More Than Just a Meal

This summer, we were able to partner with Saul’s Light and Jamie Mayberry Johnson for Ochsner Baptist’s first NICU parent support night. When Ochsner Baptist reached out to us about being involved and providing dinner for the parents, there was no hesitation. We knew we wanted to be involved. Providing dinner for someone may seem like a small gesture, but for parents with a baby in the NICU, it provides comfort and one less thing to worry about.

When we were in the NICU with Blake, food was the last thing on our mind. You aren’t allowed to eat in the NICU. So when we were at the hospital, our only focus was sitting beside Blake in his incubator from the moment we got there until the moment we left.  We didn’t want to leave his side to eat and most definitely didn’t want to leave the hospital to find something to eat.

The NICU can also be a lonely place. Your goal, when there, is to spend as much time with your baby as possible. But with that, it can also feel like the walls are closing in on you at times. Everyone in the NICU has a sick baby, but everyone’s story and journey is so different. It isn’t the easiest to connect with other families because you just don’t know what they are going through at the time or if they even want to talk about it

The support night gave the NICU families a chance to connect during the nurse shift change. During the shift change, parents have to leave the NICU for an hour. With Saul’s Light, Two Blue Butterflies was able to provide a safe space for the parents to connect while enjoying a delicious meal without leaving the hospital.

For NICU parents, it’s more than just a meal.