- The highly unusual idea began at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark
- The octopi calmed babies, led to improved breathing and cardiac patterns
- Now more than a dozen care units around Europe have adopted the method
Sara Malm For The Mail On Sunday
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Baby care units are trying out a novel way of comforting premature babies – by giving them a knitted toy octopus to cuddle.
It’s thought that gripping the soft tentacles might remind early term newborns of the umbilical cord and the safety of their mother’s womb.
The idea began at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, where medical staff reported that the toy octopi calmed babies, led to improved breathing and cardiac patterns and, as a result, increased levels of oxygen in their blood.
It’s thought that gripping the soft tentacles of a cuddly octopus toy might remind early term newborns of the umbilical cord and the safety of their mother’s womb
They also reported that when the babies cuddled their octopus they were less likely to try to pull on the cables and tubes surrounding their incubators.
There are now more than a dozen care units around Europe taking part in the octopus therapy project, with Poole Hospital in Dorset the first in the UK to join.
Daniel Lockyer, neonatal services matron at Poole, said: ‘It’s incredible that something so simple can comfort a baby and help them feel better.’
Now Poole is appealing for more and has put the crochet pattern online. Go to poole.nhs.uk and search for octopus.
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