Published Dec 28, 2014
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
10 Articles; 18,919 Posts
Kudos to Magee-Women's Hospital Nurses/ UPMC who organize knitting Christmas hats + stockings for those lucky to be born around Christmas holiday.
Holiday Newborns Go Home in Christmas Stockings
Dec 24, 2014, 2:47 PM ET
By SYDNEY LUPKIN
Sydney Lupkin Good Morning America
Some of the best Christmas gifts fit in stockings and babies born around the holidays are no exception. That's why babies born at Magee-Women's Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center get special stockings if they're in the hospital on Christmas Day. Parents spending their first Christmas at UPMC get the stockings and hand-knit red hats as keepsakes. Magee nurses have been organizing the event for several years, and they give away dozens of tiny hats each holiday season.
That's why babies born at Magee-Women's Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center get special stockings if they're in the hospital on Christmas Day.
Parents spending their first Christmas at UPMC get the stockings and hand-knit red hats as keepsakes. Magee nurses have been organizing the event for several years, and they give away dozens of tiny hats each holiday season.
Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN
5,047 Posts
Aww that's sweet! I have one who was born on July 4th, and they gave him a red white & blue stocking hat with a really cool tassel that reminded me of fireworks. I loved it, and really appreciated the work the volunteers put into it!
vampiregirl, BSN, RN
823 Posts
So sweet!
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
1 Article; 20,908 Posts
YEARS ago....54 to be exact...I was brought home in a Christmas stocking. I was born on Christmas.
photo shop but still fun...LOL
Anonymous865
483 Posts
Yes the nurses who organized the project deserve kudos, but the volunteers who spent their money on yarn and donated many, many hours making the caps and stockings deserve kudos also.
If any nurse wants to organize something similar in their hospital, contact your local yarn shops. Most yarn shops send out newsletters to their customers and would be happy to request volunteers for your project. The yarn shop would also serve as a collection spot for the donations. The yarn shop owner might even discount any yarn purchased for the project.
The yarn shops I frequent knit helmet liners for local national guard troops deploying to Afghanistan or other cold locations. They knit hats for all the kids in a local elementary school that serves a very poor community. They knit blankets for Project Linus (blankets for kids who are seriously ill or going through a traumatic time e.g. house fire.) Each year the yarns shops in my state compete against yarn shops in our biggest football rivals state to make caps for the childrens' hospitals in both states. The state with the most caps wins bragging rights. All the caps are divided evenly between the 2 states and sent to the childrens' hospitals. There are knitting groups who make bereavement gowns for local hospitals to dress stillborns or infants who die, so their parents can hold them one last time in a special outfit. The gowns are left open in the back and closed with a tie to make it easy for the nurse to dress the baby one last time.
I've always wondered why no one organized something for skilled nursing homes. Maybe a nurse reading this will try to get their local yarn shops to make something for their forgotten residents. Laps blankets or socks maybe?
Somehow I'm not surprised that Esme was a Christmas present to all who would someday know her.
anon456, BSN, RN
3 Articles; 1,144 Posts
I work at a large children's hospital, and I am so thankful every day that we have stacks of handmade quilts, blankets, and pillow cases that we can give to kids all year round to make things less scary. Those stocking babies are very cute, though!
starsintheskyRN
1 Post
I was brought home in a Christmas stocking and it was used as my stocking every Christmas since. My grandma made it. And it is incredible !
CT Pixie, BSN, RN
3,723 Posts
Both my children were born at Christmas time..one a couple of days before the other a couple of days after. I was in the hospital on Christmas Day for both deliveries. Both hospitals did the Christmas stocking and hat thing. Sadly, neither of my girls got one because they ran out! There was a run of Christmas time babies for both hosptials. All the babies were in their stockings..it was a wonderful site.
I love the idea..so festive. Just wish I had the hospital stockings for keepsakes. Both children were premature and still very little (height/length) when they went home not long after Christmas.
GaPeach_
2 Posts
Wow! So cute. Mine was 23 min b4 new year.