This hospital hires special 'cuddlers' to help tiny babies in their NICU, and it's so sweet

We love this idea so much.

A hospital in California has a special volunteer program that involves cuddling sick babies to make them feel better, and it’s one of the sweetest things we’ve heard.

Valley Children’s Hospital set up the cuddling program to not only provide care for the infants in the ward but also to comfort them when their parents can’t be there.

So why are cuddlers important?

Well, according to Lynne Meccariello, unit support supervisor of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and a liaison for the hospital’s volunteer services department, holding sick babies reduces pain and provides warmth.

Speaking to the Miami Herald, Lynne explained that cuddlers help babies learn how to comfort themselves when they are being held.

But that’s not the only reason they are so important.

In fact, talking to the same publication, Stacie Venkatesan, director of neonatal services for Valley Children’s, explained how cuddling can actually help premmies grow.

This is because the more they are cuddled the more they will sleep (and sleeping doesn’t burn as many calories as they would do if they were awake).

Such a wonderful idea – we'd love to be a baby cuddler!