Premature Awareness Month Partner Spotlight: The Wee Warriors Project

Did you know 1 in 10 babies is born prematurely? Given how common prematurity is, it is critical that babies and their families have access to resources to help them thrive. While we help children acquire essential skills to grow and develop to their greatest potential through our Aprendamos Early Intervention, Cariño Home Visiting, and Esperanza Children’s Therapy programs, there are other organizations in our community making a meaningful difference specifically for premature infants and their families. 

With November recognized as Prematurity Awareness Month, we would like to shine a spotlight on a community partner making an impact in our community, The Wee Warriors Project. The organization was created to support New Mexico families with medically fragile babies and children. Since the journey for families of premature babies often begins in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), The Wee Warriors Project made it their mission to begin helping families during one of the most overwhelming and difficult times, while also supporting hospitals with the resources necessary to care for premature infants. Services they provide are:

• NICU Support Boxes: These boxes are packed with items to help families cope with the difficult transition into the NICU. 
• Diaper Bags: The Wee Warriors Project has donated 200 diaper bags to families at Lovelace Regional Hospital in Roswell, NM. These bags help families manage the day-to-day challenges of caring for a newborn, especially one facing medical issues.
• Hospital Equipment: They have donated high-quality hospital-grade reclining chairs to the NICU at Memorial Medical Center (MMC) and Lovelace Regional in Roswell, ensuring parents have a comfortable place to sit while staying by their baby’s side.
• NICU Incubator Blankets: The Wee Warriors Project has provided NICU incubator blankets to hospitals across the state, ensuring that every baby has access to the comfort and warmth they need in their first days of life.
• Training and Certification for Birth Staff: They also recently provided funding to the Three Suns Birthing Center in Roswell, NM to ensure their staff received STABLE certification—a specialized training program that focuses on six assessment and care modules in the program (sugar, temperature, airway, blood pressure, lab work, and emotional support.) The program emphasizes stabilizing and caring for newborns, particularly those born prematurely. The Wee Warriors Project is also working to establish a statewide program to offer STABLE certification to healthcare providers, improving the quality of care for preterm infants across New Mexico.

When we asked The Wee Warriors Project Founder and CEO, Camille Hines Plante, what she would recommend to new parents who have given birth to a premature infant, she said, “Become your baby’s advocate by learning and asking all questions in the NICU and of the healthcare team. Also, communicate your needs to family and partner to establish a realistic plan to spend as much time as possible with your baby.”

Thank you, Camille and The Wee Warriors Project, for all you do to make a meaningful difference for babies, children, and families in the Land of Enchantment! For more information on The Wee Warriors Project, please visit www.weewarriorsproject.org.