Mama To Mama

in Haiti

news from Haiti and Konbit Sante:

In the Portland Press Herald

in Haiti

{reposted from SouleMama}

{Photo by Steve}

My heart is heavy with thoughts of Haiti. I'm sure you're feeling the same thing. Holding your own babies, partners and loved ones just a little bit closer, perhaps. And wondering - as I go about my normal day of playing, eating, sleeping, and knitting in comfort - what the day is like for those affected by this tragedy. The sadness and grief and confusion felt by so many families right now.

I'm sure, if you are inclined to do so, you may have already found the channels by which you can 'help.'  Of course, prayer and positive thought and good energy and light is powerful - and we are doing much of that here, in our individual ways.

For tangible immediate assistance, I recommend contributing as you can to the following organizations:

Doctors Without Borders
International Red Cross

Many of you know that last year, through Mama to Mama, we held a craftivism project centered around Haiti. The project was coordinated with Konbit Sante. The work they do - and the end location of all those beautiful caps - is in Cap Haitien, in the Northern part of Haiti. I have been in contact with the US directors of the project who are getting early word from the hospital there. They say, that while that area was slightly less affected by the earthquake, there is now concern of flooding. They are hoping they will be able to provide assistance and relief to those  in more affected areas. (Konbit Sante is keeping people updated via their Facebook page, if you are interested in following that stream.)

I encourage you to assist in the ways that feel best for you in the short term, and I hope to provide - in the long term - a way in which to assist as well. I have for some time hoped to begin another chapter of Mama to Mama, but quite frankly felt as though my plate was just too full to do so in 2009. With a little bit of help, however, I'm hoping we may begin work on the next step in the safe birthing kits very soon. I will, of course, keep you posted, and let you know as soon as we figure out the ways in which Mama to Mama could be most helpful to them, particularly given this latest tragedy.

In the meantime...sending out wishes of peace and love to those in need of both,
Amanda

notes from Haiti

from Eva Lathrop, MD, MPH:

Dear all of you,

It is hard to describe what a joy it has been to see the love through work of women around the world, in the name of helping women in Haiti and their children survive.  It is such a thrill to watch the faces of traditional birth attendants and laboring women when they see the beautiful gift of a hat for their new baby – they know it will help their baby survive, they know it was made with love, and they know that perhaps, this is the only gift their baby will receive.  It is the generosity of spirit and the kinship of women that is making this project succeed.  Neonatal mortality in Haiti remains high, and one of the causes is newborn hypothermia.  Prevention is often set at a low priority, given the overwhelming burden of other complications and diseases, and through this program primary prevention of neonatal hypothermia can be prioritized and emphasized among women and attendants.  Lives will be saved through your love and kindness, and mothers in Cap Haitien know it…Please continue to stay involved in the lives of the women and children of Cap Haitien by continuing this beautiful work, joining our email blast, or contributing directly to Konbit Sante!

and from Dr. Telemaque in Cap Haitien, Haiti:
 
In the name of all of  the expectant mothers I want to say THANK YOU to the donors of the caps for the babies. They received them like an early Christmas gift. They will never understand how great is that generous gesture. I am deeply touched to know  somewhere in the world, someone is thinking of those poor babies. Thank you, Dr. Telemaque

Konbit Sante - Cap Haitien Health Partnership

arrived

Babies & caps...in Haiti.

Thank you once again for your beautiful efforts in this project!

the final count

The blankets and caps are all in, counted, packed up and headed to Konbit Sante, where they will begin the next leg of their journey. Soon they will be right where they belong, and where the makers of each hat intended - in the hands of the healthcare workers, and on the heads of the newborn babies in Haiti.

I'll update here as your handmade efforts make it to their final destination. And in the coming weeks, I'll share more about what's next for Mama to Mama. But in the meantime...you're probably looking for a final count!

There are 388 hats in this photograph. These are the final caps to come in the past week. Adding that to the already received hats,  we have a grand total of....

5523

That's right. Five thousand, five hundred and twenty three. In addition, we collected 169 blankets to send to Konbit Sante.

In a short two months, we've opened hundreds of packages from nearly every state in the US, and over 13 countries around the world. They've come in batches of one at a time, and a hundred at a time. They've come from mamas, papas, children, grandparents, girl scout troops, schools, churches and craft groups. They've come from the most experienced of sewers, and they've come from many who used a sewing machine for the very first time to make these hats. Every single one of them is appreciated and will find their way to a baby's head who needs it.

I've been so moved by the notes that came along with some of these packages - stories of how this project briefly touched your lives, or sparked some hope for you, or prompted conversation with your children. The stories of how the hats were made - with a little one of your own on your lap; with a classroom full of children; with the grandmother who taught you to sew. And on and on. And I've wondered about the stories that weren't written down. The making, in some ways, feels just as important as the final hats themselves. I do believe that the energy and spirit in which the caps were made and sent are carried with them - a little blessing, of sorts, for the baby who will wear it. If you have a moment, I'd be grateful if you shared in the comments here a bit about what this project meant for you - big or small. (If you blogged about it, please leave us a link in the comments!) I'd love for others to hear these stories, too.

I've been so honored to receive the work of your hands and your hearts in this project. It is with great hope for the safe and healthy lives of children in Haiti that I pass your work on. And it is with deep gratitude that I thank you!

~amanda

the deadline

It's time to wrap it up! The deadline for the first Mama to Mama project has come and gone (December 10th), and it's time to get these hats and blankets where they belong - with the mamas and babies of Haiti. I'll still be adding to the total in the coming days, so if your package is already in transit, no worries! Otherwise, please hold onto all that crafting energy and passion - there will be plenty more Mama to Mama projects to come very soon in 2009!

If you wanted to do something with this specific project but never got a cap or blanket out, I know that financial contributions to Konbit Sante are always welcome and needed. They've set up some wonderful options for holiday "gifts" as well. See their website for more information.

In the meantime...we're busy counting caps and blankets over here! All I should say right now is - my goodness! Check back here later in the week for a grand total and some news on the project.

I know I've said this before, but the response to this project has been amazing - you are all amazing! Thank you!

approaching the deadline

The packages are pouring in - and with them - so very many hats and blankets for the Caps to Cap-Haitien Project! I'm quite behind on the 'Cap Counter" but will be catching up shortly.

I'm getting lots of email asking about how strict the deadline is. I'll happily take packages a bit past the 10th deadline. So if you haven't mailed your donation yet, but would still like to - please do! I would like to get it all wrapped up in the coming weeks, though...so get sewing and mailing!

I'll share an update when I have some numbers!

Thanks once again for your generosity with this project - I continue to be blown away with each arrival from the Post Office. Thank you!

something else :: receiving blankets

The Caps are coming in! I've added a Cap Counter in the right column, which will keep a running total of the hats I've received. I've been so moved by these packages - from all over the world, from grandmothers to mamas, mamas to be and fathers, and children alike. Thank you all for the beautiful work you're doing, and for sending along those Caps!

Many of you have asked 'what else' you can make to contribute to this project. After some talk with the folks at Konbit Sante about the most pressing needs for birthing women and newborn babies, I've decided to add receiving blankets to this phase of the project. So if making a blanket appeals to you in addition to or in place of a cap, please read on for some specifics.

Requirements for the Receiving Blanket:

• The blanket should measure between 34 and 36" square. This size allows for proper swaddling, while also being large enough to provide a bit of warmth and coverage as the baby grows.
• Keep in mind that the blanket will be touching the gentlest of newborn skin, so keep the fibers to natural materials, please. Suitable fabrics include: flannel,100% cotton, terry, etc.
• In keeping with the spirit of the project, please try to use repurposed fabrics if they are available to you (bedsheets, flannel shirts, clothing, etc in good condition), or fabrics you have on hand.
• While two layers is appropriate, these are meant to be lightweight receiving blankets and not quilts. Please do not add batting or filler to your blanket.
• In the interest of keeping the spirit of the project through the whole process - creating with intent - only newly-made blankets should be submitted. If you have a pile of receiving blankets you no longer need, perhaps they could be cut and pieced together to create something new!

Basic Instructions:
Cut your two pieces of fabric to 36" square. Place right sides together and pin around the edges. Beginning in the middle of one side, stitch around all four sides, stopping 4" before you come to your starting point (leaving an opening). Trim corners and seam as necessary. Turn blanket right side out through the 4" opening. Use your fingertips to push out the corners. Press blanket. Topstitch close to the edge of blanket, around entire four sides. This will 'close' the opening you left and 'finish' your blanket.

The blankets provide a lot of room for creativity and interpretation in the making. You can stick right to the instructions and make a simple two sided cotton blanket. Or...feel free to piece a side, add embroidery, add decorative stitching or whatever else you would like to do to make a beautiful and functional blanket that will be given to a Mama and baby upon birth!

The deadline for the blankets remains the same as the Caps - December 10th. The address again:

Mama to Mama
c/o SouleMama
PO Box 8190
Portland, ME 04104
USA

Thank you!! And if you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them in the comments here.

the importance of infant caps in Haiti

I've received several emails and comments asking an important question regarding infant caps in Haiti - Given the warm climate in Haiti, is it really necessary for newborns to have infant caps?

I turned to the folks at Konbit Sante for this answer for all of us:

"This is a really reasonable question, because Haiti does have a tropical climate, but there is more at play here than the ambient temperature....What people also need to remember is that Haiti has the highest infant mortality rate (and maternal mortality rate) in the western hemisphere...by far. This is  because the health and nutritional status of many (and in the poorer areas, most) mothers is very compromised during pregnancy, and therefore so is the health and nutrititional status of their babies. What our nurses have found is that the newborns, especially the premature and low-birth-weight babies are often very cold. A full-term healthy newborn has a store of fat which supplies sufficient calories to carry them for several days, and help them grow and thrive. Premature, and low-birth-weight babies don't have this. Even though it is warm in Haiti, the ambient temperature is usually less than the body temperature, and if these compromised babies have to use their calories to maintain body temperature, it is not going toward growth, and lessens their chances to survive and thrive. So in the context of an otherwise healthy population, the caps would not be so critical, but in the areas in which we are working, and for the newborns we have connections with, they are important.

Now obviously, the caps are not a panacea. They only assist with one small piece of the puzzle. This terrible situation is the result of the abject poverty in which many (most) women in Haiti live. They need adequate support in their lives and throughout their pregnancies, so that they have every opportunity to be healthy and have healthy children. They need economic opportunities, decent and accessible healthcare, access to education, etc... These caps will be used as part of safe birthing kits which are being provided to traditional birth attendants, who currently are the primary support to the majority of women who give birth at home. It helps improve the care they can render, and is also a way to strengthen a collaborative relationship with the Health Center, which improves referrals for women at high risk, etc... So it is part of a bigger picture and effort on the behalf of these women and their children, and there are certainly other types of support that would be helpful."

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And a reminder to those looking for other ways to contribute to this project, I'm hoping to roll out a Phase II soon with more crafting help we can offer. In the meantime, financial contributions to the work of Konbit Sante are always welcome and immediately helpful.

Thank you for your efforts, your enthusiasm and your crafting for this project!!!

Questions & Answers about the Caps to Cap-Haitien Project

Can I send knitted Caps?
Yes, but....this is important! Due to the climate in Haiti, we can only accept hats knit with cotton yarn. (If you have a link to a simple newborn knitted cap, please let us know in the comments of this post.)

Can I send gently-used newborn Caps?
This is a very lovely idea, but I think for right now, the answer is "no, thank you." I'd like to keep the project focused on handmade, repurposed and 'newly-made'. (I have some grand ideas for a Phase II - so stay tuned - this might change!)

Can I send a newborn cap I've made using another pattern?
Yes, of course. We're looking for simple caps - the ones put on right at birth to keep the baby's head warm. It must fit a newborn size head.

Many of my t-shirts have some other fiber content besides cotton - is this okay?
Yes, sticking to a mostly-cotton jersey is best, but many t-shirts do have a bit of something else in them and that should be fine.

I'm having a hard time sewing with the t-shirts - the hats are too stretchy and wonky using a regular sewing machine. Do you have any tips?
I've given a few ideas in the PDF, but would welcome more tips on sewing with jersey on a conventional machine in the comments here if anyone has any to share. Also - you may want to try a different t-shirt - sometimes the very stretchy ones are just too stretchy for working on a conventional machine.

Can I send a hand sewn Cap?
Yes! I don't have any experience with hand sewing jersey so I don't have any helpful tips for you. But if you can hand sew a sturdy-enough stitched newborn cap, send it along!

I don't sew or knit, but I want to help. Is there a way I can donate to the project?
Konbit Sante has a secure server on which you can make a donation in any amount you choose. There's also a mailing address if you'd prefer that.  

How can I spread the word about Mama to Mama and the Caps to Cap-Hatien project?
You can write about it on your own blog, link to the MamatoMama.org website, and use this button as you wish (right click to download to your own computer for hosting, please!). You can also subscribe to the MamatoMama.org website to keep abreast of updates here as well.

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And lastly, on the topic of Haiti in general, please take a moment to read this post on Sew Liberated with some wonderful, informative resources and personal thoughts on the situation there. Thank you, Meg!

And thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and support of this project! I will keep you posted with updates in this space.