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Kortney and Tyler Kemp pose with LVH–Muhlenberg NICU colleagues outside the Family Support Room.
When first-time parents Kortney and Tyler Kemp experienced the loss of their boy-girl twins, Cameron and Kinsley, who were born at 21 weeks gestation in October 2020 at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the couple was able to spend more than 24 hours with their babies, who were placed in a bedside CuddleCot. A CuddleCot provides grieving parents with precious extra family time.
The special cooling bassinet is increasingly used in hospitals; it provides the ideal temperature for preserving a baby who has passed away, allowing families to stay with their baby a little longer before the baby is moved to a funeral home.
“I gave birth on a Thursday, and we left the hospital Friday evening,” Kortney says. “The CuddleCot gave us time we will never get back with Cameron and Kinsley. The extra time with our babies and the doctors and nurses we met along our forsaken journey is something we will be forever grateful for.”
Because the use of a CuddleCot was so helpful for dealing with their loss, the Nazareth couple made a donation for the purchase of an additional CuddleCot for Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg so more families experiencing infant loss may have the option to use one. With a CuddleCot, grieving families can hold and bond with their baby for up to three days. During that time, they may choose to create memories by taking pictures of their baby or making handprints or footprints, all from the privacy of their hospital room.
Staying close for even a few extra hours can help families cope with their loss.
“I wish no one else ever had to feel the pain of losing a baby, but unfortunately they will,” Kortney says. “But Tyler and I are happy to know that through our gift of a CuddleCot, other couples can get the time they need with their baby before saying goodbye.”