Premature octopuses in Israel An exciting and special social project • also in Haifa
On the occasion of the International Month of Prematurity observed in the month of November and the Israeli holiday that was observed last night (Tuesday 24/11/20) with the aim of raising awareness of premature infants and their families, a system haipo An interview with Liat Ratner.
Ratner is an occupational therapist at the association Lehva for premature babies in Israel, a premature mother herself and a project leaderOctopus per peg" in Israel.
What is the Octopus Project for every Peg?
Premature octopuses in Israel is a project started in Denmark, by the father of a baby girl who was born before her time. The father felt powerless in front of his tiny daughter lying in an incubator most of the day and wanted, with all his heart, to do something, even the smallest, for her. This feeling is shared by many parents of premature babies, if not all. The same father decided to knit an octopus for his daughter. A small toy, the fruit of his hands, that would accompany her and comfort her, he hoped that the octopus would be a kind of initial communication for her that would create a sense of security for her.
The octopus brought a significant improvement in the condition of premature babies
What happened after that, is that the medical team noticed that there was an improvement in the baby's medical indicators. They "suspected" the octopus as the cause of these improvements and decided to do a sort of experiment and put such octopuses into the incubator of more premature babies. They were able to see that even with those premature babies there were significant improvements in the indicators, their development was positively affected and they became stronger. From here, the news about these octopuses spread to other places and today the Premature Octopus Project operates in dozens of countries in the world, including Israel.
About 16,000 babies are born prematurely every year in Israel
In Israel, two projects started at the same time, a project "premature octopuses", It was led by Gal Shlomiali and a project "Octopus for every baby" It is led by Ratner. The two projects were united, in cooperation with the Lehab association - for premature babies in Israel.
Liat Ratner tells Lahi Pa:
About a year ago, I started working at the Lehab Association as an occupational therapist, with the aim of providing support to parents whose children were born prematurely and face difficulties in development. This is how I came to the project Octopus per peg. Gal Shlomai, daughter of a senior doctor at Hadassah Ein Kerem, was asked to knit an octopus by her mother after a couple asked the director of pre-natal care at Hadassah to send an octopus for their baby girl. The doctor heard about this story abroad. As mentioned, she asked her daughter Gal to knit an octopus for a peg, and that's how the project began in Israel.
Octopuses with standards
The octopuses meet strict standards and are knitted densely, from natural materials, according to very precise instructions. Each part of the octopus knitting is knitted very carefully, in order to avoid any possibility of risking premature babies and to fulfill the purpose for which they are knitted.
When we met, Gal and I, says Ratner, we decided to join forces and merged the two projects, and today the octopuses are divided into seven preemies.
Octopuses in Haifa and the surrounding area
In Haifa, the octopuses are distributed at the Rambam and Bnei Zion hospitals, in Nazareth at the Italian and French hospitals. In addition, the octopuses are also distributed in the central region at Assaf Harofeh and Wolfson and in Jerusalem at Hadassah Har HaTsoufu and Hadassah Ein Kerem.
in the north: In the Italian and French Hospital in Nazareth
in Haifa: in the Bnei Zion and Rambam hospitals
In the center: At Assaf Harofeh and Wolfson hospitals
in Jerusalem: At the Hadassah Mount Scopus and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals.
Why an octopus? What does it mean for the pregnant woman and for the parents?
The fetus that was born prematurely, was exposed to loud noises and light that it would not have been exposed to inside the womb, where it was protected until its full development was completed. This is also how the experience he had inside the womb and the play he had in the umbilical cord are taken from him. Using the octopus with arms, we try to simulate the umbilical cord, so that he can touch and play. This is also why the arms are curled.
Even for the parents, this has great meaning and importance, due to the fact that babies who are born on time, are sent a gift box that is not relevant to premature or premature babies, who are fighting for their lives. The parents, who often feel helpless in front of this sight, are very excited when they receive the octopus as a gift, because it is a gift that fits their situation and gives them the feeling that they can give and do something for their baby. Even their premature babies can, in the case of the octopus, enjoy a toy.
Volunteers knit octopuses
Ratner also adds: We have many volunteers and 15 collection points. One of them is in the Haifa and Kiryat area, who is responsible for the collection in the area Yael Lavi Pitro And I scatter them to the preemies.
One of the nice things about the project is that it is social. For example, during the Corona period, many people who lost their jobs, are currently knitting octopuses, thus filling their time and also contributing to others. There are groups in nursing homes and sheltered housing where they knit octopuses for premature babies, and there are other groups across the country that have mobilized for this purpose.
We need donations and fundraising You can donate using the attached link.
Parents who need assistance
Parents of premature infants who need assistance or help of any kind can contact the Lehab Association, which is a nationwide association established by parents of premature infants and former premature infants, for the purpose of promoting and improving the condition of premature infants in Israel, their families, and premature infants in Israel, and in order to reduce the number of premature infants born each year and to increase awareness of the dangers of miscarriages . The LAH association works on many activities such as:
- Production of initial training booklets to support a premature parent during hospitalization and before discharge
- Production of 'Prematurity Day in Israel' events
- Construction and renovation of parents' rooms in pre-schools throughout the country
- Donation of life-saving equipment for preemies and useful equipment for parents
- Actions to establish a breast milk bank in Israel and encourage pumping and breastfeeding
- Promoting the topic of preventive treatment against the RSV virus in Israel
- Extending maternity leave for parents of premature babies and easing the situation of families in the first year
- Professional support meetings during hospitalization and after discharge
- Uncompromising fight to increase manpower standards in premature babies and the disclosure of government reports on the subject
- Maintenance of a hotline and information website
- Representing parents in front of the establishment and handling individual problems
- Opening of various support funds
- Media exposure to the issues of premature babies and the production of surveys and petitions on the various issues
- Representation of parents before institutional bodies and government committees
- Activating a network of contacts in pre-schools throughout the country for the benefit of the parents
- Providing training to the reception system in the community to understand the mental state of the families of premature babies
Hey!
Honeysuckle mother of twins born at week 27 and hospitalized in Schneider. I would love to receive information regarding how to get octopuses for them.
Good Morning,
We had two premature babies born in Tbilisi weighing 1250 and 1350. I would really love to receive them and if we have to pay, our premature babies will be happy.
Hello, I had premature twins at 32 weeks, where do you get octopuses????
Interested in joining the project and receiving knitting instructions,
I'm an engagement coordinator at the high school and I can add more knitting needles
I knit dolls and also octopuses for children and babies, I understood that octopuses for premature babies have a certain standard. I would love to receive the details and knit and donate.
I am currently abroad until after the holidays, but you can contact me through my email. Thank you.
All the best, I would love to receive details about material and knitting instructions
I made several octopuses and instead of the acrylic balls I put 2 sponges for bathing in each octopus, the type intended for babies.
Hello everyone,
My child was premature at 32 weeks
I heard about the blessed project
Looking for an octopus for my baby
I will be happy to answer
Send me your phone number and I'll get you an octopus
Neely 0507624426
I would love to join the project. Please send detailed instructions.
I would love to receive about the activity in Be'er Sheva.
Kudos to the initiators and workers for premature babies and their parents,
I knitted 15 octopus dolls according to the instructions. I brought to Yael's house that I got her name and cell phone number.
I did not receive a response if indeed the dolls met the required criteria.
Did they arrive prematurely?
Best regards
Tami Tzur
I would appreciate the instructions and are the threads special?
Good Morning,
A very important project. want to be a part of it. I started knitting and making octopuses.
I would like to know who I should contact to send and/or transfer the octopuses
Phone or/and email
Tami Tzur, Kibbutz Ein Carmel
As a grandmother of premature twins (twins) who were born weighing 1 kg and the second 2 kg, and who stayed in a premature baby at Carmel Hospital, and also by virtue of being a retired crafts teacher, I would be happy to contribute my skills to this lovely project. I understood that there are exact instructions and conditions. Where can I get what instructions So that I can start knitting octopuses? By the way, the twins are 9.5 years old today, well-developed and healthy. Thanks to Giyat Carmel Hospital in Haifa. The hospitalization period was difficult for the whole family and especially for the parents of course.
Bless you for the initiative!