Sweet Elderly Woman Spends Time Calming Newborns in NICU as 'Grandma Cuddler'

Jan 29, 2019 by apost team

Some babies need extra medical attention when they're born, which could mean an extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. Since physical touch is as vital to their well-being as medical care, many hospitals have developed volunteer-based cuddling programs to meet their needs.

Joan Hart is more than happy to step up to the plate. At eighty-one years old, the 'Grandma Cuddler' as she's known at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital became their first volunteer in 2011 when they opened their Cuddler Program.

Snuggling these newborns is one of the highlights of her life. The retired IBM senior staff administrator is an expert at providing cuddles and TLC to the young NICU patients and peace of mind to their parents.

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Christy Dowd, the hospital's child life specialist, says the program also provides comfort for the parents and families by letting them know someone will be on hand to soothe their baby when they aren't able to be there.

"These babies' brains are like sponges, and they're learning more and more each day," Dowd explains.

She then stressed the importance of giving the infants positive touch between all the medical procedures to foster their emotional and social development.

The hospital screens people who are interested and provides the necessary training. Along with enriching the young NICU patients, the Cuddler Program is a rewarding experience for the volunteers.

Retired people, whether or not they have children of their own, particularly enjoy spending time providing their loving care. While some babies get held and snuggled, others benefit from having volunteers hold their tiny hands or rub their backs.

They all enjoy being talked to and listening to the cuddlers sing quiet lullabies or hum a happy tune.

Joan Hart explains that the volunteers aren't taking temperatures or any such thing, but are there to be love bugs by spreading joy through physical contact.

"There was a period of time in my life when I thought I'd marry someone and have lots of kids, but that didn't happen," Hart says, shining more light on what the program means to her. "I don't have children, but I feel I have angels all over. That's what they are to me, my little angels."

Volunteers are expected to spend four hours a week in the NICU, but the New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital can count on Joan to be there six or seven hours during an average week. Hart spreads love one cuddle at a time.

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