Knitting ventilator bonnets for sick and premature babies

A friend recently shared a post on Facebook from First Touch, which has led me on a wonderful journey to knitting ventilator bonnets for sick and premature babies at St George's Hospital, London.

I emailed First Touch about the fairy mice pattern, but when they said they could use some bonnets, that was my priority.  I have also offered to donate some of my watercolour birth announcements, although it's not as practical. I'll be wrapping these head warmers in paper I've reused from Amazon packaging, hand lettered with messages of love.

I took up knitting when I was pregnant in 2015, and was pretty proud of my first efforts at a "monkey snuggler" sock for a newborn baby, alongside a pretty intense chevron blanket.

I knitted beanies for all of our NCT group babies, one of whom was just a little tyke born on the cusp of being premature and weighing just five pounds. When I met him, he was five days old and just the tiniest thing (and going absolutely great guns now). I can't imagine the struggles that parents of very premature babies (some weighing just a pound) must go through, or the stress of having a sick baby in hospital. I know that medical staff work wonders to care for them (and their parents) through some very rocky days.

If you'd like to help too, you can email the First Touch team: info@first-touch.org.uk or visit their website to find out how you can help. I'd love to see what you make if you do, so please feel free to tag @oliveandreid on social media.