Help Wanted: Volunteer Baby Cuddlers for Hospital
Some people would cherish the opportunity to cuddle adorable infants all day. Well good news: a hospital in Ohio needs your help with that.
Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton is expanding their Infant Cuddler Program. They are looking for volunteers who can take turns holding babies in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The program will help the approximately 90 babies who are born in the hospital every year with agonizing symptoms of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. This occurs when a newborn is exposed to addictive drugs while in the womb.
“I never want to see a baby suffer unnecessarily,” Dr. Amanda Graf told Ohio television station WDTN. “And if there are things we can be doing and programs we can build to help, then we’re going to do it.”
Some of the tasks completed by volunteers in the Infant Cuddler Program include holding the babies and rocking them. Other hospitals also conduct similar programs that resulted in improved development and comfort for premature babies. Hopefully, the success of the Infant Cuddler Program will inspire more hospitals across the nation to do the same thing.
A recent study published in Pediatrics found that cuddling resulted in numerous health benefits for babies. The Infant Cuddler Program acts as a healthy substitute for babies in case parents are not around at a given time.
To apply for a volunteer position, contact Miami Valley Hospital’s Volunteer Services at (937) 208-2879.