Baby blankets bring daddies and their newborns together through scent before they can meet in person

Local knitter Lisa Akers was looking for a way to share her knitting skills with people in need. She started the Blankets for Deployed Daddies program to provide baby blankets to deployed soldiers who are expecting a newborn during their deployment. These blankets are specially designed to hold the father's unique scent as a way to introduce the baby to the father as early as possible. Volunteer knitters around the country are producing these blankets for expectant families.

Created from a cotton blend yarn, these blankets incorporate an "X" and "O" pattern to symbolize hugs and kisses. The daddy sleeps with the blanket for three nights to transfer his unique scent to the blanket. He sends it in a sealed zipper bag to his baby. Babies use their sense of smell to bond with the people who are important in their lives. The Hugs and Kisses Blankets give deployed soldiers a way to bond with their infants without being physically present. The blankets are small enough to place in a crib or bassinet, yet large enough for toddlers to adopt as a "lovey."

"I know how important smell can be to a baby, and my own son's experiences inspired me to create this blanket. He was so sensitive to my and my husband's scent and had a hard time going to other people," said Lisa. "I wanted to let the babies of deployed soldiers get a chance to "meet" their dad through scent. The early exposure to scent will help the babies know their father in person when he returns."

The project is seeking volunteer knitters, families in need of the blankets, and financial donations. More information is available at http://www.blanketsfordeployeddaddies.com.

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