Grow Strong, Grow Smart, Grow Kind: The 73-Year-Old Volunteer Who Cuddles Babies in the NICU

Below is an expanded English feature article based on your original story. It keeps Dave Whitlow’s heartwarming tradition at the center while adding context about premature babies, neonatal intensive care, the importance of human touch, and the role of hospital volunteers.

FEATURE STORY • HUMAN INTEREST • INSPIRING NEWS

Grow Strong, Grow Smart, Grow Kind: The 73-Year-Old Volunteer Who Cuddles Babies in the NICU

An expanded English-language feature based on reporting from Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and WTVR CBS 6.

The Six Words That Begin and End a Moment of Comfort

Every Tuesday and Thursday, 73-year-old Dave Whitlow walks into the neonatal intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Virginia.

The hospital is a place where medical technology and human care work side by side. Monitors track delicate vital signs. Nurses coordinate treatments. Doctors and therapists help newborns overcome challenges that can begin before they have even taken their first breath.

And somewhere within those busy corridors, Whitlow arrives with a simple purpose: to hold a baby.

He is not a doctor. He is not a nurse. He does not prescribe medicine, perform procedures, or make medical decisions. He is a volunteer cuddler, a role that has become one of the most meaningful chapters of his life.

For approximately eight years, Whitlow has returned to the hospital to comfort premature and critically ill newborns. Some are recovering from serious medical conditions. Others may be spending weeks or months in intensive care while their bodies develop and grow stronger.

On a typical visit, he may hold five or six babies. On especially busy days, that number can reach eight. Some of the infants weigh less than two pounds.

To many people, the work might sound simple.

But in a neonatal intensive care unit, holding a baby is not always as easy as picking up a newborn at home. The smallest patients may be connected to medical equipment, receiving specialized treatment, and needing careful positioning. Every moment of contact must respect their condition and the instructions of the clinical team.

Whitlow understands that his role is part of something much larger.

Before he holds a baby, he speaks with the nurse caring for that child. He asks what treatment the infant is receiving, whether there is anything special he needs to know, and what kind of comfort is appropriate.

Then, when he is ready, he gives the baby his full attention.

No phone. No distractions. Just a quiet presence, gentle arms, and time.

And before returning each little patient to their bed or incubator, Whitlow has a tradition that says everything about why he keeps coming back.

He leans close and softly whispers:

“Grow strong. Grow smart. Grow kind.”

Six words.

A lifetime of hope.

1. A Volunteer’s Job That Means More Than Holding Babies

The neonatal intensive care unit, commonly known as the NICU, is a specialized hospital environment for newborns who need intensive medical care.

Babies may be admitted because they were born prematurely, experienced complications around birth, or have a medical condition requiring close observation and treatment.

For families, the experience can be overwhelming.

A parent may have imagined bringing a healthy baby home shortly after delivery. Instead, they may find themselves sitting beside an incubator, learning unfamiliar medical terms, watching monitors, and trying to understand what happens next.

Some families live far from the hospital. Others have jobs, other children, transportation challenges, or responsibilities that make it impossible to remain at the bedside every hour of every day.

That does not mean they love their babies any less.

It means life can be complicated, even during the most important moments.

This is one reason volunteer cuddlers can become such a meaningful part of a hospital’s support system.

At Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, Whitlow helps provide comfort to babies while working within the hospital’s care procedures. His role does not replace the work of nurses or parents. Instead, he contributes another kind of support: calm, patient, human contact.

The hospital describes him as an important member of the NICU team, and nurses have shared how his presence can help soothe babies while allowing staff to focus on other responsibilities.

That is the difference between a simple act and a meaningful one.

Whitlow is not there to take over medical care. He is there to offer something he can give generously: his time.

A job he never expected to love

Before becoming a volunteer cuddler, Whitlow spent more than four decades working in local government.

According to the hospital’s account, he retired in 2017 after a 43-year career as a government manager. Retirement gave him more freedom, but it also left him looking for a new way to make a difference.

He tried several kinds of volunteer work.

He walked dogs at an animal shelter. He volunteered at a free health clinic pharmacy. He helped at a food pantry.

Those experiences mattered, but they did not quite satisfy the sense of purpose he was searching for.

Eventually, he found his way to Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

His first volunteer work at the hospital involved distributing books to children in the Children’s Pavilion. He later began cuddling babies in the Mother-Infant Unit, including newborns experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome after exposure to drugs during pregnancy.

A couple of months later, he transitioned to the NICU.

What began as a new volunteer opportunity became a commitment that lasted years.

“I was scared to death,” Whitlow told WTVR CBS 6 when describing his early experience.

He had held his own children, of course. But holding a medically fragile newborn in an intensive care unit was different.

There were monitors. Tubes. Wires. Specialized equipment. And babies so small that every movement required care.

Still, he learned.

He listened to nurses. He followed instructions. He became familiar with the environment.

And gradually, the fear gave way to confidence.

Eight years later, he calls it the best job he has ever had.

“It just feels right,” he said.

2. The Tiniest Patients Need More Than Medical Equipment

A NICU can be a place of extraordinary medical skill.

It can also be a place where a quiet voice, a gentle hand, or a few minutes of comforting presence matters deeply.

Premature babies are born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Some arrive many weeks before their expected due date, which means their bodies may still be developing.

Depending on their needs, they may require support with breathing, feeding, temperature regulation, or other vital functions.

Some infants remain in the NICU for extended periods. Their parents may spend hours at the hospital, learning how to care for them and waiting for the day they can finally go home together.

During that time, comfort becomes an important part of the experience.

For a baby, being held is not simply about physical closeness. It can be part of a broader caregiving environment that includes a familiar voice, gentle handling, appropriate developmental care, and the reassurance of human presence.

The hospital’s nurses understand this.

They also understand that not every baby can be held at every moment.

Some infants may be too medically unstable for certain types of contact. Others may need to remain in their incubators or receive treatment that limits handling.

That is why Whitlow never simply walks in and picks up a baby.

He asks first.

He learns.

He follows the care team’s guidance.

And he adapts his approach to each child.

When a baby cannot leave the incubator

Sometimes, the most meaningful thing Whitlow can do is remain beside a baby’s bed.

He may talk softly, hold a tiny hand, or gently touch the baby’s forehead when the care team says it is appropriate.

The goal is not to force contact.

The goal is to meet the baby where they are.

A newborn who can be held may benefit from a quiet cuddle. A newborn who cannot be moved may still receive comfort through a calm voice and reassuring presence.

Whitlow has learned to recognize that every baby is different.

Some infants settle quickly in his arms. Others need more time.

Some are ready to sleep. Others appear interested in staying awake.

He talks to them, observes their responses, and tries to understand what helps them feel comfortable.

He has even developed a habit of having conversations with babies who are still far from saying their first recognizable words.

He may ask whether they want to go to sleep or stay awake. He may tell them how well they are doing. He may talk about what they could become when they grow up.

It is not about expecting a response.

It is about treating the baby as a person worthy of attention, even when that person is too young to answer.

3. The Careful Routine Behind Every Cuddle

The emotional side of Whitlow’s work is easy to understand.

The practical side is just as important.

According to WTVR CBS 6, Whitlow puts on a gown and gloves before approaching the babies. He leaves his phone outside the unit so he can focus entirely on the infants and the people caring for them.

Before holding a baby, he asks the nurse about the child’s condition and treatment.

“Tell me what this child is receiving,” he asks. “What kind of treatment? Is there anything special I need to know about it?”

That conversation is essential.

In the NICU, different babies have different needs. One may be recovering from surgery. Another may be receiving respiratory support. Another may be working toward feeding independently.

A volunteer must understand what the care team allows and what it does not.

Whitlow has learned to pay attention to the monitors while holding a baby. He watches for changes and relies on the nurses to guide him.

He knows he is not there to diagnose a problem.

He is there to provide comfort safely.

If something concerns him, the medical team is the one to respond.

This careful partnership between volunteers and healthcare professionals is what makes his role valuable.

Learning to hold a medically fragile newborn

At first, Whitlow found the equipment intimidating.

The NICU is filled with technology that most people never encounter in everyday life. Monitors display vital signs. Infants may have tubes or wires connected to equipment supporting their care.

A newborn who weighs less than two pounds can look incredibly delicate.

Even a simple movement from a bassinet to someone’s arms may require planning.

Whitlow explained that some babies need a nurse’s assistance to be moved safely. Once in his arms, he may hold them for an hour or longer.

He watches the monitors and remains aware of how the baby is responding.

The experience has taught him that cuddling is not a casual activity in intensive care.

It is a responsibility.

And he takes that responsibility seriously.

A calm presence for the nursing staff

Nurses in a NICU care for patients with complex needs. They monitor treatments, administer medications, assist with procedures, communicate with families, and respond to changes in a baby’s condition.

Their work can be demanding.

The hospital’s nurses have described Whitlow as someone who can calm even a fussy baby, giving staff a little more room to focus on other essential tasks.

Elizabeth, a registered nurse who works across units at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, described him as an important part of the interdisciplinary team.

Another nurse, Gabrielle, said his presence brings warmth and calm to the unit.

These comments reveal something important about volunteering in healthcare.

A volunteer’s contribution is not always measured by a medical procedure or a dramatic intervention.

Sometimes, the contribution is a baby who settles.

A nurse who gets a moment to focus.

A family who feels less alone.

A unit that becomes a little warmer because someone caring has walked through the door.

4. Why Human Contact Matters in the NICU

There is a reason the work of a baby cuddler can be so emotionally powerful.

Newborns are developing rapidly. Their bodies and brains are adapting to life outside the womb, and premature infants may need additional support as they mature.

Human contact is one part of the nurturing environment that surrounds them.

Appropriate touch can include skin-to-skin contact with parents, gentle holding, and developmentally supportive caregiving when medically suitable.

For premature babies, care practices such as kangaroo care are widely recognized as important parts of neonatal care. These practices involve placing a baby against a caregiver’s chest under appropriate medical guidance.

However, not every infant is ready for every form of contact.

That distinction matters.

A volunteer cuddler does not provide a universal treatment that works for every baby. Instead, the value of the role depends on careful coordination with the medical team.

Whitlow’s approach reflects that understanding.

He does not assume every baby needs the same thing.

He asks what is appropriate.

He observes.

He adjusts.

And he respects the fact that the baby’s medical condition comes first.

Comfort can be quiet

In a world where medical progress is often measured in major milestones, it can be easy to overlook small moments.

A baby sleeps more peacefully.