Can you imagine not being able to bring your newborn baby home?
15 million parents can't every year
Globally, approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely, across the world every year. That is 41,095 babies each day, or 29 babies every single minute. It is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. One million of these premature babies do not survive, and those who do, often have lifelong health problems.
What does 15 million mean, exactly?
74
Dr. Seuss
“A person's a person no matter how small.”
times
Infant death is 74 times more likely than for a baby born full-term
percent
89
89% are admitted to the NICU with the cost of $6,000 per day
That number
is on the rise...
For these infants, their parents, and their doctors, this is a stressful situation that can have a dramatic effect on families, communities, and the global healthcare system.
While preemies are in the NICU, they have several milestones to meet before they can be discharged to go home. Before being able to go home with their parents, preemies must meet the following milestones:
-
Being able to breathe on their own
-
Being able to keep their body temperatures stable
-
Being able to eat
DID YOU KNOW?
HOW MANY?
1 in 10 babies are born prematurely each year
MEDICAL ATTENTION
40% more visits to the doctor for a preterm baby compared to full-term
DEATH BEFORE 1
2/3 of the babies who die before their 1st birthday are preemies
HOW OFTEN?
Premature birth kills 1 baby every 30 seconds
HIGH COSTS
A premature baby costs 54K in their first year of life
FIRST-TIME MOMS
40% of preterm babies are born to first-time moms
THE DIFFERENCE WE MAKE
WE HELP WITH THIS MILESTONE!
Being able to breathe on their own
Being able to eat
Being able to maintain a stable body temperature
Most premature babies need to sleep in an incubator to stay warm, as they are not able to keep themselves warm as well as full-term babies. Being able to maintain a stable body temperature outside of an incubator is a big milestone that preemies need to meet before they can leave the NICU. It is a milestone that is based on weight more than gestational age, and most babies are able to keep themselves warm by the time they weigh about 4 pounds.
Thus since most of the body's heat escapes from the preemie's head, by wearing our knit hats, it will prevent the heat from escaping their tiny bodies and save the energy they need to maintain their body temperature. This is why our hats we knit can play a big role in helping preemies reach the milestone of keeping their body temperatures stable.
Did you know the size of a preemie's head is around the size of an orange? It is not easy finding hats that are so small. That is where Madhatter Knits comes in! Every year hospitals rely on volunteers like us to donate the premature baby's knit hats. Parents and nurses always appreciate the thought and love that goes into the hats donated to the NICU. We can make a difference in these premature babies lives.
