How Calgary’s Heart Scents program helps premature babies bond with mothers

A new initiative by Calgary volunteers aims to create strong bonds between parents while separated from their prematurely born children.

The separation of Calgary parents from their prematurely born babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be an emotionally challenging experience, but a new initiative involving heart-shaped pieces of cloth is helping them form a bond through scent.

“I don’t know another way that people could connect with their kids in such an intimate way like this,” said Calgary mother Darby Ewashina, whose son Loveland was born prematurely on March 23.

Volunteer organization Heart Scents gave Ewashina a free package with two small soft flannel hearts.

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She was encouraged to wear one against her skin for a few hours each day, so her scent would absorb into the fabric.

The other flannel heart was kept with her baby,

She was then be able to swap the hearts so she and her baby could experience a scent connection with each other.

“I didn’t understand at first what it meant until I got home two days later, and Loveland was still in the NICU. I realized I wasn’t pregnant anymore, we didn’t have our son, but having that heart close to me, it was like he was still with us,” Ewashina said.

Loveland’s father Micah DeHenau says he was moved to learn that the flannel hearts were crafted entirely by volunteers.

“It’s just an awesome community connection,” he said. “You certainly feel like we’re all in this together, so I can’t thank them enough.”

Volunteers gather to sew Heart Scents

Heart Scents founder Leah Cathleen is a fiber artist, and says she began looking into scent connection research online.

Eventually, Cathleen decided to start her own group of Calgary volunteers to pick up a needle and thread to sew the flannel hearts by hand as a way of giving back to the community.

“It’s a really tough moment for parents when you can’t be there with your child at all times in the NICU, so there’s some powerful science behind this piece of fabric and scent bonding,” she said.

“The comfort and the simplicity of knowing that their baby is still bonding with them, forming that connection when they can’t be there, it’s something I really hope we can continue.”

Cathleen is now running workshops for groups like Calgary Girl Guides to teach them how to sew the flannel hearts themselves

Charlotte Hirschfeld, 12, had the opportunity to make some hearts,

She told CTV News she was honoured to be able to help deepen the connection between parents and prematurely born children.

“I really enjoy doing this because it feels really good to help other people, even if you don’t know them,” Hirschfeld said.

“I know these hearts are very special to some people, and I know that when I make them, I help them, so that that just makes me feel really happy and proud of myself.”

The science behind ‘scent-bonding’

According to Alberta Health Services, roughly 2,300 premature babies are born in Calgary NICUs each year.

Dr. Jennifer Unrau, a neonatologist and NICU site lead at the Rockyview General Hospital, says Heart Scent’s flannel gifts go a long way towards aiding in the development of premature babies.

“We know that babies can recognize scents from the time they’re developing in utero until the time they’re about 28 weeks gestation, the neural pathways exist for them to be able to recognize scents, and they can recognize familiar sense,” Unrau said.

“So this is one of the ways that we can care for babies to help improve their neuro development, we try to incorporate positive sensory experiences – and the Heart Scents contribute to that.”

Unrau says that ‘scent bonding’ aids in allowing babies to gain weight and grow more efficiently.

“Scents like mom’s breast milk or these cloths may be helpful in doing that. They may also help show some increased cues to want to feed, and so we know that that’s one of the skills that tends to develop later during baby stays in the NICU as they’re getting ready to go home,” she said.

“We also know that for parents, this allows them to be part of their baby’s care, can really help improve parental confidence in feeling like they are participating and caring for their baby and feeling more comfortable taking on that role of being their baby’s maiden care provider.”