Moments after Peanut was born, the UIHC AirCare helicopter was dispatched to transport her to the the UIHC NICU. (This was because of prematurity – her NEC issue was yet to come.) The transport team brought along a handmade black and gold hat the perfect size for Peanut’s tiny head – Peanut’s first gift. This was the first of many handmade items we would receive from the Preemie Project during her extended stay at the UIHC.

Peanut’s first hat.

The Preemie Project’s mission seeks to provide comfort and support to critically ill infants and their families in Newborn Intensive Care Units in Iowa. One way they achieve this is through a devoted group of local and national volunteers that make hats, booties, blankets and blanket sleepers (Peanut’s favorite). Since 2005, the program supports over 900 infants a year at the UIHC NICU. (They also offer support to six other Iowa hospitals.)

Peanut with a handmade Hawkeye hat.

More Preemie Project items.

All of the materials are purchased with donated funds. You can read in the site’s blog about their recent Black Friday Fabric Fundraiser that ended 4am the day after Thanksgiving with a trip to a fabric store to purchase over 700 yards of fabric – all of which will be used to comfort a sick infant.

Peanut in a blanket sleeper.

The Preemie Project is only one of several great projects we learned about during our stay at the UIHC with Peanut that offered simple services that made our lives a little bit brighter during some very long days. We hope to list more of them here as time permits. Until then, feel free to click the link below to see what great things The Preemie Project is up to.

Click the image above to visit the Preemie Project and find out more about the great things they’re doing!