Special to Iredell Free News
The Birth Place at Iredell Memorial Hospital recently received a donation of a CuddleCot to support mothers grieving the loss of a child at birth.
Losing a baby can be devasting for a mother and her family. The CuddleCot is a portable, lightweight unit that enables families experiencing the loss of their baby to spend more time with their child.
Brooke and Corey Schneckloth, who donated the CuddleCot, have felt this pain firsthand and wish to help others who have similar experiences.
“Our son, Theo, was stillborn on April 19, 2021. I’ll forever be grateful for the 24 hours we had together after he was born. Because of CuddleCots, we were able to get photographs, handprints, foot molds, and say goodbye at the time of discharge. Leaving the hospital without your baby is the most excruciating experience, but sitting in the hospital without him or her can add exponentially to that grief,” said Brooke.
The CuddleCot is a small, specialized cooling device fitted for use in a bassinet or Moses basket. The baby is placed on top of the mat, which is continually cooled, ensuring the baby remains cool too. Keeping the baby cool extends the time families have to say goodbye.
“The loss of a baby can be an extremely difficult and traumatic event for any parent. Ways to provide emotional support and comfort is a very important service to have available for grieving parents. A CuddleCot allows The Birth Place team to provide a much needed compassionate bereavement service where parents have the option of spending more time with their baby,” said Sharon Paul, director of The Birth Place.
Without a CuddleCot, grieving families can be left with as little as 30 minutes with their baby.
Brooke hopes that this donation will help families have more time to say goodbye.
“While I wish no families join this loss community, my hope is that they will be able to say goodbye on their terms. I hope there will be time to memorize their child’s features, time for grandparents and siblings to say goodbye, should a family so choose. It’s difficult to fit a lifetime with your child into days, hours or minutes, and nothing in life is more precious than time together with the ones we love,” she said.
Brooke and Corey’s generous donation will serve as a light when other parents face that same dark time. It will also serve as an honor and lasting legacy to their son, Theo.
“I’m honored that Theo and us have a small part in that gift of time,” said Brooke.
LEARN MORE
The Iredell Health Foundation helped coordinate the donation of the CuddleCot. For more information about the Foundation or to learn how you can make a donation, visit iredellhealthfoundation.org or call 704-878-7669. The Iredell Health Foundation is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization responsible for philanthropy for Iredell Health System. It supports the system’s programs and services through donor-centered fundraising.