Job advert for volunteer to cuddle babies in NICU

[columbosscruffycoat]

My local health authority has just advertised for volunteers to go and work in the nicu cuddling babies. It’s not a joke, it’s a genuine advert. I can’t imagine any parent would want some random person cuddling their poorly baby. I can’t believe the nhs has come to this. Just wondered what people think about this and whether it’s happening anywhere else in the uk. I’m in the northwest uk.

My 2lb baby was in Neo natal too

they thought I was dying and spent 4 mo the in ICU and then another 8 months in hospital rehabilitating. There was no one there to be her mother. To have that touch. I was hooked up to machines unconscious.

I didn’t mind her having a cuddle with some stranger. But some stranger who adores babies and who is there for them when you can’t be

I mentioned upthread I did this - I just remembered a little bit more - I did this 30+ years ago.

We wore volunteer uniforms and then a hospital gown on top of that for the NICU. There was a rocking chair next to every incubator. I sat in the rocking chair and the nurse would hand me the baby. When I was done rocking the baby, the nurse transferred the baby back. I didn't do that. We did not stand up holding a baby.

Weekdays were the only time you could do this - no evenings or weekends since family was more likely to be there.

I said you had to be a mother, but I was wrong about that. You had to be a Mother to assist in Labor & Delivery. I was not a mother yet when I rocked babies. I also watched siblings when Mothers would come into L&D to have another baby - until a family member could take them home.

100%. We’re proud of you! @newyear2024 ♥️

I'm sorry you ever had to experience such a horrendous ordeal. However, whilst I doubt it's on purpose, you really are coming across as very unkind and judgemental. Do you think she loved her poorly baby less than you? Or that she just couldn't be bothered? Because they're the messages I've picked from your tone. And neither seem very likely.

I had no idea that this was a thing - I would LOVE to volunteer doing this. I adore babies, have two of my own older children and would just love to know I was helping a tiny baby in their first weeks or months of life, and a family know that their new baby was getting lots of cuddles and soothing if they couldn’t be there.
I’m going to look into whether this is a thing we do here in Aus

Yes, it is in Australia. I’d imagine it’s universal given the importance, but it’s definitely in Australia also. Last I knew there were long lists of volunteers, no shortage, it was a really popular gig🥰. From what I observed they seemed to prioritise retired nurses for it but maybe things have changed?

My baby was in neonatal for 8 weeks. There were signs everywhere saying only mother and father could hold babies due to infection risks

Those volunteers are given the same status, the restriction doesn’t apply to them. They are more trained in handwashing, downing (if required), infection control etc than the parents. The other bonus is they are typically older women whose kids have grown up and left home, so they are not bringing their toddlers/other young kids germs in with them when they come in.

It’s not just premie NICU’s they are used in. Also surgical NICU’s (at term babies who require significant surgery/s or medical attention, often for several weeks or months on end.

Some awfully judgemental posts assuming why some parents aren't at their babies bedsides 247.

And vetted

I watched a YouTube doc about a retired gentleman who does exactly this. I'm sure it was in America. Think he sat there with them all day in a rocking chair. It was one of the most touching heartwarming things I've ever seen.

I haven't RTFT but I wanted to thank you for this. I can't think of many more important things to that baby than what you did.

I assume you know how important it was but

This thread makes me so sad. My son was in NICU and I was made to feel like such an inconvenience everytime I wanted to hold him. I never did skin to skin as they told me I was wearing the wrong type of top when I asked and nobody ever mentioned it again. I wish there’d been more emphasis on how importance that touch is.

Things are not always simple. Babies can be in NICU for weeks.

Parents often have other children, may not live close, might be on another ward or in another hospital.

Sometimes twins are in different hospitals.

This isn't a standard service, it's not for one of us who has a prem baby and has to nip home/needs help. It's for babies who don't have anyone caring for them at all / not present. Eg mother so many drug problems not allowed access.

Yeah skin to skin is important. Parenting classes and the reality on the wards is quite different.

This post is bringing up a lot for me. My baby was in NICU for two weeks and I am crying right now at the memory of leaving him in his little plastic box all alone. Of course there were plenty of staff around and they were all incredible but knowing there was someone else there just to give him the cuddles and comfort he needed when we couldn’t be there might have made it less painful, even for my memories.

Thank you. I was really ignorant in my first reply. I didn't even consider how privileged I was to carry my own children to term and I've never even been to an NICU or thought about the children born to addicted mothers and suffering withdrawal. Every days a learning day and I've realised I need to be more open minded and realise for the amount of weirdos in the world there are many many kind and wonderful people.

It's the same for me. I couldn't even see my twins for 4 day's after birth and I lay in my own hospital bed in tears. The only positive memory that stays with me from those days are are a student midwife taking my phone to SCBU and taking photos and videos of my girls being cared for so amazingly.

The article does state "when [the parents] need a little break", along with light housekeeping in the ward as well.
I think this role is broader than the service you describe.

You've just become my favourite MumsNetter !
I honestly think the country wouldn't be in such a mess if more people (politicians) could admit they had been wrong and change course. And the public let them.

Q for the OP

If this really important care, proven to improve outcomes for these very poorly babies was provided by a highly trained nurse on 40k, would you still be against it? Nurse would be paid to sit in a rocking chair next to the baby's incubator another nurse handed them the baby and then took baby back if nurse one needed to get up or baby needed other attention.

And I know I've given the 'only I can hold my baby' posters a hard time, I'm sorry. In my defence, I struggle to get my head around why someone would deny their very poorly baby this sort of really important care when they can't. Even if it was only while mum was in the shower. I do support your right to not choose this sort of care for your baby though. Likewise I support a mums right not to breastfeed, for whatever reason.
Caveat, if mum/dad couldn't be with baby, for long periods, or any time, for whatever reason and still insisted

That's why I love mumsnet, it's a really good learning platform for me as I live in a a 'rough' area with alot of small minded people and I admit I'm sometimes small minded as well, but I always hold my hands up if I'm wrong and genuinely love to get outside perspectives and grow my own knowledge and hear people's ideas and opinions.

I do sometimes miss the point if people come guns blazing and try and get their point over in a really nasty way, I miss the point as their attitude becomes the focus. But alot of people have replied with their own experiences and their own opinions in a kind way and I their comment then becomes a learning opportunity for me x

So glad you were ok.
A tiny newborn facing the stress and pain of opiate withdrawal is so unfair on the baby.

Another innocent being was a Logging Elephant in Myanmar given heroin to keep him 'manageable'.

He was weaned off, but it took over a year to do this.

www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/364/elephant-recovers-from-heroin-addiction

I bet that student midwife is now an excellent midwife. Lovely of her to do that.

You are making yourself look a bit daft with that comment.

Are you seriously saying that you would rather risk you baby gave a poorer outcome or even in worst case not make it than allow something that had proven benefit to the baby? I ho edtly can't get my head round the way people like you think. A baby isn't a possession.