- Help for grieving parents of stillborn babies in Western Australia
- Thirteen Cold Cuddle Cots supplied to hospitals to ensure all families, regardless of location, are provided with time to say goodbye
Grieving parents who have lost a newborn baby will be able to spend unlimited time with their child to say goodbye, as a result of a State-wide rollout of 'Cold Cuddle Cots'.
The refrigerated cots allow the family to spend additional time with their baby, in their room. For these grieving families the gift of time is extremely precious and helps create some of the only memories they will have with their baby.
Used mainly for stillbirths, 13 Cold Cuddle Cots have been distributed to regional hospitals across Western Australia since 2015. They are funded by the Department of Health through its Nursing and Midwifery Office.
Western Australian midwife Kristy Wiegele was instrumental in ensuring Cold Cuddle Cots were available in regional maternity hospitals.
Following Ms Wiegele's donation of a Cold Cuddle Cot through fundraising, and subsequent meetings with the Department of Health, a decision was made by the department to fund 13 additional Cold Cuddle Cots at regional hospitals with maternity units.
The delivery of the final cot in Narrogin this month means that, in addition to all metropolitan hospitals with maternity units, there are now Cold Cuddle Cots at Kalgoorlie Health Campus, Albany Health Campus, Broome Health Campus, Derby Hospital, Kununurra Hospital, Geraldton Regional Hospital, Hedland Health Campus, Nickol Bay Hospital, Busselton Health Campus, Esperance Health Campus, Narrogin Hospital, Northam Hospital and Bunbury Health Campus. A Cold Cuddle Cot will also be located at the Perth Children's Hospital.
Comments attributed to Health Minister Roger Cook:
"While no new parent ever wishes to have the need of a 'Cold Cuddle Cot', the availability of one at a time of great tragedy provides families with the additional time they need to say goodbye to their baby.
"I thank Kristy Wiegele for starting this initiative and for her commitment to ensure that every family in Western Australia has access to these special cots at a time of great need and during unimaginable sadness."
Minister's office - 6552 6500
