Pictured: Dr. Jenna Anthofer speaks outside the Birth Place at St. Anthony Regional Hospital during the dedication.
Staff from St. Anthony Regional Hospital held a dedication and blessing last night (Wednesday) for a new piece of equipment that will allow parents time to grieve following a stillborn birth. Ginny Uhlenkamp from the Birth Place, explains how the special Moses basket, called a Cuddle Cot, works.
Generally, parents would only have a few hours to spend with their infant, but with the Cuddle Cot, that time can be extended by as much as three or four days. According to Uhlenkamp, everybody grieves in their own way, and the cooling basket will ensure parents have the time they need to process their loss.
Each unit costs upwards of $5,000, and the one at the Birth Place was purchased using donated funds from an effort led by Dr. Jenna Anthofer of the Healing Arts Center in Carroll. The money was raised through Madison’s Miracles, a 501(c)3 organization created to install the specialized equipment in as many hospitals as possible. While the Cuddle Cot at the Birth Place is not the first one in Iowa, Anthofer says it is the first in the state made possible through Madison’s Miracles.
While stillbirths are uncommon, the Birth Place typically sees one to two per year. With the Cuddle Cut now ready for use, parents will have another option available to them to help them cope with tragedy.
