Imagine this being your job.
Pauline Clooney’s doesn’t have to.
I love it. Absolutely love it.
The former nurse is now the envy of volunteers everywhere.
Her job description, singing bedtime stories and cuddling babies.
Stroke her face, her arm,
talk to her, Pat her,
pop a dummy in
if she’s singing out loudly and needs some extra attention.
She’s one of 19
family support volunteers at the women’s and Children’s Hospital
lending a hand to families with pre term and Newborn babies,
including Yama Boor.
Gives me that peace of mind if the nurses or the midwives are busy,
at least there’s someone to comfort.
Her daughter, a shock
arrived rather unexpectedly in June at just 23 weeks gestation
and weighing only 700 grams.
A lovely Sunday afternoon doing my mummy duties and yeah,
just the whole day got tipped upside down.
A chalk has needed round the clock care in the neonatal
intensive care and special care units.
And her parents have their hands full.
They simply can’t be there all the time.
I have four other kids at home,
an 11 year old, a 10,
a 7 and a 4 year old. And she comes right in.
It’s peace of mind knowing that if the nurse or midwife,
if it’s busy, there’s someone else there
that’s keeping an eye on their most precious little baby.
I don’t have family myself.
So when I retired, it’s just was fantastic to do.
I always leave a note for the Parents,
so I’ve got a little slip that I write that
thanks for sharing your baby
and this is what I’ve done with them today while you weren’t here.
They support the parents, too,
emotionally and even with a hug.
They even entertain visiting siblings.
This is a really special program that we have here
at the women’s and Children’s Hospital.
These volunteers are absolute superheroes.
Think if I retire, I’ll be in here helping out.
Now, I’m sorry to report
there are currently no vacancies for positions that
include baby cuddling like this one.
In fact, there’s likely a wait list,
but the hospital is looking for a number of volunteers
to fill other positions, perhaps not quite as cute as this one,
though it’s a very sort after role.
And I don’t think anyone that has come on board has left.
And they really go the extra mile, too.
Sasa Toto Achok,
that’s hello, baby achok in Swahili,
isn’t it? Yes.
Talking to you in your native tongue.
It is. Elspeth Hassi, 7 news.