Camilla and the snoedel

The green object in with Camilla which looks a little bit like a ghost is what is known in the NICU as a snoedel (pronounced snoodle). It's from the Dutch word meaning "snuggle", and is basically Camilla's first blankie. A local 4-H group makes these and gives one to each parent of a preemie, telling us to put it right against our skin and wear it for a time. Inside the fabric is a piece of pure lambswool which is very absorbent. The snoedel absorbs the scent of the parent, and then is put into the isolette with the baby. The babies can all already identify their parents by their scent, so the snoedel is meant to be a comfort, something to bring a reminder of our presence even when we can't be there with her. We put this one in with her today, and as soon as we did, Camilla opened her eyes wide and started to squirm around, seeming to recognize the scent. Something to melt a mamma's heart...