Fiona onesies for NICU babies at Cincinnati Children's Hospital

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Babies in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Cincinnati Children's Hospital received a special gift Friday.

They received onesies featuring a picture of Fiona, the beloved baby hippo at the Cincinnati Zoo.

“We have a unique connection with our neighbors at the zoo because we both are caring around the clock for critically ill newborns and we share a passion for making our little ones better,”said Rachel Wilson, NICU clinical director at Cincinnati Children’s.

In February, the NICU staff delivered a care package to Fiona’s care team with some encouraging words, superhero capes, a special book and a stuffed hippo for Fiona.

Fiona weighed just 29 pounds when she was born prematurely in January. She is now more than three months old and weighs 195 pounds.

“Fiona’s premature birth made her story all too relatable for many families. She had serious health struggles, but today she is a healthy little hippo. Our great neighbor Cincinnati Children’s rushed over to help when Fiona was in critical condition,” said Thane Maynard, Cincinnati Zoo director. “Donating #TeamFiona onesies to preemies in the NICU is a way to not only thank Cincinnati Children’s for their amazing support but also to provide a message of hope for families with little ones in their care. They are in good hands.”

“We love the onesie and we love anything to support Fiona. We are all about Fiona,” said Laura Baker, mom of newborn daughter Logan who is receiving care in the NICU. “We can’t wait to meet and see her.”