Holy Cross Hospital’s ‘Jungle Nook’ helps parents bond with their babies through books

Inside the Neonatal Intensive care unit (NICU), storytime starts early, thanks to a new little library called The Jungle Nook. But it’s not your typical library. Instead of whispers, you’ll hear cries, coos, and lullabies. And instead of a library card, all you need to check out a book here is… a baby in the NICU.

“I wanted to do it as another way for parents to bond with their babies,” said registered nurse Leslie.

She and therapist Chrys came up with the idea, making them the NICU’s very own librarians.

“Because I know parents like to talk to their babies, but after a while they’re like, ‘okay, I’m just going to look at my phone.’ So they’re holding their babies, but they’re not necessarily bonding with them.”

While the tiny readers aren’t turning pages or pointing at pictures, Leslie says a book from ‘The Nook’ is often the best kind of pacifier.

“We’ve had fussy babies on the unit and I’m like, I think you need a book. It’s amazing — their eyes open up, they look around, and they really are intently listening to you read to them.”

From ‘But Not the Hippopotamus’ to ‘I Love You Like No Otter,’ each book brings a little calm, a little comfort, and a whole lot of connection.

“We had some donated, some we purchased, we’ve been to thrift stores,”Chrys says there’s a book for every family.

“We’ve got some Spanish ones, some English ones, because we’ve got a very diverse culture here.”

Leslie and Chrys say this is just the first chapter of ‘The Jungle Nook’ — but they can’t wait to keep writing its story.