A HOSPITAL has asked people to stop crocheting cuddly octopus toys after an appeal to give every premature baby a creature comfort has gone viral.

Poole Hospital’s neonatal ward revealed it has received so many donated soft toys from around the world, there are enough to comfort the babies for an entire year.

The Daily Echo launched the novel appeal back in November after research revealed the soft tentacles of an octopus may remind newborns of the umbilical cord and the safety of their mother’s womb.

The original article was shared thousands of times online and hospital’s baby unit has since featured in newspaper articles, radio and TV shows from as far as Spain, Germany, America and Australia.

Daniel Lockyer, matron of neonatal services said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the response to our appeal for crochet octopi and the international media attention it has brought.

“We’ve now received more than 200 octopi – a year’s supply – ready and waiting for our little patients, so we’re not looking for any more for the time being.

“Parents are telling us their babies seem calmer with an octopi friend to keep them company so we’re looking forward to continuing with the project in the future.”

The idea comes from Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, where medical staff reported that the toy octopi calmed babies, led to improved breathing and cardiac patterns and, as a result, increased levels of oxygen in their blood.

They also reported that when the babies cuddled their octopus they were less likely to try to pull on the cables and tubes surrounding their incubators.

Poole Hospital was the first in the UK to introduce the octopus scheme.

A spokesman for the hospital said: “After the appeal in November, Poole Hospital’s neonatal unit is swimming in crochet octopi for their little patients.

“We’re still getting enquiries from all over the world.”

Each baby born prematurely is given its own octopus to take home as a keepsake of their time with the team at Poole Hospital.

The hospital said the toys are crocheted in cotton so they can be washed at 60 degrees for hygiene reasons and tentacles are 22cm or less due to safety.

As a result of the appeal, more hospitals in the UK and across the world are introducing the cuddly creatures to the babies.