Volunteer cuddler

DoraMarr
Bit of crossed wire over my post.

I was replying to mcem.
She assumed on her post that a family has to be in a difficult situation to need an extra hug from a volunteer for their baby.
I take umbrage at the suggestion that if we don't have relatives on tap then the family must be in a difficult situation.

As for the volunteer huggers I'm all for it. Such a great idea.
My husband and grandad were both in full time work when I gave birth.
I may have been one to call upon the hugging service were it to be available.

My DD is hoping to be a volunteer cuddler at GOSH one day, but it's in high demand and you have to have volunteered there in other roles before you can become one, I believe!

Me please !

Gmelon - that’s great that you were able to care for your baby between you, but not everyone is so fortunate. Not all workplaces will give fathers time off beyond the statutory paternity leave, and some premature babies are in hospital for a long time. There may be other children who need their mother’s care, no local grandparents or, in many cases, grandparents who are themselves working. I think it is lovely that this man is helping babies by giving them one-to- one contact.

How lovely. It's something I'd like to do. Not everyone has a loving family to be around to help

When my babies were born it was me, husband, and my own grandparents. That was it.
We dont all have big families. We were not in a difficult situation thank you.
Very happy in fact.

This is fabulous. As a rule, babies need to be held and cuddled. This actually affects their brain development.

Sometimes parents can't be there 24/7 - they might be single parents, they might have to work, they might live a long way from the hospital and have other children, etc.

Sometimes, too, you may have babies that have been or are going to be placed for adoption or are going to be put into care. Sometimes they may not have found an adoptive family or foster carer for the children yet. A caring adult can be supporting the babies' developmental needs and filling that role while plans are being set up.

The only exception would be that there are some babies who are so preterm and/or so fragile they aren't able to tolerate much touching or handling. Usually, though, when they become stronger, they can and should be held. "Kangaroo care", where the baby is cuddled against the parent's bare chest, has been shown to help stabilize temperature and other vital signs and is especially helpful for preemies.

I'd enjoy that role. There is something special about having a newborn in your arms. I have often thought about becoming a hospital visitor. I hate the thought of anyone not having visitors or someone to care.

There must be a need for people to cuddle or pay attention to babies who'd be in their cots/ventilators for most of the day otherwise. The nurses can only do so much.

It can easily be the case, I would imagine.
All you need is a small family.
You soon find that you can't be in all places at once, and there isn't anyone else.

When DGD was in neonatal unit she had family with her all the time. Every other baby also had a grandparent or aunt when mum/dad wasn't there!
It would have to be a terribly difficult family situation to need a relative stranger to volunteer for this duty!

youtu.be/8OIN6mDtVMo