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20th November 2017
07:56am GMT
The Rotunda Hospital in Dublin is calling for volunteers who can crochet to help make these special octopus toys for babies in a neonatal unit.
A new programme, Tentacles for Tinies, was launched by the Rotunda as part of World Prematurity Day.
The octopus toy is believed to be of extra comfort to the teenchy tiny babies as the tentacles remind them of the umbilical cord and being inside the mother's womb.
It also helps to prevent the babies from touching or trying to pull out their tubes as they have something to distract their hands instead.
The pattern for the octopus toy can be found on the Rotunda Knitters Facebook page, and volunteers are asked to please ensure they follow the guidelines exactly - considering how small and vulnerable to premature babies are, the stitches have to be tight enough that the stuffing doesn't fall out, and tentacles must be a certain length so they don't wrap around any medical wires.
If you would like to help or know someone who can crochet, get in touch with the volunteer group here.
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