How To Support A Premature Baby Charity

According to leading premature baby charity Bliss, approximately 60,000 babies are born prematurely every year in the UK. Although many premature babies are safely born before 37 weeks, that figure still translates to one in every 13 babies born in the UK.

WHY VOLUNTEER WITH A PREMATURE BABY CHARITY?

For most people, there are few more concerning, stressful times than a pregnancy. Feelings of anxiety can be particularly fraught when it's your first arrival, while going into labour early can be traumatic - whether it comes as a sudden shock or not. Prematurity can lead to increased risks of certain conditions in the early days of a baby's life and beyond, so it's crucial to provide support where it's needed.

If you want to help people who find themselves in this position, volunteering for a premature baby charity could be the perfect thing to do. Most charities like this are relatively small, meaning you can make a big difference with your time. You never know, you may find yourself really enjoying your experience, as you pick up some new skills and meet lots of new people.

HOW TO HELP PREMATURE BABY CHARITIES

Volunteer On A Neonatal Unit

Some of the best premature baby charities in the UK send volunteers to neonatal hospital wards, where they can point families in the direction of the information and support services available to them. If you help out in a role like this, you'll act as the link between families and the charity you volunteer with, while you may also be asked to help stock up resources and even encourage patients and staff to get involved with the charity's work.

Volunteer At A Support Group

Support groups can be incredibly valuable to people who've gone through a premature birth, allowing them to connect with others who've had the same experience or can offer advice. From sorting the refreshments to setting out the chairs or even guiding a group to allow each person the opportunity to talk, you could also find yourself organising therapeutic activities and relaxation exercises in a role like this.

Get Involved With Literature

Whether you've had experience of premature birth or not, you could help a charity by running your eye over things like their magazine, website information or social media output, contributing your own expertise to help provide accurate, up-to-date advice and content that's both engaging and caring.

Get Your Knitting Needles Out

If you know how to slip a stitch or fancy yourself to have a fantastic front cross, you could get in touch with your local neonatal ward and see what items you can knit for them. From clothes to blankets and even toys, some premature baby charities offer downloadable patterns which you can base your designs on.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU VOLUNTEER

If your volunteering role takes you into a hospital or in contact with parents and children, you'll need to go through certain levels of training, as well as a DBS check, which is completely standard in situations like this.

WHERE TO GET STARTED

Find out more about volunteering opportunities available with charity Bliss.

HELPING DESERVING CAUSES

If you'd like to know more about getting involved in volunteering in your community, take a look at our Local Causes page and find opportunities near you.