Here’s the story behind the pillow: Yamile Jackson’s son Zachary was a preemie(he weighed less than 2 pounds). Soon after he was born, Tropical Storm Allison flooded Houston and shut down the hospital and all the life-support machines that were keeping Zachary alive. For eight hours, Jackson, her husband, and the nurses kept him alive “by hand.” After that, Jackson was in the hospital every day for 10 hours and hated when she had to leave her baby. She wished she could cut off her hand to leave her touch, warmth, and scent behind for her son. This inspired her to invent the Zaky. The Zaky comes in a variety of colors, as well as in a “left” and a “right” hand. This makes no difference to the baby, but if you buy two, the company says “it looks more natural to have a pair.” You can warm the pillow in the dryer so it’s cozy, and scent it with a drop of your perfume or dad’s aftershave so it smells like someone familiar. For babies 0 – 8 months, two Zakys are recommended; for babies over 8 months, one should do the trick. The Zaky is $49.95 at Zakeez. Would you buy a Zaky to help your baby feel safe and comforted throughout the night? Do you already have one?
