Mrs. Funkhouser sews swaddling blankets for the Hendry County Health Department’s Healthy Families program for new parents and their bundles of joy.
(Photo: Judy Paskvan and Elnora Funkhouser)
Some of the materials are provided from funding through the United Way as well as other sources.
Mrs. Funkhouser has been sewing since she was a teenager and really enjoys it. She has sewn about 50 swaddling blankets so far. She never requested nor expected any kind of reward or recognition for her sewing talents, but Judy Paskvan, Program Manager at the Hendry County Health Department decided that Mrs. Funkhouser needed to know how much she is appreciated.
Mrs. Funkhouser has been sewing since she was a teenager and really enjoys it. She has sewn about 50 swaddling blankets so far. She never requested nor expected any kind of reward or recognition for her sewing talents, but Judy Paskvan, Program Manager at the Hendry County Health Department decided that Mrs. Funkhouser needed to know how much she is appreciated.
Mrs. Funkhouser has lived in LaBelle for about 4 years. She moved here from Missouri. She has one daughter that lives in Lehigh and three other children that still live in Missouri. She has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mrs. Funkhouser stated “I wish I had learned swaddling when I was a young mother.”
Staff members from the Healthy Families Program distribute the swaddling blankets to parents who are registered in their program and teach these new parents how to swaddle their babies. Each blanket is measured 41 inches by 41 inches so that the baby can be properly swaddled.
When babies are in the womb they are in a very small, cozy and secure place. However, upon birth they no longer have a small confined place in which to live but rather a big open world that can be intimidating. Swaddling a baby is like giving them back the security of being in the womb all over again.
For the first few months of a babies’ life, the swaddling can keep babies arms and legs confined to help reduce the jerk reflex. It makes it so much easier to lay a napping baby down when they are all wrapped up.
When babies are in the womb they are in a very small, cozy and secure place. However, upon birth they no longer have a small confined place in which to live but rather a big open world that can be intimidating. Swaddling a baby is like giving them back the security of being in the womb all over again.
For the first few months of a babies’ life, the swaddling can keep babies arms and legs confined to help reduce the jerk reflex. It makes it so much easier to lay a napping baby down when they are all wrapped up.
-submitted by Hendry-Glades Health Department
I love this idea. Every baby deserves a soft, cuddly blanket.
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