The Hospital Visiting Department of the Mothers' Union was formed in the Diocese of Sydney in 1940 to fill a need for regular visits to patients in maternity hospitals to welcome their new babies with a small gift.
For over seventy years this work has proved a very busy outreach with hundreds of gifts handed to families each year with a special "Welcome to Baby" card. A "Prayers for Little Children" card is also given to sibling children if appropriate.
In 1990 Mothers' Union was asked if we could be involved in the work of special care at neo-natal units in the Children's Hospital and other major hospitals providing this care.
Tiny caps, bootees, mittens, and cardigans, are provided to these units and nighties that can be pulled apart are made for use with monitors and tubes. Beautiful grieving sets containing a gown, bonnet, and bootees in 3 sizes and with a special card are also given to these wards for babies who don't survive. Mothers' Union have also helped some hospitals with equipment for grieving rooms for families who have lost a child.
Mothers' Union tries to meet special requests from different hospital nurseries which can include:
- individual soft bunny rugs for sick babies to snuggle into,
- patchwork quilts for paediatric intensive care units, and
- special baptismal tops for the use of Hospital Chaplains' departments.
Our aim is to make each child feel welcome and special and to demonstrate our love and support for their families in keeping with our mission statement.
The Hospital Visiting Department also encourages the MU Branches to keep in contact with a local nursing home and to visit the patients there with a special morning or afternoon tea, and a small gift, and to provide some light entertainment or craft work to bring some brightness to the daily routine.
Over the years many changes have occurred in the work of this department and we continue to seek out more changes as they occur and respond quickly in this ministry of service and caring.
If you would like to help with this work - by visiting, making gifts, or praying for this outreach work - please contact Mrs Natalie McLeod, the current department coordinator, via our office.
