Friday 8 March 2019

Parent support group, Positive Touch, donated books for premature and sick babies at Royal Surrey County Hospital, in celebration of World Book Day yesterday (Thursday 7 March).

The volunteer-led group, which is part of Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity, created baskets of books and rhymes for families whose babies are being cared for in the special care baby unit (SCBU) at the hospital. The aim of the project is to encourage families to read and sing to their babies, giving them opportunities to bond and helping to promote family-centred care.

Diane Freeman from Positive Touch said:

“Positive Touch realises that bonding with a baby who needs special care can be hard. When parents read to their baby, they are not only bonding with them, they are helping reduce some of the stress of being in SCBU. Reading to newborns is also a great way to aid brain development. Some of the books we’ve given out have been the baby’s first book, which is really special.”

The baskets have been made possible thanks to support from Books for Bugs, which has also donated copies of children’s-favourite Guess How Much I Love You for each baby in the SCBU on World Book Day.

Fiona England, Royal Surrey County Hospital’s SCBU Practice Development Sister, said:

“Each baby in SCBU is the beginning of a beautiful story – we love to see parents, grandparents and siblings reading, while enjoying precious time with their baby.”

As well as raising money for Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity to support babies who are born premature or sick, Positive Touch also provides a support network for families whose babies have spent time in SCBU, by holding regular coffee mornings and events.

Thank you to Positive Touch and Books for Bugs for their support! 

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