There is a New Cuddler In Town!

Who would have thought that those words would have ever come out of my mouth?!?!

I have been APPROVED to start working the Magee-Womens Hospital Cuddler Program!!

That pink stork means I am a special breed of volunteers who gets to hold babies. 

My dream of being part of a Cuddler program started during my sophomore year in college.  Sadly the GW Hospital volunteer coordinator never was able to get her act together so that plan fell through.  Thankfully I was fast tracked because I already had my state and federal background clearance check finished (thank you AmeriCorps).  All I have do is go through an orientation and then it is ON!

For those of you not in the know NICU Cuddler programs exist across the country to help support the development and growth of neonates.  While parents want to spend as much time as possible with their babies in the NICU, unfortunately other committments like work and/or family and other children limit the time they can sped in the hospital.  Many of the babies can spend three months in the NICU before they are allowed to go home. 

This is where the volunteers come into play.  For a minimum of two hours we hold these babies and provide therapeutic talk and touch (some will sing, but I have a feeling that my singing could do more harm than good). 

Benefits of Cuddling for the Baby:

• Preemies grow faster (weight gain) and are able to return home faster
• Assists cuddled preemies in developing better cognitively
• Helps to meet the preemies social milestones closer to their actual age rather than their adjusted age by acquiring language, speech and hearing
• Builds trust among adult humans and promotes bonding
• For those born addicted to drugs, holding the babies will help reduce muscle spasms 

 

Apparently holding babies will release some kind of endorphins in the brain so I will leave with a sense of euphoria and a sense of calmness (this would have been good to know when studying for finals).