Hats made with love for the tiniest heads

THANKS TO THE TINY HATS ON THEIR HEADS. LITTLE HATS FOR TINY BABIES MAKING A MAJOR DIFFERENCE. IT’S SOMETHING SO SIMPLE, BUT SO MEANINGFUL BETWEEN THEIR NORMAL DUTIES HERE AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL IN BOSTON, NICU MEDICAL DIRECTOR ALISA ABDULHAYOGLU AND HER TEAM ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A PHOTO SHOOT. HI, BUDDY. ARE YOU GOOD? THIS LITTLE RACE CAR DRIVER IS CELEBRATING FATHER’S DAY. IT’S A LOT OF FUN. LIKE, IT REALLY KIND OF BRINGS YOUR ARTSY OUT. DOCTOR ABDULHAYOGLU SAYS MARKING THESE MILESTONES IS SO IMPORTANT FOR NICU FAMILIES. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT JUST BECAUSE THE BABY IS IN THE NICU, THEY STILL HAVE THIS ENTIRE LIFE AROUND THEM AS WELL. AND THAT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOT FORGET. AND TO BRING A SENSE OF NORMALCY TO THIS VERY CRAZY, UP AND DOWN NICU STAY THAT A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE. THESE ARE ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE. THE THE LITTLE LEPRECHAUN ONES. RICARDO GETS IT. HER SON SPENT TWO MONTHS IN THE NICU AFTER HIS BIRTH. NOW SHE WORKS WITH NONPROFIT PROJECT SWEET P’S TO SUPPORT NICU FAMILIES. I HEAR FROM FAMILIES ALL THE TIME THAT FROM THE CARE PACKAGES AND THE ITEMS, IT’S THE HATS THAT THEY KEEP COMING BACK TO BECAUSE THEY’RE SO TINY. PROJECT SWEET PEAS PROVIDES HATS AND OTHER FESTIVE ACCESSORIES TO THE TEAM AT THE BRIGHAM, AS WELL AS MASS GENERAL FOR CHILDREN. GOOD JOB NICU NURSES ERICA NOLAN AND MARIAH ARLEN COORDINATE THE PETITE PHOTO SHOOTS AT MFK. THE PARENTS HAVE LOVED IT. THEY’VE BROUGHT FAMILY MEMBERS IN, YOU KNOW, TO WATCH THE PHOTO SHOOT, BE, YOU KNOW, BE DONE THIS TIME, BABY ANTONELLA AND BABY CADEN ARE CELEBRATING 4TH OF JULY. WE STARTED CHRISTMAS AND WE’VE PROBABLY HAD LIKE 30 FAMILIES. SO FAR. AND THEN WE DID VALENTINE’S DAY AND WE DID SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. THE NURSES GET SO EXCITED. SOMETIMES THEY’RE EVEN UPSET. THEY’RE NOT ON THE DAY THAT IT’S HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE PART OF IT. IT’S SO FUN AND THE COMMUNITY IS JUST CAPTIVATED BY THESE LITTLE MIRACLES THAT WE HAVE. STAFF FROM BOTH HOSPITALS SAY THEY LOVE TO FIND WAYS TO CELEBRATE THESE TINY PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. I JUST LOVE TO SHOW THEM THAT THE BABY IS SO STRONG AND THEY’RE GOING TO DO GREAT. THEY MIGHT BE THE SMALLEST OF THE PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT OUNCE FOR OUNCE, POUND FOR POUND, THEY ARE THE STRONGEST. OH, AND STAFF AT BOTH HOSPITALS SHARE SOME OF THOSE SWEET PHOTOS ON THEIR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT. OH YEAH, AND THEY ALSO SAY THAT FAMILIES OFTEN STAY IN TOUCH WITH THE NICU STAFF AFTER THEIR BABIES HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED.