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Dozens of Philadelphians are trying to sign up to be “volunteer cuddlers” to comfort babies born addicted to opioids after a recent article on Philly.com discussed the hospital practice.
“Babies with [neonatal abstinence syndrome] are among the most vulnerable infants in need of cuddling, as the process of opioid withdrawal is so very difficult for them to endure,” developmental specialist Arlene J. Verno told the site.
Jane Cavanaugh, the nurse who founded the cuddler program at Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson University Hospital about a year ago, said that babies born addicted to the drugs their mothers were taking during pregnancy need the most cuddling.
“[They] need to be held for extended periods,” she told Philly.com. “They need human touch. They need soothing. They need talking.”
Addy Schultz, a 72-year-old speech therapist and volunteer cuddler, also added that hums and chants can also sooth the baby. The volunteer roster currently ranges from retirees to students to hospital employers, but the group is quickly growing. So far, Cavanaugh has trained 25 of Thomas Jefferson’s volunteers and currently has more than she can actually use. Applications are expected to reopen in July for more volunteers.
However, Thomas Jefferson isn’t the first facility to start cuddling babies in similar situations; Virtua Health System in South Jersey is also asking for volunteers at several of its locations, as is Pennsylvania’s Einstein Healthcare Network.
According to the listing, volunteers typically work in three-hour shifts under nurse supervision. No feeding or diaper-changing is required, just straight-up love. Honestly, throw in a puppy room on the side and this would be heaven. Who’s signing up with us?
[H/T: Cosmopolitan]
