This week we’ve been talking about helping premature babies. For those of you just tuning in, we suggest checking out our first post of the week and building up to this one because here we’re going all in!
Cuddle. That’s right — we’re asking you to cuddle babies. Many NICU’s have Volunteer Cuddler Programs to help the babies get as much warm human contact as possible as this is critical for their healthy development. Parents aren’t always able to be with their child as work or taking care of other children can keep them away, so experienced cuddlers will fill in when they can’t be there. These programs have been becoming more popular throughout the country, but if your local NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) doesn’t have a program like this, consider asking them to start one!
Got Music? Another NICU trend is that of music therapy. Music can soothe the soul and relax even the tiniest of patients. While most hospitals will probably require a board-certified music therapist, the concept is a wonderful one and we hope to see it continue to grow!
