Parenting|

#NoBabyUnhugged, Because Even The Tiniest NICU Babies Need Hugs

by Maria Guido

Have you ever thought about what happens when a parent can’t be at their NICU baby’s side? Sometimes babies need care for weeks or even months on end, and many times families have other children to tend to or obstacles that make being with their baby in the NICU impossible.

That’s where volunteers come in.

Through the No Baby Unhugged initiative, Huggies is helping hospitals be sure that all babies are getting the hugs they need.

“Babies have an innate need to be loved and nurtured and develop trust and attachment,” says the Canadian Association of Pediatric Health. “All forms of touch have positive effects, but skin to-skin contact, especially with mothers, has been found to be particularly powerful.”

“Although initially not felt to be important for sick babies requiring neonatal care, the compelling nature of the evidence has led to a paradigm shift in neonatal care including change in unit design from open bay to single room in order to facilitate, where possible, uninterrupted contact between a mother and her baby,” research has found.

If touch is healing, and a family can’t be there, NICUs need support in the form of “huggers.” These are volunteers who spend time with NICU babies, making sure they have all of the human touch they need to thrive. These volunteer programs are complex and need funding for training and resources. That’s where No Baby Unhugged comes in.

No Baby Unhugged is a new Huggies initiative that helps facilitate volunteer hugging programs at hospitals, provides special diapers for micro preemie babies, and donates diapers to babies in need.

You can help Huggies in their efforts. For every person who signs up to become a Huggies Member, Huggies will donate $5 to support volunteer hugging program grants for hospitals. If you’re interested, go to Huggies.com and click on “Sign in or join Huggies” to get started.

As parents, we know how important cuddling our babies is. How great is it to be able to give the gift of hugs to babies who need them the most?

Huggies® believes deeply in the Power of Hugs. The simple, loving act is proven to support babies’ emotional and physiological well-being. Huggies® diapers and wipes are inspired by a parent’s hug, to nurture baby with care, cradle baby in comfort, and surround baby in protection. Learn more at Huggies.com, #HuggiesCouncil