If you have the love and the time, you may find that your special calling in the world is being a “baby cuddler” at a local hospital. I’m going to tell you what that means and how you can help.
What Is a Baby Cuddler?
It is exactly what it sounds like. Volunteers go into NICU units in hospitals around the country and hold babies.
Sometimes babies in the NICU don’t have parents there with them 24/7. It’s understandable that Mom and Dad have to go home to be with their other kids, or go to a job, or just need to get some much-needed sleep. Having you stand in the gap and love on their baby when they can’t be there will give those parents so much solace.
Some babies are born of drug-addicted moms who may be neither willing nor capable of giving the special kind of love babies need. Those babies can suffer all sorts of horrible problems that fall under the heading of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.
NAS may mean that a baby is born prematurely, or that it has seizures and/or birth defects. Some babies have tremors, tight muscles, vomiting, sleep problems, and trouble eating and breathing. Babies from moms who abused drugs are also prone to high-pitched, excessive crying.
If I’m being honest, it’s hard for me to even write about. Picturing those tiny, precious angels suffering from such violent and ugly problems hurts me so badly, I can barely think about it. You probably feel the same way.
Before I go any further, if you or someone you love is pregnant and addicted to drugs or alcohol, there is help for you. Talk to your doctor right away and click here to find help through your state.
As a baby cuddler volunteer, your job is to give babies what doctors say is so very important – skin to skin contact and human comfort.
You don’t walk around with the baby, nor do you feed it. You’ll sit with it and simply be present. You can sing, or talk, rock or pat. Doesn’t matter so long as that fragile treasure feels loved and safe in the arms of someone who cares.
The hospital where you volunteer will train you, but you already know the most important part.
Your love is genuinely healing.
When a baby is swaddled safely in the arms of someone who cares, science has proven again and again and again that healing is happening.
There is no higher calling than to love one another, and loving a baby is a legacy we can leave that could potentially last for generations. An infant who is loved can grow into a Mom or Dad who has children and then grandchildren.
How to Become a Baby Cuddler
Don’t expect to show up at a NICU and pick up a baby. For good reason, that’s not the way volunteering as a baby cuddler works.
Each hospital has its own rules and needs. Sometimes hospitals will call upon the public via TV interviews or on hospital websites. I would suggest that you call the hospitals in your area and speak to someone in charge of volunteer services.
You can also visit Born to Kuddle where you’ll find a state by state list of volunteering opportunities.
Would you like to be a baby cuddler? Have you already volunteered in a NICU? Please share your ideas and experiences in the comments. If you have additional info that would help folks find a way to help, tell us about it.
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297 comments on “Please Volunteer to Be a NICU Baby Cuddler”
Hi
My love of babies is phenomenal
❤️. I worked in a private setting looking after babies for over 20years.
I have time and patience .
I am a grandma and I just love babies children and love to give them love and attention in so many different ways .
Singing stroking cuddling I have the love to give
I would love to help . I have two grown kids. I babysit my grand baby but I have 4 days to help. With 2 being on the weekend . I live in Charleston wv
I would love to hold and love a baby. I would love to help them.
This sounds so rewarding. I want to help where can I do this I’m in OH
I would love to do this. This is beneficial not just to the babies, but to the person doing the cuddling as well. I have a super stressful job and after a particularly awful day and I had an elevated heart rate and what seemed like high pressure rate, a co-worker who had her 4 month grandson with her let me hold him. It was incredible, within minutes my heart rate was back to normal along with my blood pressure. A feeling of calmness and well-being came over me. I had thought I was going to have to drive myself to urgent care and thanks to my cuddle session, I left work feeling stress-free and in a happy mood. I half-jokingly suggested she bring in her grandson every Friday. I would love to hold babies every day!
yes please
This is such a beautiful thing to do for these babies.
Thank you to everyone that volunteers.
I contacted our local hospital weeks ago to volunteer for this. Unfortunately there is nothing available in our area. Sad I can’t share some love but I guess it’s good news there is no need for this in our area!
I would love to be apart of this!! I don’t have any kids yet and I love them with a passion!! Please sign me up for this!! Thanks!!
I would love to have 2 grown kids and I come from a family of 10 with 18 nieces and nephews,with 13 great .I have so much love to give and would love to help
Are there any in helderberg basin in south Africa, capetown
I would love to help the little ones
More information please
Wow this is so amazing I would love to do this
This would be so wonderful. I would love to help a precious innocent baby!❤️
Where can I do this in my area
I’ve always loved to hold babies, and hum – while doing a very a slow dance, rocking, – It also heals me, as I can’t have babies due to endometriosis – half hystrectomy, – Also makes me contented being around babies,
I’d love to heal them, as it will heal me also.
Are you doing this Work on the Sunshine Coast?
I would love to volunteer.
I would like to be a cuddler
I would love to do this as I have had 10 kids of my own who are all grown up now I often see this zdd and think of these babies would live to help do this everyone needs a cuddle x