"I would like for grandparents to be able to hold the baby"

My son was born in 2009 at 27 weeks gestation at the Jessop Wing of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital Sheffield. He spent the first 10 weeks in the Neonatal Unit. The staff were fantastic given that my son was very poorly and wasn't given a great chance of survival.

He spent approximately 2 weeks in intensive care followed by 4 weeks in the high dependency unit then the remainder on SCBU until his discharge.

Whilst on neonatal the only visitors allowed are parents, siblings, grandparents and immediate family with which I totally agree.

My only criticism is that whilst in intensive care and high dependency only parents and siblings are allowed to hold the baby. I am aware this is to avoid trauma to the child but as it is often "touch and go" as to whether your baby will survive I would like to see this changed that grandparents (with the parents consent) be allowed to cuddle the baby. I know if my son had died then my parents would have been devastated that they never got to hold him

Luckily for us he is a lively bouncing 2 year old but just a slight change in protocol could make such a difference to parents and grandparents who are going through the trauma of having a sick child. It would allow a bit of happiness at a very worrying time.