Knit-Cap-Wearing Austin Newborns Are Healthy Living Ambassadors

AUSTIN, TEXAS — St. David's HealthCare this month is providing tiny, red knit caps to new babies born at their facility as a way heightening awareness to healthy living.

The caps are courtesy of the American Heart Association’s Little Hats Big Hearts™ program. Along with a knit cap for the new baby, parents will also receive information about the importance of starting healthy habits at a young age, officials said.

"Little Hats, Big Hearts honors babies and moms in a very special way," officials said. "These tiny red hat symbolize a shared mission of living a heart-healthy lifestyle at all stages of life. The effort also raises awareness of congenital heart defects, as well as what we can do to help prevent them."

Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect in babies born in the United States, impacting eight in every 1,000 babies, officials noted.

About Little Hats, Big Hearts

Little Hats, Big Hearts started in Chicago in 2014. From just 300 little hats in the first year, the program has now provided hundreds of thousands of babies with little red hats, across more than 40 states. Volunteer knitters from across the state provided the crochet and knit caps distributed in hospitals during the month of February.

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>>> Photos provided by St. David's HealthCare