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Cassy Cooke
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Human Interest·By Isabella Childs
NICU volunteer 'Grandpa Terry' awarded for holding over 540 preemies
A NICU volunteer nicknamed “Grandpa Terry” by nurses has received a humanitarian award for holding over 540 preemie babies when their parents couldn’t be at the hospital.
NICU volunteer Terry Berggren volunteers at an Overland Park hospital holding preemies as part of the Warm Arms program.
He has personally held more than 540 premature babies.
"We see changes in the babies when they actually have human touch," noted one of the hospital's neonatologists.
Terry Berggren was inspired to volunteer at a Kansas City-area hospital’s Warm Arms program because of his family's previous personal experience at the NICU.
As a volunteer baby cuddler, he provides tiny babies the human contact they need when their parents are unable to hold them at the hospital.
"It's a personal success… that's who I want to be known as — the kind guy that can just take care of a kid, that lasts forever," Berggren told KSHB 41.
Berggren's Humanitarian Award comes from the Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where he has volunteered so much time.
Volunteer baby cuddlers are trained to comfort and care for premature babies when there is no one else to hold them. The volunteers hold, rock, swaddle, hug, and read and sing to the preemies, who are sometimes sick and fighting for their lives.
While baby cuddlers provide important emotional support both to the preemies and their families, who often struggle alongside the babies, these volunteers also provide scientifically proven physiological benefits for the preemies.
Hundreds of studies on the effect that human touch has on babies show that baby cuddlers can stabilize a baby’s heart rate, improve the baby’s oxygen levels, stabilize body temperature, reduce anxiety, and help the baby sleep and even gain weight.
Neonatologist Dr. Robert Holcomb, who works at the hospital where Berggren volunteers, confirmed the scientific backing for baby cuddling.
"It's incredible when you look at the studies that have been done, and we see changes in the babies when they actually have human touch," Holcomb said. "It can stabilize their vital signs. They can drop their oxygen requirements."
Hospitals across the United States have baby cuddler programs, and allow adults to apply to volunteer.
The programs provide care for babies, but also a deep sense of purpose and meaning for volunteers like Berggren.
Berggren told KSHB 41 that he feels “a sense of calm” caring for the babies. But being known as a kind caretaker for children, he says, is the most important thing.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
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Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
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·Human Interest·By Isabella Childs
NICU volunteer 'Grandpa Terry' awarded for holding over 540 preemies
A NICU volunteer nicknamed “Grandpa Terry” by nurses has received a humanitarian award for holding over 540 preemie babies when their parents couldn’t be at the hospital.
NICU volunteer Terry Berggren volunteers at an Overland Park hospital holding preemies as part of the Warm Arms program.
He has personally held more than 540 premature babies.
"We see changes in the babies when they actually have human touch," noted one of the hospital's neonatologists.
Terry Berggren was inspired to volunteer at a Kansas City-area hospital’s Warm Arms program because of his family's previous personal experience at the NICU.
As a volunteer baby cuddler, he provides tiny babies the human contact they need when their parents are unable to hold them at the hospital.
"It's a personal success… that's who I want to be known as — the kind guy that can just take care of a kid, that lasts forever," Berggren told KSHB 41.
Berggren's Humanitarian Award comes from the Overland Park Regional Medical Center, where he has volunteered so much time.
Volunteer baby cuddlers are trained to comfort and care for premature babies when there is no one else to hold them. The volunteers hold, rock, swaddle, hug, and read and sing to the preemies, who are sometimes sick and fighting for their lives.
While baby cuddlers provide important emotional support both to the preemies and their families, who often struggle alongside the babies, these volunteers also provide scientifically proven physiological benefits for the preemies.
Hundreds of studies on the effect that human touch has on babies show that baby cuddlers can stabilize a baby’s heart rate, improve the baby’s oxygen levels, stabilize body temperature, reduce anxiety, and help the baby sleep and even gain weight.
Neonatologist Dr. Robert Holcomb, who works at the hospital where Berggren volunteers, confirmed the scientific backing for baby cuddling.
"It's incredible when you look at the studies that have been done, and we see changes in the babies when they actually have human touch," Holcomb said. "It can stabilize their vital signs. They can drop their oxygen requirements."
Hospitals across the United States have baby cuddler programs, and allow adults to apply to volunteer.
The programs provide care for babies, but also a deep sense of purpose and meaning for volunteers like Berggren.
Berggren told KSHB 41 that he feels “a sense of calm” caring for the babies. But being known as a kind caretaker for children, he says, is the most important thing.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Our work is possible because of our donors. Please consider giving to further our work of changing hearts and minds on issues of life and human dignity.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Cassy Cooke
·Human Interest
Cassy Cooke
·Human Interest
Angeline Tan
·Human Interest
Right to Life UK
·Human Interest
Lisa Bast
·Guest Column
Ashley Murphy
·Activism
Isabella Childs
·Issues
Isabella Childs
·Human Interest
Isabella Childs
·Politics
Isabella Childs
·Media
Isabella Childs
·