By Ben Barry

A hospital hand-crochet octopuses with tentacles to resemble umbilical cords - to help babies in NICU feel safe.

The premature babies at the Cleveland Clinic are being given a crocheted octopus to help them thrive in the hospital.

Originating in Denmark in 2013, the concept was introduced by volunteers who recognized that the tentacles of a crocheted octopus could resemble the umbilical cord - helping babies feel safe and preventing them from pulling out medical tubes and cords.

Jaclyn Thaxton, a registered nurse at Cleveland Clinic Children’s NICU , says the team researched before introducing the octopuses.

They reviewed safety standards and found that not only are the crocheted animals safe, but their tentacles can help stabilize a baby’s vitals during painful pro

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