OSF St. Joseph receives CuddleCot donation

Posted on January 19, 2017
CuddleCot
The CuddleCot is the first one of its kind at the hospital. (Photo courtesy OSF St. Joseph)

By Adam Studzinski

BLOOMINGTON – A new bassinet at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center is designed to help grieving parents spend more time with their child after a baby is stillborn.

The CuddleCot was donated by Jordan and Caleb Gee, who lost their baby at 38 weeks in June 2015.

“We believe that if we can preserve the baby longer it allows them to hold and remember the baby, and be able to spend that time with them, which is so important in the grieving process,” Birthing Center Manager Renell Composto said.

Composto added many people never truly stop grieving when they go through the loss of a baby.

“I think just any opportunity for us to take any of that terrible experience and make it a little bit smoother tranisition, we of course want to do,” said Composto. “We don’t want anyone to ever regret not having the opportunity to remember and basically validate the existence of their baby.”

Composto said this is the first time the hospital has had a CuddleCot. She explained in the past parents have been able to spend time with a stillborn baby, but this makes sure the hospital and parents are not rushing through the process.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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