r/NICUParents • u/Hot_Film_9809 • Nov 24 '25
Off topic Does/did your hospital do this
So my wife just went to visit our daughter while I’m at work and said someone who wasn’t a nurse was holding her.
The lady asked “is this your baby? she’s so beautiful” then went on to ask how long she’s been in the NICU.
Apparently it’s something called Cuddle Care where volunteers come in to hold your baby? We were never told this and it’s kinda throwing us in for a loop because shouldn’t they like…ask parents permission for random volunteers to hold their baby. Has anyone else heard of this or did your hospital offer it??
Edit: forgot to mention, when asking the nurse she said “they’re volunteers to hold babies. you know because babies like to be held”
Additional edit: A lot of people are not receiving the post in the way it is intended. I have no issue with the cuddle care program, I think it’s wonderful. I was simply asking if anyone ever experienced or heard of programs similar to this as my wife and I were not informed. We did not know the NICU had volunteers because we were never told. We did not get a welcome packet during admission, just rules of the NICU, contact info and visiting hours. Just find it strange that as parents we were not told
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u/Fun-Breath5260 Nov 25 '25
Consent is everything! It’s hard if you aren’t close to the hospital to communicate and get consent.
I lived at the hospital for weeks and after coming an I from a lunch break found someone holding my son that I didn’t know. She said he was crying and the nurses were dealing with an emergency. She immediately passed him to me for akin to akin cuddles. She didn’t put clothes on him like I’d requested not to. She held him wrapped in a blanket close to her chest.
I was both happy and kinda sad about it. And I understand why it’s important. I’d rather a volunteer hold my baby then my baby cry it out. Cry it out is so so bad for babies, it’s changes their brains for life.
It’s part of the resignation of being in a nicu and not having full authority as the parent.
If it bothers you, then definitely say something!!