Richmond, Va. (May 8, 2024) – Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital dedicated a new Flexmort CuddleCot™ System into service today after it was donated by a local family who experienced the stillbirth of their second child in the same hospital just 10 months before.
The CuddleCot is a special cooling bassinet that regulates a baby’s body temperature after death which can help to prevent color change for hours, and sometimes, days. This technology gives bereaved parents and other loved ones the gift of time with their baby. During this time families are able to bond with their child, take pictures and make unforgettable memories as they begin the complicated grief journey of coping with such a sudden and traumatic loss.
“The pain of losing a child before they even have the chance to take their first breath is heartbreak that no parent should ever have to endure,” said Amy Wagner, DNP, administrative director of women’s and children’s services, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. “In such moments of profound grief, the CuddleCot becomes a precious companion by providing invaluable time for parents to hold, cuddle, and say goodbye to their little one, allowing them to create memories and cherish moments that would otherwise be lost.”
Thanks to the generosity of several donors over the last few years, CuddleCots are available at all of Bon Secours’ labor and delivery (L&D) units in Richmond, including, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center in Midlothian, and Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg.
This gift comes from a Henrico family, Jenna and Daniel Green, who were fortunate to have access to a CuddleCot after the unexplained stillbirth of their daughter, Riley Lois Green, at 28 weeks gestation. It was because of the kind, compassionate care that the Green family received from their team at St. Mary’s Hospital that they wanted to create a legacy for their daughter and pay it forward.
“We are so grateful that we had the gift of time with our daughter: time to hold her, talk to her and rock her. And while we only spent about 27 hours with her, we were able to make memories that would last a lifetime,” said Jenna Green, who also works as the PR & Communications Manager for Bon Secours’ Richmond market. “It also gave us the ability to make the decision about when we were ready to say goodbye, knowing that we never really would be.” Shortly after Riley’s stillbirth, the Greens organized a GoFundMe in hopes of raising enough money to donate a CuddleCot to a local hospital so that others may be given the gift of time with their baby before saying goodbye. In the end, they raised enough funds to donate two CuddleCots and support some local nonprofits doing work in the perinatal loss space. The second CuddleCot was donated to Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center last fall.
While nothing can fully ease the anguish of losing a baby too soon, the CuddleCot offers a small measure of comfort amidst the devastation, allowing parents to begin the healing process as they bid farewell to their beloved baby.
“We knew, even while we were in the hospital, that as a family, we wanted to find ways to carry Riley forward with us. We plan to continue performing acts of kindness in her memory and supporting organizations that are bringing awareness and support to families experiencing similar loss,” said the Green family. “Riley will always be our daughter, and while her time with us was short, she’s already made a big difference. As they say, ‘there is no foot too small it cannot leave an imprint on this world’.”
The CuddleCot is a special cooling bassinet that regulates a baby’s body temperature after death which can help to prevent color change for hours, and sometimes, days. This technology gives bereaved parents and other loved ones the gift of time with their baby. During this time families are able to bond with their child, take pictures and make unforgettable memories as they begin the complicated grief journey of coping with such a sudden and traumatic loss.
“The pain of losing a child before they even have the chance to take their first breath is heartbreak that no parent should ever have to endure,” said Amy Wagner, DNP, administrative director of women’s and children’s services, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. “In such moments of profound grief, the CuddleCot becomes a precious companion by providing invaluable time for parents to hold, cuddle, and say goodbye to their little one, allowing them to create memories and cherish moments that would otherwise be lost.”
Thanks to the generosity of several donors over the last few years, CuddleCots are available at all of Bon Secours’ labor and delivery (L&D) units in Richmond, including, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Memorial Regional Medical Center in Mechanicsville, Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center in Midlothian, and Bon Secours Southside Medical Center in Petersburg.
This gift comes from a Henrico family, Jenna and Daniel Green, who were fortunate to have access to a CuddleCot after the unexplained stillbirth of their daughter, Riley Lois Green, at 28 weeks gestation. It was because of the kind, compassionate care that the Green family received from their team at St. Mary’s Hospital that they wanted to create a legacy for their daughter and pay it forward.
“We are so grateful that we had the gift of time with our daughter: time to hold her, talk to her and rock her. And while we only spent about 27 hours with her, we were able to make memories that would last a lifetime,” said Jenna Green, who also works as the PR & Communications Manager for Bon Secours’ Richmond market. “It also gave us the ability to make the decision about when we were ready to say goodbye, knowing that we never really would be.” Shortly after Riley’s stillbirth, the Greens organized a GoFundMe in hopes of raising enough money to donate a CuddleCot to a local hospital so that others may be given the gift of time with their baby before saying goodbye. In the end, they raised enough funds to donate two CuddleCots and support some local nonprofits doing work in the perinatal loss space. The second CuddleCot was donated to Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center last fall.
While nothing can fully ease the anguish of losing a baby too soon, the CuddleCot offers a small measure of comfort amidst the devastation, allowing parents to begin the healing process as they bid farewell to their beloved baby.
“We knew, even while we were in the hospital, that as a family, we wanted to find ways to carry Riley forward with us. We plan to continue performing acts of kindness in her memory and supporting organizations that are bringing awareness and support to families experiencing similar loss,” said the Green family. “Riley will always be our daughter, and while her time with us was short, she’s already made a big difference. As they say, ‘there is no foot too small it cannot leave an imprint on this world’.”