VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - On February 11, 2020, Virginia Beach mom Kelsey Steele delivered her baby, Laylani, 14 weeks early.
"Laylani came out strong. She was one pound, four ounces - she was really a miracle," Steele said.
Laylani, also born with sickle cell disease, spent 90 days in the NICU at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital.
"She was intubated, had oxygen going straight down her throat," Steele said.
Laylani was a fighter, and weeks later, Steele wanted to dress her in her own clothes for the first time to take newborn pictures.
"I couldn't find anything. Even premature clothes were too small for her," Steele said. "She was drowning in socks; she was drowning in clothes."
Steele quickly realized finding baby clothing, hats and headbands tiny enough for her daughter was nearly impossible.
"I would have to use medical tape, fold it over the back of a headband and tape it to put it on and take a picture," she explained.
So, in January of this year, she created Dandelion Fields, where she makes bows and headbands with soft, stretchy, pressure-free material for babies just like Laylani.
"I have had a lot of moms really in tears - not only to get the headband, but I have realized that there are people on this journey going through the same thing," Steele said.
Steele is also donating headbands back to Sentara Princess Anne and Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters.
