The properties of wool are magical for premature babies, according to The Little Miracles Trust CEO Rachel Friend. “Natural fibres are best, in particular wool and in particular merino wool, to keep them warm when they have so little fat, ” says Friend, who recently approached premium merino outdoor brand, Devold, for assistance in the form of woollen blankets. The Little Miracles Trust is a not-for-profit which provides support for whanau who are going through a neonatal intensive care experience with their babies.

Devold has donated 500 merino blankets to the trust, and as Devold New Zealand General Manager Craig Smith says, this support was an obvious fit. “Premature babies need to be looked after, and wool is the product to do that,” says Smith. “It’s nature helping nature. It really is the best material for the job.”

Friend says Devold’s donation has the potential to be a game-changer for babies and their whānau, both to give the little ones access to the best materials early on in life, as well as to promote merino over fabrics like polar fleece, which can be harmful. “For these tiny babies, part of their journey in hospital is putting on fat and gaining the ability to regulate their body temperatures,” Friend explains. “Merino is a natural fibre, so it lets their skin breathe unlike polar fleece, and they won’t overheat and risk a chill. That’s why it works year-round, as well.” She also says the purer the merino the better, so Devold’s blankets, which are 100%, are perfect.

Friend explains that 10% of New Zealand families will go through an experience with intensive neonatal care at some point. She came across Devold at a merino wool conference, and with winter coming, reached out to Smith. “We’re pretty desperate for it,” she says, “Actually trying to get the merino cloth itself is really difficult and can be quite cost prohibitive as well. They’ve been able to deliver the goods which I’m so excited about.”

The Little Miracles Trust has been around for thirty years and was known as The Neonatal Trust until 2022. “We’re staffed by veteran parents, so we’ve all had a similar experience,” says Friend, a veteran parent herself. The trust is an extension of the wrap-around support available for whānau, focusing on their lived experience. The trust has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) front line team, which Friend says is made up of part time workers there to walk alongside these families as they go through a really traumatic time with their little ones. There are 23 units in total and the trust works closely with each unit to get hold of the items that the families need.

Friend says that the kind of peer support Little Miracles offers has been shown to reduce anxiety in those going through tough times like these. “It’s something nobody ever prepares for or thinks is going to happen to them,” she says. “We supply care packs, and we have a hardship fund because there are ever increasing families who struggle financially or logistically.” She explains that what they offer ranges from emotional right through to practical support, and extends into the time after families have taken their babies home.

And that, of course, includes keeping their babies warm. “I just want to say a huge thanks to Devold for stepping up and being there,” Friend says. “For them to be doing this makes a massive difference. It’s the most vulnerable babies in our country who will benefit, and a huge proportion of the families who will go through this experience are from low socioeconomic areas and this will benefit them hugely, too.”

Smith says this partnership was a natural fit for Devold. “It’s something pretty special that we can do, providing blankets from our own mill in Lithuania and made with fine merino from New Zealand,” he says. “We’re proud to clothe athletes at the top end and little premature babies when they come into the world.”

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