>> Ginger: SHE CALLED IT HER
JOY.
WE GET TO INTRODUCE YOU TO ONE
WOMAN WHO SPENDS HER DAYS
HOLDING, FEEDING AND CUDDLING
NEWBORNS.
>> Julie: SHE DOES IT AT WINNIE
PALMER HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND
BABIES.
>> Lisa: HERE'S MORE ON WHY
SHE'S DOING THIS JOB FOR THE
PAST 17 YEARS IN THIS WEEK'S
GETTING RESULTS FOR YOUR HEALTH.
>> Reporter: FOR SOME, CARING IS
A WARM WELCOME.
A HAND TO HOLD.
OR MAYBE A SMALL SNUGGLE.
BUT FOR PAT JORDAN, CUDDLING IS
NOT JUST AN ACT OF KINDNESS.
IT'S A CALLING.
>> I HAVE LOTS OF NAMES AND LOTS
OF JOBS.
>> Reporter: PAT HAS SIX
GRANDCHILDREN AND NINE GREAT
GRANDCHILDREN.
BUT THE BABIES MOST PEOPLE SEE
IN HER ARMS AREN'T HERS.
THESE BABIES ARE SOME OF THE
YOUNGEST PATIENTS INSIDE THE
NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AT
WINNIE PALMER HOSPITAL.
>> I LOVE MY NICU, MY BABIES AND
MY NURSES.
IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL.
I CRY A LOT UP HERE.
I GUESS THEY KIND OF CALL ME THE
CRYER OF THE UNIT.
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE CRIES
BECAUSE EVERY YEAR 150 BABIES
BORN AT WINNIE PALMER HAVE
NEONATAL ABSTINENCE CONDITION, A
CONDITION OTHERWISE HEALTHY
NEWBORNS NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO
FIGHT, CAUSED BY OPIOIDS.
>> THE SYSTEMS, THE ALARM SYSTEM
ABSORBS THE OPIOIDS AND IT GETS
IN THE BABIES AND THE BABIES
HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT'S
SIMILAR TO A WITHDRAWAL, SO AN
INCREASING LARGE PROBLEM WITH
OUR POPULATION.
>> IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
BECAUSE -- I'M SORRY - THEY'RE
VERY HARD TO TAKE CARE OF
BECAUSE THEY'RE EXTREMELY NEEDY
AND WE JUST TRY TO HOLD THEM
TIGHT AND CUDDLE THEM AND LET
THEM TRY TO GET OVER IT.
>> Reporter: THE DOCTOR TELLS US
IN SEVERE CASES THEY HAVE TO
TREAT THE BABIES WITH MORE
DRUGS.
BUT PEOPLE LIKE PAT SOOTHE AND
CARE FOR THEM.
>> JUST BEING HELD BY A
VOLUNTEER IS A TREMENDOUS
IMPROVEMENT.
IT KEEPS THE BABIES CALM.
IT DOES A LOT OF THINGS THAT
ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THE BABY'S
CARE.
IF WE CAN KEEP THE BABIES CALM,
THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO USE DRUGS.
>> AND I TALK TO THEM AND HUM TO
THEM AND SING TO THEM.
THEY DON'T SEEM TO OBJECT MOST
OF THE TIME.
>> Reporter: AND HER HOPE IS
SIMPLE.
>> I WANT THEM TO FEEL GOOD.
I WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE A
NORMAL BABY WOULD FEEL.
OH, I SING EVERYTHING FROM "ROCK
OF AGES" TO "YOU ARE MY
SUNSHINE."
JUST DEPENDING.
WE HAVE A WHOLE REPERTOIRE.
I WANT THEM TO FEEL HAPPY, LIKE
MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE HAPPY.
SO THAT'S THE EMOTIONAL PART OF
THE JOB.
>> Reporter: AND WHETHER IT'S
SINGING OR SHEDDING A FEW TEARS,
PAT WILL ALWAYS BE KNOWN FOR HER
CUDDLING.
YOU THINK YOU'LL JUST KEEP
COMING BACK?
>> AS LONG AS THEY'LL HAVE ME.
>> Lisa: SHE IS A LITTLE GEM.
>> Ginger: I WANT TO HOLD
MS. PAT AND HUG HER.
>> Lisa: RIGHT?
WE HAVE SEEN THE STUDIES ALL THE
TIME HOW BABIES RESPOND WHEN
THEY'RE HELD.
>> Ginger: TO TOUCH, OF COURSE.
>> Lisa: AND THE SKIN,
INTERACTION.
>> Ginger: AS ADULTS, WE LIKE
THAT AS WELL.
