How a CuddleCot gave parents time to say goodbye
When Natalia and Jose Lopez lost their son, Jose Angel, at six and a half months, the moments they had with him were everything.
Because of a donated CuddleCot, they were able to spend two full days holding their baby, memorising his features, taking the only photos they would ever have, and saying goodbye without being rushed.
“He has curly hair just like his dad,” Natalia said. “With those two days, we soaked in every inch of him.”
After losing their son, Natalia Lopez and her husband began fundraising to donate CuddleCots so other parents would not be rushed through their goodbyes. Through Ashlie’s Embrace, nearly 400 CuddleCots have now been donated across the US.
Texas has since passed Everly’s Law with the leadership of Representative Plesa, mandating bereavement care and access to cooling bassinets, but many hospitals are still catching up.
This CBS Texas piece highlights why donation programmes, legislation, and awareness all matter when it comes to compassionate care after baby loss.
As infant mortality rises and bereavement care gaps remain, this CBS Texas story shows how access to CuddleCots can profoundly change a family’s experience of loss.
Every hospital should be able to offer this time.
Article by Andrea Lucia, CBS Texas.