Please join Madeline’s Mission in raising funds to purchase Cuddle Cots and Caring Cradles for hospitals and similar agencies that would benefit from having one to provide to those in their care. A Caring Cradle is similar in functionality to a Cuddle Cot but offers different options and flexibility for the healthcare providers, so we offer those as an option for places to help us co-fundraise for the equipment as the costs are doubled for the Caring Cradle.
So far we’ve purchased Cuddle Cots for:
-Midcoast Hospital (Brunswick)
-Maine General (Augusta)
-St. Mary’s (Lewiston)
-Miles Hospital (Damariscotta)
-Northern Light Inland Hospital (Waterville)
-Androscoggin Hospice House (Lewiston-Auburn)
-Rumford Hospital (Rumford)
-Redington-Fairview General Hospital (Skowhegan) – Caring Cradle not Cuddle Cot
What is a Cuddle Cot?
A Cuddle Cot is a cooling mattress and crib set that allows a baby that has passed away to spend more time with their family without deterioration. A Cuddle Cot gifts families grieving the loss of a baby precious hours and days together to snuggle, dress, take pictures, grieve and say goodbye.
Currently Maine General does not have a Cuddle Cot for families to use during their hospital stay, so this gift is crucial to help bring comfort and time to parents surviving the loss of their beloved baby. Please help us to fund this equipment that will be treasured by all who get to benefit from the priceless gift of more time together.
Testimonials
Suzy Zimmerman CNM, Midcoast Hospital
I am grateful to Madeline’s Mission for providing local, personal support to our grieving families. This support continues as they are raising money to purchase a Cuddle Cot for our OB unit. A Cuddle Cot is an invaluable tool that will allow parents and families the gift of unrestricted time to spend with their babies who have passed. This allows other family members to come share in this precious time and gives the parents all the time they need to say goodbye. I am so grateful for this opportunity to enhance our care for grieving families and I encourage you to support both Madeline’s Mission and this fundraising campaign for a Cuddle Cot. Thank you!
JESSICA & BABY QUINN
“Until the day of our boys’ delivery, I had never heard of a Cuddle Cot or had a clue how precious one would come to be for our story,” says Jessica, a Maine mother of twins, one of which was stillborn. Thankfully, the hospital in which she delivered was equipped with a Cuddle Cot. “I feel so grateful to have been able to keep our stillborn son close by in the Cuddle Cot every moment until we chose to hand him to the funeral home director. I ache to hear the stories of mothers having to repetitively be separated from their baby during those precious few hours. Every moment counts when it’s your only hellos and goodbyes.”
KENDRAY & BABY MICHAEL
“It’s hard to find the right words to express what having a Cuddle Cot would have meant to us after Michael was delivered,” says Kendray, whose son Michael was stillborn. “We were lucky, in that we were allowed to spend a few hours with him after delivery. We took turns holding him, took a few pictures of the three of us together. I even got to take a nap with him in my arms. And then they took him away. To the morgue. So his body wouldn’t deteriorate. It was like losing him all over again. Losing a child to stillbirth takes so many things away from you, but the cruelest of those things is time. We had so little TIME with him. I would give my right arm for more time with Michael. Cuddle Cots give families that time, and while time won’t bring a child back, it does give their family the chance to bond, grieve, and just BE with their child. That time has been shown – both anecdotally and in research – to be hugely important in the mental health and well-being of bereaved parents.”
Support the Cuddle Cot Campaign
To make a donation to support this campaign, please donate here and indicate you’d like funds allocated to the Cuddle Cot by choosing that radio button on the donation form. Thank you in advance for your support. Any funds raised beyond the $2800 will be used toward our next Cuddle Cot purchase or to support Madeline’s Mission’s general fund.
Each Cuddle Cot Costs $3,000- we know with your support we can make this happen!
