brenda Jospehs daughter Layla weighed just two pounds when she was born at 25 weeks gestation. The dangerously early birth came so quickly Brenda did have the necessities to welcome her new bundle of joy.

"She was born so premature that I didn't have a baby shower, I didn't buy anything really because we had months; thought we had months," Brenda told FOX 29.

To ease the stress, Nemours Childrens Hospital where Layla was born helped make a home away from home for mom and baby through the NICU Wishes program. Nemours is one of 10 hospitals that participates in the new program to provide mothers and babies with supplies after a premature delivery.

"Every little thing that we can do and offer for patients and families makes it easier because we don't always have the funds to be able to provide these services and get all of these items," Child Life Manager Nicole Gandolfo said.

Items like Mamaroo swings, bouncy seats, receiving blankets and toys that help with development are critical to helping not only babies, but also families, as they cope with stressful and often — long term NICU stays. The program is also underway at St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia.

"If they're able to spend a moment and read a book to their baby and sit and snuggle and have a special blanket that doesn't look like something from a hospital looks like something from home and its comforting," Gandolfo said.

Anyone can purchase items to support the NICU Wishes program at Numors and St. Christopher's from an Amazon Wishlist.