01
What is Brooks Bears?
Brooks Bears is named after my first son, Brooks, who was unexpectedly stillborn at 40 weeks. Brooks Bears are weighted teddy bears made for families experiencing the loss of a baby—each one stuffed to match the exact weight of the baby it's made for, so parents can leave the hospital holding something that feels like holding their child.
02
Can I Order A Bear?
Right now, Brooks Bears is a one-woman (and one husband!) operation, so bears are only made for loss families at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert, Arizona. We limit our bears for babies stillborn 30 weeks and beyond.I know so many people have asked about ordering or shipping bears. I'm not able to do that yet, but if that ever changes, I'll share it here. 🤍What I can do is show you exactly how to start this at your own hospital. This page breaks down the steps to bring Brooks Bears to your hospital, so you can do this for the loss families there too.
03
How It Works
1. Notification
When there's a stillbirth, the on-call nurse texts me the baby's weight and gender. That's all I'm given, in order to protect the family's privacy (HIPAA).2. Making The Bear
I remove the existing stuffing from a bear and replace it with poly pellets until it matches the baby's exact weight. I made a step-by-step video walking through exactly how I do this.
3. The Note
I write a personal note to the parents to go with the bear.4. Delivery
I bring the finished bear back to the hospital the same day, before the family is discharged. I text the nurse on duty when I'm arriving, they meet me in the lobby, and we do a hand-off.
04
Want To Start This At Your Hospital?
1. Find Your Contact
Reach out to the Director of Donations for Labor & Delivery at your hospital. If you don't have a direct contact, call the Labor & Delivery unit, explain what you're hoping to do, and ask to be connected to the right person.2. Set Your Scope
Decide what you can realistically commit to—for example, I only make bears for 30-weeks-and-up, so I don't get overwhelmed. There's no wrong scope; start where you can sustain it.3. Set Up Your Supply
When I started, I used bears that had already been donated to the hospital by other families. Once those ran out, I started buying and supplying my own—this could be an option for you too. Ask your hospital if they have any donated bears on hand to start with, and once you need more, you can buy teddy bears to re-stuff.
4. Build Your Notification System
Work with the nursing staff to set up a simple way for them to text or call you with just the baby's weight and gender when a loss occurs.5. Make It Official
Once your hospital agrees, this becomes a recurring donation relationship. You're now the ongoing source of Brooks Bears for their loss families. 🤍
