Miracles, Medicine and Mother's Milk: Amanda and Ruby's NICU Triumph

Matt and Amanda Zopp have always had a special place in their heart for the welfare of children. They currently homeschool their two older children and previously dedicated themselves to building the children's ministry in their local church. 

So, when they learned they were expecting another child, they were delighted. 

Amanda gushes, "Everything during pregnancy and labor went perfectly."

A Shocking Turn

At delivery, however, the couple was stunned to learn their daughter, Ruby, had suffered an unexplained event called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Her organs were deprived of oxygen due to a lack of blood flow. Her body suffered brain damage, kidney damage and liver damage. Before the couple could hold her, she was whisked away by the medical team to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for life-saving care.

Amanda shares, "With my first two children, delivery had been a magical bonding time, but we didn't get any of that with Ruby."

To make matters worse, Ruby didn't simply require critical care to get her through her medical ordeal — Ruby's life hung delicately in the balance — the medical team unsure she would survive. The couple grappled with increasingly devastating news about her prognosis. By day five, they were told comfort care was all the medical team could provide. The family would need to make memories and prepare to say goodbye.

The Decision to Hold onto Hope

"It was extremely scary and traumatizing. I had to hold on to my faith by reading scriptures I'd meditated on throughout my pregnancy," Amanda explains. "When this transpired, and I realized she was not spending merely a few days in the NICU, my scriptures turned in massive spiritual warfare. The Holy Spirit kicked in, and I prayed like I have never prayed before, begging God to save her and reminding Him of His word: 'You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You' Isaiah 26:3. 'For I will restore you to health and heal you of your wounds' Jeremiah 30:17."

The couple also leaned into the support of their parents and church family. 

"My parents traveled from Kentucky to care for our older children. My pastor and other church staff came by regularly to pray with us and encourage us. I was told that on the evening of the fifth day, the church had a corporate prayer for our daughter, and I credit that prayer with her miracle because it was after that night, the medical team was pleasantly surprised and shared that she was showing signs of improvement."

A Desire to Nurture Ruby — Deferred

Another ache in Amanda's heart was her inability to hold her daughter or offer her nutritious breast milk. For the first month, Ruby could not digest it, so Amanda pumped and preserved it for Ruby — eager for the day when she would be ready to feed. 

Amanda explains, "Ruby had so many wires and tubes coming out of her that she couldn't be moved or touched, so I couldn't feed her. She had a central line running that gave her nutrients. By day seven, with a lot of assistance from three medical team members, I was finally able to hold her."

Amanda went home with three gallon-sized coolers of unused milk. She was saddened that her daughter had been deprived of these nutrients. 

"I felt certain that if I could give her my milk, she'd begin to heal."

The Healing Power of Mother's Milk

Gratefully, by the second month, as Ruby continued to progress, the team gave Ruby Amanda's milk through a feeding tube. 

"Eventually, she progressed even more, and I was able to attempt oral feeds. The medical team was very supportive."

During the second month, as Ruby received her mother's milk, she steadily improved. On November 10, 2025, to the joy of her family and friends, Ruby was discharged home.

"Bringing her home was a huge relief. I remember driving away from the hospital thinking, 'I have a healthy baby.'"

The Search to Share Her Milk with Other Babies in Need

Before long, Ruby was comfortable with feedings, but Amanda had an oversupply. Considering all they'd endured, Amanda was compelled to donate the overage to other families with babies in the NICU.

"I wanted to contribute to the health of other teeny tiny babies. I did an online search and found WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank. I learned that after an approval process, a courier would come to my home to pick up my milk. It was perfect! To date, I've given close to 1,000 ounces."

A Return to a Life of Joy

Ruby and Amanda are both doing wonderfully well now. Ruby sees a urologist for her kidneys as they continue to heal, but she is otherwise a healthy baby. 

Amanda laughs, "She is so curious about the world. She wants to see everything and be part of everything. I'm pretty sleep-deprived, but when I think of the alternative of missing out on this life with her, I'm grateful for the opportunity to mother her, and I know eventually, we'll both get to sleep through the night."

Reflecting on the challenges of having a baby in the NICU and worries of nutrients, Amanda offers a word of encouragement to other mothers navigating this same maze of emotions.

"Know that the moments of despair are moments. They will pass. Try to find joy. Choose to be grateful for the life you've brought into the world and have hope that your baby will have a thriving, healthy future. In the meantime, remember that other mothers are here for you, sharing our milk and believing your little miracle will survive." 

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About WakeMed Mothers' Milk Bank

Each year, more than 10,000 babies are born prematurely in North Carolina. These fragile newborns need the best possible nutrition to grow and develop into healthy infants. Breast milk has life-saving antibodies that protect preemies, as well as full-term infants, against disease, illness and intestinal infections.

Mother’s milk is best. However, ill, premature babies sometimes cannot breastfeed, and frequently their mothers are unable to pump enough milk for them. For a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), milk donations can be essential to life.

This is where you come in. WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank is a non-profit milk bank that provides safe, pasteurized donor milk to babies in hospital NICUs in North Carolina and all along the east coast — breast milk donated by parents like you.