Baby cuddling at hopkins hospital?

Question

I heard that sick infants in hospitals can really benefit from being handled and cuddled at the early stages of their lives. Sometimes the families live far away and cannot come in every day, so volunteers are needed to play with/hold the infants. I would like to do this for community service, does anyone know if I can do so at Hopkins Hospital? Has anyone hear done it, and if so can you tell me who to contact for more information? I have searched the website, and have not found much...

Answer 1

I'm pretty sure Johns Hopkins will let you do this, but I think you have to be 18. I would call a receptionist at Hopkins and ask.

Good luck!

:)

Answer 2

Contact the volunteer services department at the hospital. You can call their main number and ask the switchboard operator to transfer you. You will first need to join the volunteer staff and go through their orientation and training. Depending on your age and prior experience you may or may not have opportunity to decide in which department they will place you. Many hospitals now perform background checks on their volunteers. There may also be specific training for those working in the nursery and NICU, even for volunteers. It is not always just as easy as holding and cuddling babies, some of the babies don't live to go home. It's an important job, though, which is why so many hospitals have these cuddlers in place.