By Helena Adeloju
Monash Children’s Hospital has a new cuddle cot thanks to local charity Cuddles from Evie.
Cuddles from Evie founder Jessica Jolliffe delivered the cuddle cot on Thursday 30 March to the hospital’s new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Ms Jolliffe said the hospital was very excited to receive its first cuddle cot delivery.
“They were rapt because they didn’t have a cuddle cot,” she said.
“They hadn’t heard of them until I called and offered to donate one.”
The cuddle cot is now located in the unit’s new bereavement room.
“It’s in its own private room,” Ms Jolliffe said.
“Families whose babies are about to or have passed away have their own private space to say goodbye and then grieve and spend as much time as they need with their babies, thanks to our cuddle cot.”
Monash Children’s Hospital Nurse Unit Manager-Clinical Services Lead Jacqui Taylor said the hospital “jumped at the chance” when Ms Jolliffe suggested the donation.
“It’s a fabulous gift,” she said.
“It will enable parents to have more choice to stay with their babies in the hospital for longer.”
Ms Taylor said the previous process of allowing parents to stay with their babies had been “more challenging”.
“Having the cuddle cot makes it a simpler, easier process,” she said.
