The arrival of a newborn is often announced through cute photos on Facebook, Instagram and other social platforms. But if the baby comes prematurely, parents can often shy away from posting on social media, unsure of how to share the news, or how friends and family will react to their tiny little bundles of joy.
BabyLove Nappies wanted to do something about this, so they created Premmie Proud, an online initiative to help encourage premmie parents to share their little miracle with the world.
Created in partnership with the Miracle Babies Foundation and the world’s leading baby photo sharing app, Baby Pics, it’s a new section of the popular app designed specifically for parents of premature babies. It includes a range of new hand-crafted photo overlays that speak directly to the moments only premmie parents can relate to, such as graduating from the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and being a ‘Little Fighter’.
“Parents of premmies can miss out on experiences other new parents take for granted, and one of these is sharing pictures of their newborn,” said BabyLove’s Debra Smith. “Unsure of how others may respond to seeing their baby in hospital, parents often avoid posting photos altogether. We wanted to change this by encouraging parents to be really proud of their little miracle.”
The Premmie Proud initiative has been spearheaded by BabyLove to share the experiences of premmie parents and spread the word that there is a social media tool just for them. Since including the premmie artwork pack in the Baby Pics app, Baby Pics has received overwhelming support and positive feedback from parents.
“It’s a small change that we believe will help make a big difference for premature families, because no one should be more proud of their baby than a premmie parent,” says Skye Forbes, co-creator of Baby Pics.
In Australia, 8.6% of babies are born pre-term annually, and the number is increasing. To meet the demand, BabyLove is investing in a number of initiatives including the Premmie Proud campaign. Last year, BabyLove launched a specially designed Premmie nappy that gently cups a premature baby’s body and avoids pressure and swelling around legs. The design also includes a special umbilical cord cut out, silky light materials and a wetness indicator.
“We are thrilled to be a part of Premmie Proud. While it may seem like something so simple, you need to understand that sometimes the most basic joys are taken from parents while their babies are in such a battle for life. Helping parents of premature babies feel more confident in sharing photos of their precious baby is an important part of the hospital journey. All babies are beautiful and premmie parents should feel proud of their amazing miracle and how hard they fight to be here!” said Melinda Cruz, CEO and Founder of Miracle Babies Foundation.
Download the Baby Pics app https://www.babypicsapp.com
Learn more about BabyLove Premmie Nappies www.babylovenappies.com.au
Find out more about Miracle Babies at www.miraclebabies.org.au
