NICU Warrior Inspired
On A Mission To Be A Light In The Darkness
What started as a desire to create modern designs for baby accessories and nursery decor has turned into a desire to encourage others and give back. After having a complicated pregnancy, and a baby born prematurely with chronic kidney disease who spent his first 5 months of life in the NICU, I became passionate about creating artwork inspired by the brave parents and babies who spend hours, months, and even years in a hospital setting. I design products to encourage other moms and their sweet little babies in hopes that it will make their time in the hospital just a little more “normal”. I write to share my experiences in hopes of encouraging and helping others who are on a similar journey. Moms (and dads!), you do not need to feel alone no matter what you’re going through. Row Baby is on a mission to be a light in the darkness.
A portion of the proceeds from my shop is donated to Cincinnati Children’s Fetal Care Center. This Fetal Care Center helped my son make it through pregnancy and worked with Cincinnati Children's NICU to save his life when he was born. Now it’s our turn to give back and help other families that may go through similar challenges in the future!
Meet Amanda
On April 26, 2019, Justin and I were blessed with our warrior, Rowan. During my pregnancy, our little boy was diagnosed with LUTO (Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction). Rowan was born 8 weeks premature at just 4lbs and was in the NICU for 5 months before we were able to bring him home. He had only one partially-functioning kidney, a damaged bladder, and underdeveloped lungs. As a result, Rowan had a ureterostomy, was on oxygen 24/7, and was (and still is) fed through a G-tube. He was in end-stage renal failure and was on dialysis for 12 hours every night until he received a kidney transplant in May 2021! Rowan gets medication every day, weekly iGg infusions, and has monthly bloodwork and appointments. Rowan has been so brave and is the happiest kid we know!
Hi friends! I'm Amanda, the designer and voice behind Row Baby. I live in Toledo, Ohio with my husband, Justin, our brave NICU warrior, Rowan, his new baby brother, Weston, and our adorable pup, Raymie.
Most days you’ll find me wearing an oversized sweatshirt and leggings, hair up, and a coffee in hand. Most nights you’ll find me losing track of time watching too many episodes of The Voice, The Bachelor, or Schitt's Creek. Before my new favorite job of being a caretaker for Rowan and stay-home-mom to both of my boys, I ran my own design and illustration business. Now when the kids nap or on nights when I'm caught up on all of my TV episodes, I love to write about our experiences, share tips and tricks that I’ve learned, and create illustrations for Row Baby. It's one thing that feels like a little piece of me-time each day. I am so passionate about sharing our story and helping other moms in a similar situation know that they are not alone. When our medical journey started, I felt so lost. I didn't know anyone who understood what I was going through and no one to ask questions to. If you are in the same situation, know that you are welcome here! I hope you find encouragement, hope, and advice that will give you a little light in the darkness.
