By Lorenzo Salinas

l.v.salinas@panews.com

 

Caring comes in may forms — like in eight fabric limbs crocheted for babies born early.

Cyndi Fontaine is the owner of In The Loop, a yarn shop in downtown Silsbee. There she sells everything one needs for crocheting and knitting, holds classes and runs an Octopi for Preemies group that has been donating their cuddly creations to local hospitals.

Fontaine found her inspiration for such charity works from Denmark, of all places.

“It came from a study done in Denmark,” she said. “It (suggests) that when babies hold tentacles, it makes them feel like they’re holding an umbilical cord.”

This simulation acts as a sort of comfort for the newborns, providing an array of benefits including lowered heart rate, calmer breathing and a reduced tendency to pull out the tubes connected to them.

“In addition, when the octopi are pressed up to them, it makes them feel as if they’re still in the womb,” Fontaine said.

“When parents see their babies cuddled up to these (octopi), it’s a reminder that a kind gesture could still come from a stranger, yet it’s also helping their child’s physical health.”

Fontaine explained that the colorfully-made octopi also benefit more than just child and parent.

“It’s actually been therapeutic for both sides,” she said. “It’s been therapeutic for the person making it.”

Fontaine listed some of the benefits of crocheting and knitting such as relaxing the mind, alleviating carpal tunnel syndrome, working out negative emotions and lowering blood pressure.

“It’s just good for everybody,” she said. “They’re making something for someone who can’t give back. It just proves the saying that ‘It’s better to give than to receive.’ ”

Each octopus takes about three hours to make. Fontaine and fellow volunteers have donated approximately 50 of the plush wonders so far to hospitals in the area like Christus Hospital-St. Elizabeth, Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas and Medical Center of Southeast Texas.

Each batch consists of 25 octopi. As of this writing, Fontaine said they have close to 75 ready to go.

“We just want to make sure we keep them supplied,” she said. “Our goal is to get to Houston with them.”

Fontaine was proud to announce a new addition to their popular octopi gifts.

“We also have a knitted version now. We’re so excited to announce it,” Fontaine said. “We’re thrilled about that because it opens up another world of fiber arts lovers.”

Neonatologist Dr. Lauree Thompson at Christus Southeast Texas Hospital-St. Elizabeth said that the octopi were a way people felt they could contribute to the health of premature babies.

However, there was an important factor Thompson wanted parents to be aware of when it came time to take their infants home.

“When the baby is stable enough to come off the monitor, you have to remember to cut the cord — both figuratively and factually,” she said.

Citing certain guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Thompson advised for stuffed animals, blankets and anything loose not to be placed in the same space where a newborn would sleep. The items could pose a safety risk for the infant.

Still, she could appreciate the plushy aesthetics of the popular octopi.

“They’re beautiful, soft and something for the family to take home with them,” Thompson said.