Volunteer knitters entered into the Christmas spirit at the RUH Bath Birthing Centre, with the donation of some festive-themed baby bobble hats to the unit.
As well as donating thousands of white and colour-coded baby bobble hats, some people sent the centre festive-themed versions as well.
One inventive knitter made festive green bobble hats covered with decorative patterns and a Merry Christmas message stitched on the front.
Others sent in tiny ornamental hats that have been used to decorate the Christmas tree in the ante and postnatal Mary Ward’s day room.
Rachel Coleman, Practice Development Sister, said: “We’d like to say thank you to everyone who’s sent us these Christmassy hats – people are so clever and imaginative. It’s really helped to brighten up the ward.”
After Christmas though the Birthing Centre is asking people to continue knitting plain bobble hats with green, amber and red pom-poms for newborn babies there and at their community birthing centres, which are used to help ensure that babies receive the individual care they need.
There’s been an amazingly generous response to the recent appeal. Since October, the RUH Bath Birthing Centre has been send approximately ten thousand of the much-needed bobble hats.
Knitters aged from 9 to 94 have got involved with hats being sent from 159 different locations and from countries including America, Portugal, Spain, Hawaii, the UK and Ireland.
The maternity team is keeping track of every parcel they receive by adding it to mapcustomizer.com.
But with 5,000 babies a year being born at the RUH there’s a never-ending demand for knitting aid.
Rachel said: “We have been overwhelmed by the number of people from around the world who’ve taken the time to get knitting. The response has been incredible – every spare space we had is now filled with bags of hats. We can’t reply to everyone personally, but a big thank you to everyone who’s sent us hats.
“Babies will still receive traditional midwifery care, but this is an extra visual aid. A green bobble means your baby is term, warm and feeding well. Amber indicates a baby needs a little more help with feeding and keeping warm.
“Red indicates a baby will have regular observations by a nurse or midwife. The hats will make a real difference in further improving the quality of care we provide and we are extremely grateful for every hat donated.”
If you would like to join the knitting brigade, you can follow the pattern and send your hats to The Bath Birthing Centre, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust, Combe Park, Bath BA1 3NG.
