Workshop: Going Home After a Neonatal Unit Stay

TSWA Management January 29, 2016

Taking your baby home after a stay in a Neonatal Unit can be very different to taking your baby home after the birth of a healthy newborn. Whilst both can be a challenging experience for parents, taking your baby home after weeks or months in a Neonatal Unit comes with a unique set of considerations. Many parents have these types of questions:

How do I protect my baby from germs?

I'm afraid to let other people hold my baby - how do I deal with visitors?

What do I tell people when they ask me how old my baby is?

What happens when I return to KEMH or PMH for appointments? Will we be in a waiting room with sick children?

I'm nervous about having my baby home without monitors. How can I reassure myself? Do I need to buy a breathing monitor?

How long will by baby be followed up for?

This forum style workshop, conducted by Michelle Giles, mother to ex-25 weeker Olivia, and April Ratajczak, mother to ex-29 weeker Emily, will discuss these issues and allow you an opportunity to ask questions, or discuss, any concerns you have surrounding taking your baby home. The workshop is open to all parents who currently have a baby in a Neonatal Unit in WA or have taken a baby home after a stay in a Neonatal Unit in recent months.

All attendees will receive a FREE gift bag on the night containing items useful for going home, including a bulk pack of Aqium hand sanitiser kindly donated by Ego Pharmaceuticals and nappy samples donated by BabyLove and much more.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Father's Day 2015

TSWA Management September 7, 2015

Father's Day 2015 saw the delivery of 160 gifts to WA's five largest neonatal units, including King Edward Memorial Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Joondalup Health Campus and St John of God Hospital Subiaco.

We designed cards especially for our neonate Dads so they can treasure their baby's tiny footprints created with love by their neonatal nurses. We also included a small token present to let them know that they are not alone, and the Tiny Sparks WA community is here to support them and their family.

Workshop - Going home after a lengthy neonatal stay

TSWA Management September 7, 2015

How can I help protect my baby from germs?

I'm afraid to let other people hold my baby - how do I deal with visitors?

What do I tell people when they ask me how old my baby is?

What happens when I return to KEMH or PMH for appointments? Will we be in a waiting room with sick children?

I'm nervous about having my baby home without monitors. How can I reassure myself? Do I need to buy a breathing monitor?

How long will by baby be followed up for?

This forum style workshop will discuss these issues and allow you an opportunity to ask questions, or discuss, any concerns you have surrounding taking your baby home. The workshop is open to all parents who currently have a baby in a Neonatal Unit in WA or have taken a baby home after a stay in a Neonatal Unit in recent months.

All attendees will receive a FREE gift bag on the night containing items useful for going home.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Update: Registrations are now closed

Neonatal Unit Care Package Program Expansion

TSWA Management June 14, 2015

The Neonatal Unit Care Package program is expanding!

The Neonatal Unit Care Package program has been a flagship support program for Tiny Sparks WA, providing over 110 separate families with a Care Package at a difficult time in their lives. Funded entirely from public donations through Tiny Sparks WA fundraising or individual donations of whole Care Packages, these Care Packages have been well received by recipients and hospital staff, with wonderful feedback offered by recipients, a sample of which is below:

"Loved it at a time when nobody knows what to say or give as a gift"

"It made me feel very supported"

"It was an awesome gesture and really made my day"

"They are an amazing thing to receive, I will be donating"

We are now thrilled to announce a significant expansion of the Neonatal Unit Care Package program!

As of 1 July 2015 the distribution will increase to parents of babies born up to and including 1500g which will capture a significant number more families!

The expanded program has the potential to reach over twice the number of families in the next 12 months than the program has since its commencement in May 2014!

New Outfit Sizes

The original Neonatal Unit outfits that our industrious volunteers have been creating have been sized to approximately 1.2kg, therefore, the expanded Neonatal Unit Care Package program, which will reach babies born up to 1500g, requires a new size of outfit!

Newly posted on our Knitting and Sewing page are additional girls and boys patterns in 'up to 1.6kg' sizing. These have been listed under the 'low stock' heading as they are brand new - if you are able to assist in creating outfits in this new size and building our supplies we would be very grateful!

Links to full instructions, pattern downloads and FAQs are all available from our Knitting and Sewing page.

We would like to thank all donors past, present and future for allowing the Neonatal Unit Care Package program to be a success and allowing its expansion! We would also like to extend a massive thank you to the key staff at KEMH who distribute all of the Care Packages and who are the crucial link between Tiny Sparks WA and the recipients.

Future Expansion

Yes, we want to keep expanding! Tiny Sparks WA acknowledges that it is not only premature babies that experience the Neonatal Unit, and as such, we are looking towards future expansions to other hospitals that will cater to the families of newly born babies requiring long term Neonatal Unit care due to illness or other reasons. Watch this space!

Full details of all Care Package programs are available on our Care Package page.

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
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World Hearing Day We can’t emphasise the importance of newborn hearing screening enough! The earlier you are aware of hearing loss, the more success early intervention is. A staggering 5% of the world population require intervention for hearing loss.

This past week we were contacted by a family with a heartbreaking story. We can’t share their story with you, but they did pose a question we can share. ‘What would it take to ensure every family admitted to NICU receives a Care Package in WA each year?’ Each year around 4,500 babies are admitted to a Neonatal Unit in WA. To fund a Care Package for each of these families we need to raise $180,000! We started this program back in 2014 and were delivering just 10 packages a month. The program has grown and grown and we are now delivering just over 100 packages per month but we need to see that number more than triple, so no family goes without! Please help us, help more WA families by making a tax deductible donation. https://www.justgiving.com/tinysparkswainc

Shout out to little Lewi (ex 27 weeker, now in year 2) Lewi was told 7 month's ago that he was going blind in his left eye - which has been an ongoing issue from birth. After 7 months of eye patching for 2 hours a day, his eye sight is now 'perfect'. So for the next 3 months at least, he is eye patch free. They do not expect his sight to change again. It’s been a hard 7 month's, with lots of tears, arguments, questions but he has done the hard work and it has paid off. Lewi wanted to share his story so he can inspire any other Tiny Sparks that may be going through a similar journey. (And their mums and dads too) Dont give up he says "it will be worth it in the end" Love Lewi x

Many organisations we partner with have been impacted this morning. It is unclear what the longer term outlook is at this stage. If you wish to stay connected with them please look at their websites. You can find ours here: https://www.tinysparkswa.org.au

Our volunteers deliver around 100 Care Packages each month! Providing essential items to families in Neonatal Units and supporting women admitted for long term hospital bedrest to prolong their pregnancy.

DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYGROUP - ENROLMENT OPEN Many of our tiny sparks have incredibly challenging starts to life. The interventions they receive to save their lives can have life long consequences, but just who will be impacted, and how these consequences may unfold is largely unknown. Our Developmental Playgroup seeks to provide early support from suitably trained developmental experts in the fields of physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy to provide advice and guidance to families in a play based setting. Enrolments for Term 1 are now OPEN! Enrolment is open to any child in WA aged 6m actual age to 3 years of age who was admitted to a Neonatal Unit after birth. Neonatal Unit admission can be for any reason including but not limited to premature birth, sick full term, or surgical requirements. The cost of this program is heavily subsidised by our fundraising efforts and generous donors. Enrolment can be completed via our website: https://www.tinysparkswa.org.au/shop/dpgt420new-6fwty

From all of us to all of you wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Stay safe, make some memories and enjoy each others company 🎅🏻🎄💜

For many years we have run our annual Christmas Quilt Drive and in spite of COVIDs attempts to derail everything in 2020, humanity prevailed! Many sewing groups ran with this project including the remarkable Get Scrubbed Group and our own Crafty Creators. Since the delivery cut off we have been busy sorting, packing, posting and delivering to 26 hospitals around the state. Our final delivery was made this morning to Bunbury Regional Hospital. Along with the Christmas quilts, stockings and cards, hospitals also received ‘Baby’s 1st Christmas 2020’ ornaments thanks to the ongoing generous support of local family run business, @footeandflame . This year we distributed a staggering 544 gifts for Christmas in maternity, Neonatal and Special Care Nursery beds all over WA! Huge thanks to volunteers Christine H, Elke, Zach and Xavier for generously giving their time to assist with collation and deliveries. To our drop off points Margaret, Jenny, Liesl, Briana, Sandra and Christine L thank you for opening your homes for drop offs. Melinda thank you for hosting the stocking sew along and answering lots of questions. To everyone who coordinated family, friends or an organised sewing group we thank you! Thanks to you, Christmas in hospital this year will be a special time for so many. Thank you all for helping to make this possible 🙌🏻💜🎄

The Interact Club at Willetton Senior High School voted to support Tiny Sparks WA with the funds made from a fundraiser, Spring Cool Down, where they sold drinks, ice creams, and icy poles to students. Interact is a youth branch of Rotary International and comprises of students between the ages of 12-18 who participate in regular fundraising and community service activities for both local and international charities. Last year, they were able to donate over $10,000 to various incredible organisations. Club Secretary Angela says, ‘We recognise your organisation's invaluable efforts in improving the wellbeing of mothers enduring high-risk pregnancies and children born sick or premature who require neonatal unit care. You have all helped positively impact many lives, and we admire and respect your hard work.’ Funds donated by the Interact Club will support our Care Package program. The students were asked to provide a message of support to the recipients. Their cards will read, ‘This care package has been sponsored by the Interact Club of Willetton Senior High School. We hope this supports you and your family during these difficult circumstances.’ Thank you Interact Willetton 🙌🏻💜 We are so grateful for your generous contribution! 📸 Picture supplied by Willetton Senior High School

International Volunteer Day 🙌🏻💜 “Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” - Heather French Henry As a 100% volunteer run organisation we truly value every single person who contributes their time to further our mission, to improve the health and wellbeing of Western Australian families enduring high-risk pregnancy, infants requiring neonatal unit care and the associated childhood impacts; including the communities supporting them. Thank you all 💐🙌🏻💜

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Dec 15, 2022, 7:42 PM
Tiny Sparks WA

RT @CREStillbirth: Are you passionate about improving antenatal care in Australia? We need your help! @CREStillbirth is conducting a… https://t.co/7Kgl9pjHVu
Dec 8, 2022, 8:11 AM
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RT @DrColeFletch: "You'll get better at it if you do it over and over". A powerful message from Ylva Therström Blomqvist at today's… https://t.co/qiJsbj4TQJ
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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

Workshop: Going Home After a Neonatal Unit Stay

Father's Day 2015

Workshop - Going home after a lengthy neonatal stay

Neonatal Unit Care Package Program Expansion

The Neonatal Unit Care Package program is expanding!

New Outfit Sizes

Future Expansion

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity forhigh-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

The Neonatal Unit Care Package program is expanding!

New Outfit Sizes

Future Expansion

Tiny Sparks WA

Igniting the fire within.

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.