Woman Knits Cradles for Stillborn Babies' Heartbroken Parents
Teresa Golik knits tiny purple, pink, and blue cradles she hopes the world will never need.
The Wichita, Kansas, nurse provides her cradles to families who have suffered the tragedy of a stillborn baby. She hopes to offer a tiny bit of comfort to heartbroken parents and to raise public awareness about pregnancy loss.
“I mostly think, well, I hope we don’t have to use them, unfortunately, in this world, you have to have them,” Golik tells ABC 8 in Kansas City.
(Teresa Golik‘s work. Credit: Bridget’s Cradles.)
Golik started her project after her daughter, Ashley Oplinger, lost her daughter Bridget, who was born prematurely in October, 2014. Ashley had suffered serious complications with her pregnancy and her family knew her baby was in jeopardy.
“Heartbroken, Ashley’s mom, ‘Grammy,’ decided she wanted to knit Bridget a special blanket in the case that Bridget was born early,” the family says on Bridget’s Cradles, the website for the charity they created.
Since Bridget was so tiny — only 13 ounces — she seemed to be swallowed up by a regular baby blanket.
Golik says she was inspired to knit the sides of the blanket together to create a cradle, and then add lace around the edges and embroidered cross.
(Teresa Golik knits. Credit: Bridget’s Cradles.)
“So being in the cradle, it felt so much more personable. We could really bond and love on her and bring her up to our lips and give her a kiss, be able to pass her to our family members, who wanted to love on her and bond with her, in those moments we had,” Opliger tells ABC 8.
They drew up on their Christian faith to create Bridget’s Cradles, to help others coping with a similar loss. Each cradle they give away comes with a small charm stamped “wonderfully made,” a reference to the ministry’s chosen Bible verse. Psalm 139 reads, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
The charity looks to spread its faith, but also wants to comfort everyone who has suffered a similar loss.
“Regardless of your faith, we are here to help you through the indescribable pain of losing your baby. We want to walk along side you, support you, encourage you, cry with you, and pray for you. You are not alone. We are here for you.”
