Project Judah Bear 2022

With the pandemic restrictions easing up, we are finally able to do something we haven’t been able to do since 2019 – provide care packages to the local NICU through Project Judah Bear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve been here for a while, you know about our sweet boy Judah who this project was named for. He was born on August 22, 2016 missing his kidneys. This is a condition that is usually 100% fatal with the babies either being stillborn or dying shortly after birth.

We pursued experimental treatment for Judah, resulting in him living for 6 months, 2 days, and 21 hours. I’ve written up his story which you can read here.

 

 

So what exactly is Project Judah Bear?

 

 

 

 Judah’s death left me feeling like I had to do something to make his life count. Long before this blog and my work with other loss moms, there was Project Judah Bear.

As we got closer to Judah’s first birthday, I wanted to do something in his honor. I decided to put together some care packages for the babies and their families in the NICU at the hospital where he had passed away.

 

Being a parent in the NICU is incredibly hard. You don’t think about yourself – often you don’t eat and you sleep upright in a chair in the corner. If you’re lucky, the Ronald McDonald House annex (if your hospital even has one) will have a bed for you to sleep in so you can be just down the hall from your baby, should anything go wrong overnight.

 

There was once time when Judah was incredibly sick. I remember we kept calling and they were telling us he was working harder and harder to breathe and if their next attempt didn’t work, he would need his breathing tube back in. Even though we lived 45 minutes away from the hospital, I felt we needed to go the hospital to be with him. We got in the car and drove to be with him. We ended up not leaving (with the exception of my husband making a few runs for things we needed) for 4 days. No pajamas. No toiletries. Not even a hair brush or change of clothes. Just us in his room praying he would hold on.

 

 

Through the generosity of family, friends, and strangers, we have been able to give 193 care packages to the NICU over the years.

 

 

 

In 2017, on his first birthday, we were able to give 58 care packages, covering almost every single bed in the NICU. In 2018, we gave 43 care packages. In 2019, we gave an incredible 92 care packages, including 37 lovingly handmade items. It’s also the year we broke a cash register at Target from buying several hundred dollars worth of travel toiletries from funds that were donated.

 

Unfortunately in 2020 and 2021, the hospital wasn’t accepting outside physical donations. In 2020 we instead raised funds for Ronald McDonald House. And in 2021 we raised funds for Hope Mommies, an organization that ministers to women who have lost babies to miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss.

Judah’s 6th birthday has already passed this year. A few things prevented us from doing it on his birthday – the biggest one being just how crazy our lives have been in the last year with the diagnosis of our living son’s special needs. So instead we are making a goal of giving care packages on October 7th, Judah’s due date. The goal for this year is 100 care packages, 8 more than our previous record, covering the NICU almost 2 times over.

The goal of these care packages is to fill in those gaps so families are taken care of in their worst moments.

 

 

Everything we put in these packages has been carefully thought out. What did we need in those moments? What were the things that made NICU life more bearable? What were things we loved to do with Judah that we didn’t have easy access to in a NICU?

 

We use these care packages to try and ease the burden of being away from home, of not being able to hold your baby, of sitting and waiting and wondering if they will live or die. And we use them to share Judah’s story of hope and perseverance.  

 

 

Typically included in each care package is:

 

 

• Snacks
• Toiletries
• Reusable water bottles
• Hair ties for mom
• Chapstick
• Adult coloring books and pencils
• A clothing item for baby
• A baby hat and socks (which is sometimes all baby can wear)
• A baby blanket
• A letter from us about why they’re receiving this care package

 

We also have asked in the past for toys for the babies and even one year were able to give a ring sling – and the nurse had the perfect mom to give it to! We leave it up to the NICU staff as to who gets these items. 

 

For donations, physical items can be brought or monetary donations given. Each care package is labeled by gender and the size of the baby and we try to cover the micropreemies to the bigger babies who are there for other medical problems.

 

A baby registry (you can find it here) is made with the needed items so you know just how many of each item we still need. We also offer t-shirts if you would prefer to just make a donation – you can even purchase past years’ shirts!

 

What if an item isn’t available?

I understand it can be daunting to shop for a baby in the NICU. The general guidelines – snaps or ties only, no zippers. It needs to have material that’s as soft as possible. If you’re getting a onesie, make sure it’s the kimono style, not the normal style – baby’s iv’s and lines can’t go through one of those. And if you’re buying lotion or something similar – make it unscented if you can. Preemies are incredibly sensitive and we want to be as kind to them as we can!

If it’s a food item, think about it this way. What would you grab to take with you for a snack on the way out the door? Grab some extras to send to these sweet mamas and daddies.

 

We would also love to include handmade items!

 

 

 I personally will be knitting, crocheting, and sewing some things for the babies. I’d love for other makers to join me! There’s just a few requirements.

1. Use super soft fibers. My personal favorites are bamboo, and cotton.
2. Don’t work on them if you’re sick and don’t let any pets that shed around them.
3. Don’t use any scented lotions or soap or laundry detergent. Again, preemies are incredibly sensitive.
4. Individually package them and put the size on the outside, with the weight in pounds if you can.

The deadline for donating this year is January 21.

 That means you should have any items in the mail by the week before. We plan on having a service project to put the care packages together on January 28 and taking the care packages to the NICU in February 2023. If you need our shipping address, please send me an email at brokenbeautifulmamahood@gmail.com or message me on Instagram or Facebook. And feel free to send any questions you have to one of those as well. And keep an eye on our social media for updates on our goal and deadlines.

 

Thank you so much for considering supporting Project Judah Bear!

 

 

 

There is so much need for NICU families but they often don’t know where to start. We hope to bridge the gap in Judah’s honor and help his legacy live on.