Quilters give their hearts to newborns

By Ben Fitzgerald - 29 March 2017

CharityCommunity

The busy sewing bees of Poppydown Quilters are helping parents exchange body scent with their new born in the special care baby unit at Great Western Hospital.

Because premature and unwell babies are quickly transferred to life-giving incubators after birth, the opportunity to spend the all important bonding hours is lost.

Now the keen sewers at Poppydown, who meet at Shaw Ridge Primary School, have sent more than 90 pairs of heart shaped pieces of fabric to the intensive care ward so that they can be given to parents.

One of the bonding hearts is placed on or next to the baby in the incubator whilst the parents keep the other close to their skin.

Swapping the hearts regularly can help to get mums, dads and babies used to each other’s scent during the difficult days and weeks when they are unable to hold or cuddle each other.

The smell can also help to produce the hormones needed to aid breastfeeding.

Group member Sue Buford said: “The bonding hearts are a lovely idea to help parents build a close connection with their babies when things are confusing and difficult; they give hope.”

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