Care from the very first moments

Prematurely born children come into the world earlier than their bodies have time to prepare for independent life. Their lungs are still immature, the nervous system is only forming, and every movement, every touch, and even the position of the body can affect how the child will develop further.

In the first weeks and months of life, these children spend most of their time in incubators or under constant supervision of medical staff. Everything matters for them: light, sound, temperature, and even how their body is positioned. An incorrect position can create excessive strain on the spine, interfere with breathing, affect sleep, and the overall condition.

In the conditions of war, the number of such children is increasing. Stress during pregnancy, forced displacement, limited access to medical care – all of this affects the course of pregnancy and increases the risk of premature birth. At the same time, the burden on hospitals is growing, and the need for specialized equipment is becoming even more acute.

This project is aimed at supporting the neonatal intensive care unit and post-intensive care department of the Municipal Non-Commercial Enterprise "Kyiv City Clinical Hospital №1" – one of the medical institutions where prematurely born and critically ill infants are cared for every day. It is here that children born with low body weight or complex conditions go through the first, most important stages of the fight for life.

For these children not only to survive but to develop, they need specialized positioning tools – supports, positioners, "nests", pillows, and other auxiliary elements. This is not additional comfort, but part of basic care.

Such tools help to fix the child’s body in a natural, safe position, support the head, shoulder girdle, back, and limbs, reduce unnecessary movements and tension. They create for the infant a sense of boundaries and protection, similar to what was in the womb. This allows the child to sleep better, respond more calmly to external stimuli, spend less energy, and direct it toward growth and recovery.

Covers for incubators and special curtains also play an important role. They reduce the impact of bright light, noise, and external irritants, which is especially important for the development of the nervous system. In an environment where everything is thoughtfully arranged, the child stabilizes faster and goes through this difficult period more easily.

Today, there is an urgent need for such tools in the department. Their absence complicates the organization of care and does not allow creating for the smallest patients the conditions that in modern medicine are considered basic.

Within this project, we are raising funds to purchase supports, positioners, "nests", pillows, curtains, and covers for incubators – everything that is used daily in the care of prematurely born children. This is not about one-time help. It is about the daily work of the department, where every item matters and is used by dozens of children.

By supporting this project, you help create for newborn children a more stable, safe, and delicate environment in which they can grow, recover, and gain strength.