Rady Children's Hospital

Best Job Ever? Former Kindergarten Teacher Spends Retirement as Baby Cuddler

Libby Clemmer started volunteering after her husband's death 11 years ago

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She positioned herself as comfortably as she could while wearing a hospital gown. Libby Clemmer has been doing this routine for more than six years at Rady Children’s Hospital.

The retired kindergarten teacher will sit for 10 minutes at a time and hold a newborn baby.

“I am lucky enough to be a cuddler here,” Clemmer said, smiling behind a face mask while holding 3-week-old Luna in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Luna’s mother gave birth to her and her brother Milo at only 28 weeks. Both are now almost 4-weeks-old.

“Moms and Dads can’t be here, they cannot be here all the time,” Clemmer explained. “It’s a gift I can give to be able to love.”

Research has shown human physical contact like cuddling helps premature babies gain weight, grow faster and even develop more trusting relationships later in life.

Clemmer joined the volunteer corps at Rady Children’s shortly after the death of her husband, Jack, who was a volunteer teacher at the hospital after he retired.

“After he passed away, I knew I wanted to do something at the hospital,” Libby said. “I often feel, when I’m holding the babies, I’m talking to Jack because Jack loved babies as much as I do.”

Clemmer can’t count how many babies she has cuddled during her six years. She said she looks forward to every moment with each one.

“It warms my heart, and I’m sort of talking to Jack, too, while I’m holding these darling babies and telling them, ‘It’s going to be a wonderful world,’ ” Clemmer said.

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