A Tour of The Nursery

Hello, and welcome to the Cradle. When expecting parents choose to work with the Cradle to look at the option of adoption, they’ll typically meet with a counselor somewhere near their home. But sometimes they’ll choose to come here to the Cradle at our main office in Evanston, Illinois. That’s not required, however, because many of our clients do live a great distance from us. We decided to make this video today to give you a look around the Cradle so that you can see: where you might be working with a counselor, where you may choose to meet a prospective adoptive couple and where if you decide to have your baby, come into our care after your discharge from the hospital, your baby would be in our nursery. We’ll also take a look at our belonging rooms where you may come and visit your baby during the time that your baby is with us as you continue to work with your counselor to make the best plans, both for you and your child. So come with me, and we’ll take a look around.

This is one of two family rooms, here at the Cradle. Very important meetings take place in these spaces. One of the most important types is called a match meeting. A match meeting takes place after expectant parents have identified a prospective adoptive couple that they’d like to meet. The expectant parent has her or their counselor with them, and the adoptive parents have their counselor with them as well, to help get through that first and very important meeting. Other things that happen in these family rooms include placement ceremonies, and sometimes, after-placements visits.

This is the Cradle’s nursery. Usually we have between six and eight babies in our care each day. On every shift we have a licensed clinical nurse, baby care specialist and, sometimes, volunteer cuddlers. Everyone who cares for our babies or rocks them and cuddles them, does go through a rigorous background check. Sometimes people ask us about where we get the clothes and blankets and supplies for our babies. Actually, of course the Cradle buys many of those things, but many community groups also purchase and donate new materials like that to us. Other things people are curious about are what might happen if the baby had a medical emergency of any kind while in our care. When a mother makes a plan for the Cradle to provide temporary care for her baby, she does sign a medical permission slip for us to bring her baby for a well-child check up. That slip also gives us permission to bring the baby for any emergency care that might be required. Of course, in that unlikely event, we would contact the mother immediately.

This is one of the two belonging rooms here at the Cradle. It’s a space where you might come to visit your baby during his or her stay with us. You’d be invited to visit as often as daily and to bring the baby’s father, your family or a close friend with you when you come to visit. You can also provide all the care to the baby that he or she needs, including feeding your baby and diapering him or her.

I hope that this glimpse into some of the special spaces here at the Cradle has been interesting to you and answered some of the questions that you might have had. I also wish you luck on your journey as you continue to explore all of your options. Please remember the Cradle is here to help you navigate your way.