BASS Coast Health (BCH) and Gippsland Southern Health Service were fortunate to receive a Cuddle Cot from Melbourne family Kit and Blake Norrish, who raise funds to enable the charity Bears of Hope to supply Cuddle Cots to hospitals.
Kit and Blake lost their first baby Arlo on January 2, but were able to spend five days with him thanks to a cuddle cot.
Now they are giving other families the same opportunity by donating cuddle cots to six hospitals around Australia.
The cuddle cot is a cooling system designed to fit within a small cot, enabling families to spend every moment with their baby before saying goodbye.
“This has turned from something negative to something positive,” Kit said.
“Donating them in person on Monday at Gippsland Southern Health Service was so fulfilling. People wanted to hear about Arlo’s story and what we’ve been through and to know that we’re giving something back to other families is so heartwarming.”
Arlo was born still on January 2 this year at Epworth Hospital.
“He had a blood clot in his umbilical cord and passed away in utero and I delivered him knowing that he had passed,” Kit said.
“It was traumatising but he was perfect other than this freak accident of having a blood clot which meant his placenta couldn’t give him the nutrients he needed to survive.
“Epworth Hospital had a cuddle cot which allowed us to spend five days with Arlo as I recovered from my C-section. It was the most amazing thing to help us grieve.”
Kit said that cuddle cots might not be for everyone, but they can help many through their grief.
“My aunt had a stillborn 30 years ago and they didn’t have cuddle cots and she only got to see her daughter for five minutes before she was taken away.
“People grieve differently. We weren’t able to have a lifetime with Arlo, but we were able to have some time with him. If it wasn’t for the cuddle cot, we wouldn’t have been able to have that time.
“My auntie never got that chance and wished she could go back in time and have the moment with her daughter.”
Kit said the fundraising was their way of putting grief into something positive.
“Arlo’s life hasn’t gone in vain; he had a little life that will be remembered,” she said.
“Hopefully few families will need it, but when the cuddle cot comes out, they will see other families have gone through the same thing and realise they are not alone and someone else is there to support them.
“We were incredibly supported by our community - work colleagues, family and friends and managed to raise $39,000 to donate the cuddle cots. One of the secrets to being happy and living a fulfilling life is giving back.”
BCH midwifery unit manager Relle McMillin said the cuddle cot enables families to have “as normal memories as possible” after experiencing a stillbirth.
“We had an older system here and are so grateful to Kit, Blake and Bears of Hope for this new cuddle cot that will help families through such a trying time,” she said.
“The cuddle cot allows a family to cuddle, kiss, bath and dress their baby, and even take their baby home.”
Remarkably, Kit and Blake are also doing more rounds of IVF to have another baby.
To donate to Kit and Blake’s fundraising campaign, go to: bit.ly/46vFIF6
