Making Precious Memories with Little Inky Feet

When Katie gave birth to her twin girls, Faith and Hope, at just 23 weeks, she was thrown into a journey no parent can ever prepare for.

After a difficult pregnancy, suffering severe sickness and continuous pain, her waters broke unexpectedly at home, and she was rushed to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, her labour progressed quickly, and her twins were born. Sadly, baby Faith passed away shortly after birth, while tiny Hope, weighing just 461 grams, was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

For Katie, the heartbreak of losing Faith was compounded by the uncertainty of Hope’s future. But during this unimaginably difficult time, the Little Inky Feet project, funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity brought some comfort. The Little Inky Feet project offers parents the chance to capture handprints or footprints of their babies, providing an invaluable keepsake during the toughest of times.

 "Being able to make footprints of both of my girls was so special. It's one of the very few things I have of Faith and Hope together, and my partner is even planning to get a tattoo of their prints.”

For Katie and her partner, John, the act of creating these prints offered a moment of connection with baby Faith.

"Making Faith's prints gave us a chance to spend those last moments with her in a meaningful way. It was something we could do as parents, even when life had been turned upside down.”

For parents like Katie and John, the ability to create these prints offers a way to feel connected to their babies, even in the most difficult circumstances.

As little Hope continues to make progress after battling a bleed on her brain and undergoing surgery for a perforated bowel, Katie and John expressed how grateful they are for the support they have received from the hospital staff and charity funded projects like Little Inky Feet and VCreate, where they can see photos and videos of Hope when they can’t be with her overnight.

“The doctors and nurses are amazing, you know they really care about every family they look after. I get upset when I have to go home and leave Hope in hospital, so knowing she’s so well cared for and getting little updates means the world to me.”

In the NICU, where so many moments can be full of worry and stress, projects like Little Inky Feet provide families with a small source of comfort. It's a reminder that even in the most difficult times, there are ways to create lasting memories of love and connection. For Katie, those tiny prints will always be a cherished link between her two daughters.

“The prints are so special to me. I hope that when Hope is older, she’ll love seeing them and knowing that they’re a part of her story too"