By Dawn Gibson

Sometimes a hug is all a baby needs.

Victoria General Hospital introduced No Baby Unhugged, a new program in partnership with Huggies to provide support fornew parents, and ensure all babies involved in the program were getting the love and attention necessary to thrive.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not an overnight success,B次元官网网址� said Emily Gruenwoldt, executive director of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres. B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of communication between Victoria General and Huggies to make sure that intentions and goals and outcomes were mutual.B次元官网网址�

Volunteers have been implemented in the neonatal intensive care unit and the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital,and will cuddle, rock and sing to the newborns.

Cindy Dent, a mother of one of the children involved in the program, said the program is a great idea because the volunteers come and relieve her while she canB次元官网网址檛 be at the hospital.

B次元官网网址淲hen I heard about the program I was ecstatic,B次元官网网址� said Dent. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 hard for me to go and do daily things like run errands without with out feeling bad that my son is laying in his crib by himself.B次元官网网址�

DentB次元官网网址檚 11 month old child, Gabriel, was born with type 19 Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, a rare genetics disease that affects his breathing, swallowing, and muscles in his neck, and has been living in the hospital since birth.

B次元官网网址淚t means a lot because I know when I leave heB次元官网网址檚 in good hands and I donB次元官网网址檛 feel so bad for leaving,B次元官网网址� said Dent.

Kyla Uzzell, a volunteer that has been working with Gabriel, said that is important for someone to be with him at all times, and she is happy to be there when the parents need a break.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an amazing environment, I really enjoy it,B次元官网网址漵aid Uzzell.

Emily Gruenwoldt, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Health Centres, said the program is great opportunity to support new parents during such a vulnerable stage of their life.

Heading out to to hug some babies.

B次元官网网址� Emily Gruenwoldt (@EGruenwoldt)

B次元官网网址淚 think of myself as a new mom and I think of how thankful I would be if the support were available for me at that time when my kids were that small,B次元官网网址� said Gruenwoldt.

The program can benefit babies by stabilizing their heart rates and body temperature, help them gain weight, improve oxygen levels, and give them a better pain tolerance.

B次元官网网址淭he best part [about the program] is definitely just seeing the happy kids and babies,B次元官网网址� said Uzzell. B次元官网网址淭hey really are amazing.B次元官网网址�