No-Sew Blankets for NICU
The purpose of this program is to provide soft blankets for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Check with the local hospital regarding any special requirement for these blankets and adjust the materials to fit this requirement.
Refreshments
Cake or cupcakes, finger sandwiches and punch.
Program
Making No–Sew Fleece Blankets.
You can find easy instructions on YouTube.
Materials needed:
- Two complimentary pieces of fleece 1 to 1¼ yards of each material. Choose a baby type print for one side and a solid ‘baby’ color for the back of this project. There are precut packages of fleece no-sew blankets available that can be purchased from area fabric stores or Etsy.
- Good fabric scissors
- Flat table surface area for each blanket
- Optional ribbon to attach a note to parents
If desired, roll or fold the blanket and tie with a ribbon. Add a card or note for the parents.
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Many hospitals are equipped with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Newborns who need intensive medical care are often put in this unit that is equipped with advanced technology as well as healthcare providers specifically trained to work with these tiny patients. Most babies admitted to the NICU are preterm (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy), have low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds), or have a health condition that needs special care. In the U.S., nearly half a million babies are born preterm. In addition, babies with health conditions such as breathing trouble, heart problems, infections, or birth defects are also cared for in the NICU. Team members work together with parents to create a plan of care for high–risk newborns.
Have you ever held one of these little ones? Some are so tiny that they fit into the palm of your hand and yet with the technology of the NICU, these preemie babies can survive and thrive. I am reminded of the words of the psalmist in Psalm 139:13–15 praising God because He cares for us even before the day of our birth:
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
When the baby is still a twinkle in the parents’ eyes, God was present. As shown in the detail of sonograms, when the baby begins to develop, we can see the tiny hands, feet, eyes and legs in this secret place, the mother’s womb. We are woven together and made as part of God’s design. The Psalmist reminds us that even in this place, without the assistance of the sonogram, God saw us. We were not hidden from Him. We mattered to Him. Knowing that God takes notice of the baby in the mother’s womb, we can begin to understand the treasure God sees in His creation and how He knits the human body together. It is not by accident or chance, but by His design—God’s workmanship.
In the New Testament we read that Jesus cares for all children. In Luke 18:14–16 we are told that “People were also bringing babies to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” When the crowd tried to keep them away, Jesus told them to bring the little ones to Him. “I want them to sit on My lap, I want to smell their baby smells. I want to see their baby smiles.” The creator, who knew them when they were formed in their mothers’ wombs, wanted to see His creation. He wanted to touch, hold, listen, laugh, love His little ones.
Today as you are preparing warm blankets, think about these little ones. Some are no bigger than your hand, some weigh less than a bag of sugar, some fingernails have not even formed yet. As you think about this gift of love and warmth, remember it is not just the baby we are surrounding with God’s warmth, but also the parents who will need the comfort and love that this blanket brings. As you cut the fabric, tie the strips and wrap the blanket up to take to the NICU, I challenge you to pray for the whole family that will receive this act of warmth from your hands.
Prayer: Father, we commit this blanket into Your hands. Even before we made the first cut of fabric, You knew the family that will receive this gift from us. We pray each of these blankets will be Your arms around the baby and the parents. Hold them close, love, comfort and encourage them. We know that days ahead of them can be difficult as they experience ups and downs in the NICU, but You, Lord, love these babies more than their parents. You, Lord, love their parents. We ask for your love to surround them. May they experience the joy of this tiny life in their arms.
Resources:
How to Make a Tie Blanket from Fleece
