A CuddleCot in the Reina Sofía helps parents extend the farewell of their baby
SPAIN. Natalie Claytor and Laura Segura, whose children died in childbirth, donated the CuddleCot to the centre, which has led to parents being able to spend time with their child.
Society does not train, or at least bring women and men closer to face perinatal loss. Society does not want to see, hear or know about death, especially that of a baby.
For this reason, the Reina Sofía Hospital has updated the action protocols so that parents can spend longer with their babies in the event of their death. The CuddleCot has contributed to this: families can say goodbye to their baby, thus helping them in the grieving process.
This change has been possible thanks to the impetus given by Andrea Jiménez, head of the hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynecology block, and the involvement of all workers, especially the supervisors of the Birth and Maternity area and those responsible for the Mental Health Unit. A whole team has worked for a year on a model change with the sole purpose of offering better service and care to the mother who faces such a hard loss.
It all started when Jiménez was still in Primary Care. In this first contact with public health, this midwife has treated mothers who have suffered a process of perinatal grief. “I realised that I didn’t have many tools to help because this type of grief is very abandoned in the province.” Therefore, after arriving at the head of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the hospital, he wanted to start tackling the problem.
The first turning point has been the donation to the hospital of a CuddleCot by Natalie Claytor and Laura Segura, whose children died in childbirth. With donations and also support from the Matrioskas Gestational, Perinatal and Neonatal Duel Support Association, these two women have raised funds for the CuddleCot at the Reina Sofía. Until the arrival of the CuddleCot, parents could barely spend minutes with their deceased baby. Now, parents can hug and kiss their child or accompany him if they decide to introduce him to the CuddleCot.
One issue that this highlights is how parents are 100% grateful for having a memory or having had contact with their baby after his death. It gives them peace of mind knowing that they have them and that in the future they will be able to see them.
A blue butterfly is now placed on the door of the room where the parents are with their baby who has died. All health personnel who cross the threshold of that door should know, as soon as they see that butterfly, what situation they will find in that room and what their language should be. As Escaños points out, “having memories of your baby helps to overcome grief in a less traumatic way.”