Baby Cuddler Program

All babies need to be held and cuddled in order to thrive. But when a baby is in the hospital for an extended period, he or she may not be able to get that comfort from parents as often as they need it. Parents may have other children, work obligations or medical needs of their own, while nurses are often busy with pressing medical tasks.

Our Services

Stony Brook Children’s Hospital’s Baby Cuddlers are trained volunteers who visit babies while they’re under our care.

During their three to four-hour shifts, the volunteers rock the babies, sing lullabies, and provide the all-important human touch that supports the emotional and social healing of these fragile infants. Nurse Jessie Jellen says, "You see their heart rates go down. Studies show it helps them mature faster, and the length of stay is shorter,” meaning they can go home to their families sooner.

If the baby is sleeping or resting comfortably, the volunteers may also help out in the unit in other ways, such as stocking toiletries and supplies and folding blankets.

Our Team

In order to become one of our Baby Cuddlers, volunteers are carefully screened and trained on disease control and privacy laws. They are not allowed to know why the baby is in the unit. Parents have been very happy to know that someone is there to cuddle their babies when they can’t be there.

Currently, Stony Brook has 12 trained Baby Cuddlers and a years-long waiting list of volunteers. However, volunteers are always needed and welcome in many other areas. To learn more about volunteering and our available assignments, please click here.