Possible to volunteer in a hospital nursery?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Mum suggested today that I might 'get over' wanting a child so badly if I worked in childcare. She means well, so I ignored the ridiculousness It made me wonder though, is it possible to volunteer in a hospital nursery? How would I even do that?

Any help/ideas welcome

[TeniBear]

I'm not sure about an actual nursery, but how about volunteering in the hospital shop? And/or see how you get to be the person taking around food to patients?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

No, I wanna be involved with the babies, that's why the nursery

[Lulliloo]

mmmm interesting keike.... i think that would be a lovely place to work/volunteer and would love to do that myself.
not sure how you get into something like that though.
will be watching this thread.

[PumpkinZulu]

I'd say you couldn't, based on my own assumption that you'd need to be pretty official to be around new babies. They could get injured/sick/stolen pretty easily if people could just volunteer. So I'd say you couldn't, but I admit I have NFI

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Yeah, that makes sense PZ. I hope you're wrong though

[TeniBear]

I'd say you couldn't, based on my own assumption that you'd need to be pretty official to be around new babies. They could get injured/sick/stolen pretty easily if people could just volunteer. So I'd say you couldn't, but I admit I have NFI

Yep, that's why I didn't think the nursery would be accepting... You'd probably have to be a nurse or doctor, I'd say...

[nothing2lose]

I would highly doubt it for a number of reasons... Union demarcation (no union wants volunteers doing the job of its members for no pay), privacy legislation, insurance liabilities, duty of care to patients.

I think "volunteering" in any medical or professional field is very, very limited.

[blessedatlast]

Actually you can.. I have no idea how, but they have volunteers to cuddle the babes if the mother can't be there.. I have never seen it, but there was an info sheet about it when we were in hospital.. Wish i could remember what they were called... i'll try to find out and come back..

ok i just asked someone who has bub there - waiting on a reply..

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Far out BAL, baby-cuddler is a real job? YOU'RE AWESOME!!

[nothing2lose]

Volunteer

This is in Melbourne.

[nothing2lose]

KEMH Volunteers - Help Us - Women and Newborn Health Service

And for KEMH

Eta: hmmmm...they don't mention anything about cuddling on their website. Maybe give them a call.

[e_p]

I think at the Children's there's a program that takes volunteers to help look after babies who are born with drug dependence (due to an addicted mother) and are experiencing withdrawal....probably similar to the Cuddle Program at the Women's?

[blessedatlast]

Yes I was at the royal in bris.. They must have the program at each hospital. I couldn't do it.. How would you ever leave?

ETA: Babies with a drug dependence I couldn't do either.. It would devastate me and if I ever met the parents I would hate them.. *Judgemental I know but I couldn't keep my emotions in check*

[kbean]

I went to a postnatal exercise class in the physio dept at KEMH and there occasionally there was a volunteer there especially to cuddle babies! The volunteer always loved it and it was great knowing that if your bubs got upset and was happy to be cuddled, then there was an official 'baby cuddler' there to do it! Wouldn't hurt to try and contact them.

[TeniBear]

Okay, so baby cuddler is a thing Screw doula training, I wanna cuddle babies!

[Trillian]

Keike, in all seriousness though, do you think it would help or only make it worse? I think it's great that you're looking at something to do because volunteering is so important, but I can see a lot of heartbreak in it for you. Could you detach yourself emotionally from the babies, especially if there were issues with them like addiction etc? Or would you just carry that baggage along with everything else?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Fair question Trill, I really don't know. I personally think probably not. I mean, looking after my nephews hasn't made me less clucky, even though I wade through tantrums and punchups and poo and vomit 3 times a week. My mum seems to think it'll curb the wanting though, so I thought it worth a try.

I wonder if I'd be considered a security risk for taking off with a bub or two