The Simple Way This Amazing Glove Is Helping Premature NICU Babies Thrive

When Dr. Yamille Jackson's son Zachary was born a preemie 15 years ago, she couldn't have known that such a small idea she had would become something every NICU mom could benefit from. Born 12 weeks early at two pounds, Zach had to spend 155 days in the NICU, which meant 155 nights when Jackson couldn't be with him. She invented the "Zaky" glove — which was just a bean-filled gardening glove at the time — to "hold" him at night for her.

"Leaving the hospital without your newborn is very difficult," Jackson said. "And I couldn't imagine having my life without touching him." During the day she would cuddle the glove she made so that it would have her scent, and then would leave it with Zach every night. The NICU nurses loved the glove so much that they asked Jackson to create more for the other babies in the unit. She went to work making 100 gloves for them, researching the ways it could help preemies the most.

The Zaky helps premature babies — who often develop an aversion to touch later in life due to NICU isolation — feel as safe and loved as newborns who are able to go home right away . . . but that's nowhere near all it does. It also provides positioning to support musculoskeletal development and assists the babies in self-regulating their breathing, which helps them to cut down on episodes of apnea and bradycardia. This also helps them to get better sleep, which in turn allows their brain to grow.

Watch the video above to learn more about the Zaky and all of the amazing things it can do for NICU babies and their families.