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Sherry and Dianne Cole love children.

“I had seen an article about volunteering as a cuddler in the paper and mentioned it to Sherry,” said Dianne. “At that time, he wasn’t sure if it would be something he wanted to do because he thought he would become too attached to the babies, and it would be too hard to be around babies who were sick. Later, another article appeared about the hospital needing volunteers, and I convinced him to give it a try.”

Sherry says it was “love at first sight.” He says it is difficult to see newborns with health issues, some who are addicted drugs and going through withdrawal. “You definitely get attached,” he says, “but when the baby who you have comforted over a period of time is now well enough to go home to be with the rest of its family, you can rejoice realizing you have helped, in some small way, in giving that child a better start to the rest of its life.”

From left are Sherry and Dianne Cole, cuddlers for Hamilton Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The Coles have been cuddlers for Hamilton Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) since July of 2019. Cuddlers are volunteers who provide therapeutic talk and touch to newborns when parents are unable to be at the bedside.

“We call Sherry and Dianne ‘Grandpa and Grandma.’ They are the most precious souls,” says Nikki Pasley, clinical manager for the NICU.

The couple goes to Hamilton’s NICU three days a week to hold babies, often changing their schedules around to make life easier on the nurses.

“They came to me not long ago and asked if they could start coming in around lunchtime so they could hold babies and allow the nurses to eat without being interrupted,” says Pasley.

If babies are asleep, the Coles find other chores to complete, such as stocking cribs and cabinets or keeping the individual babies’ area clean. They also recently started training all of the new cuddlers.

“But the most important thing we do is cuddle the babies.” Says Dianne. “We feed them, rock them, talk to them and try to comfort and soothe them when they cry.”

Sherry says they tell the babies stories about what they may have to look forward to for the rest of their lives.

“I think when we first volunteered, we thought we would rock a few babies, try to comfort them when they cried, maybe change a diaper, or give them a bottle when they were hungry,” says Dianne. “We did not realize how much attention they actually need.”

Some of the babies have parents who visit their child as often as they can. Others seldom or never have a visit from their parents.

“If it weren’t for cuddlers, some of the babies would have very little person-to-person contact,” Sherry says. “Sometimes we may need to hold a baby from the time we enter the NICU until we leave. They do not understand what is happening to them, they can’t tell you where they are hurting. They only know they are, and the only solution they have is to cry.”

The Coles recognized there was a need for babies who were going into foster care or under-privileged homes to have some essential items a newborn baby would need. They contacted a group at their church, The Levi Circle, who volunteered to provide diaper bags with items such as clothes, sleepers, diapers, bottles, wipes, baby wash and much more.

“They keep Women’s Services stocked with these bags, so we can hand one out whenever we feel there is a need,” says Pasley. “Words really cannot convey how special they are.”

The Coles say that the nurses in the NICU are the true heroes. “They are the most dedicated, caring and compassionate people we have ever had the pleasure of working with,” says Dianne. “They never lose their soft touch or sweet voice while they are caring for these little angels.”

According to the Coles, being a part of Hamilton’s Cuddler program has had its rewards for them also.

“My blood pressure has dropped 10 points since February when we were able to come back to the NICU,” says Sherry. “This is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. You may be worn out at the end of your shift, but you can’t wait to come back again.”

Dianne adds, “Just knowing you may have made a small difference in a very small life is the best feeling in the world.”

staff with new mother and her newborn — From left are Julie King, RN; Melinda Edgeman, director of Women’s Services at HMC; Cilene Boyzo Diaz, mom; and Suzanne Harbin, director of the Early Childhood Initiative in Dalton.

Hamilton is participating in Talk With Me Baby, a national program designed to help young parents and family members understand the importance of talking and communicating with their newborn babies. The hardcover books show families in various everyday settings interacting with their children – while folding clothes, during bath time, out on a walk, or other activities.

Hamilton is the first hospital system in Georgia to have its staff fully trained in Talk With Me Baby and the first to distribute books to parents.

“Parents of babies born at Hamilton need to know that their baby’s brain begins to develop and grow from the moment they arrive,” said Suzanne Harbin, director of the Early Childhood Initiative in Dalton. “The first three years of life are most important – babies’ brains are developing faster at that point than at any other time in their lives.”

Reading, talking and singing to a child are some of the best ways to assure that a baby’s brain develops to its fullest potential. The stronger a baby’s brain is developed, the easier it is for that child to learn and be ready for school at age 4 and 5.

“When babies are born at Hamilton, it is our first and often only chance to talk with the parents,” Harbin said. “We lose touch with the children until they arrive for school at age 5. By making sure that families leave Hamilton with the tools and knowledge they need to help their babies grow, we put them on the road to healthy, vibrant lives. It is so important for families to gain this knowledge early, before they even leave the hospital!”

This awareness program is made possible by HMC in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia and the Early Childhood Initiative.

This is part of the community’s overall Get Georgia Reading efforts, with a goal to have all children on the path to reading on grade level by the third grade.

staff holding baby book — Hamilton Medical Center (HMC) is the first hospital system in Georgia to have its staff fully trained in the Talk With Me Baby program. From left are Suzanne Harbin, director of the Early Childhood Initiative in Dalton; Melinda Edgeman, director of Women’s Services at HMC; Terri Woodruff, executive director of the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute; and David Aft, president of the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia.

“We know that parents want their babies to be healthy,” said Melinda Edgeman, director of Women’s Services. “To grow a healthy brain, babies need a lot of loving words. That’s what we’re encouraging through the Talk With Me Baby program. We’re excited to partner with the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia and the Early Childhood Initiative in leading these efforts for our region!”

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Volunteer Cuddlers Making a Difference for Babies, Families, Staff at Hamilton

Hamilton Participating in Talk With Me Baby Program

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