Death is rarely easy to face. But, perhaps it’s most difficult when it comes at the beginning of a new life. Ashley Agnitch knows the joy of giving birth to a new child, and the loss of losing that baby only hours after birth.
"There was laughter, and there was smiling in our room," said the Arroyo Grande woman. "I wanted her to feel that energy."
She and her family were grateful for the time they had with little Greta Lynn. Now, the Central Coast woman is doing something to support parents in the similar position of losing a newborn.
Agnitch’s story starts six years ago, when she found out she was pregnant. The initial ultrasound detected a serious problem.
She was sent to a specialist, but the outlook went from bad to worse. And, because she is a nurse, she had a better grasp of the implications of her pregnancy than many people.
The family learned the baby had a serious genetic disorder, and it was unlikely the child would survive the full term of the pregnancy. One of the options offered was termination of the pregnancy.
Despite the situation, and the odds, the decision for the family was clear. They wanted to give their daughter a chance.
They decided not to share the details of what was going on with others, feeling it would make it even more difficult. But, the mother did extensive research on what they were facing.
On April 12, 2017 Greta Lynn was born. She only lived for five hours, but the family was able to spend time with her. Agnitch says they wanted her to feel loved.
"We had everything set up in French Hospital," said Agnitch. "She lived a beautiful five hours. We got to hold her, and hear her cry. I think one of the best things that one of the nurses did for us is they had us listen to her heartbeat," said the Central Coast woman. "There was so much grief, but also so much joy in those moments."
Agnitch says that led her to what could be done to help families in the same situation have a few more precious hours with their infant. She discovered Cuddle Cots, some special bassinets designed for situations like this.
When newborns die, families aren't able to spend much time with them. They have to be taken to the hospital morgue, where refrigeration units preserve the body. If family members want to see the baby, it has to be moved back to the hospital room temporarily.
The Cuddle Cots have special cooling pads which allow families to spend time, and say their goodbyes to the infants in the hospital room.
Agnitch started a GoFundMe account to raise money to buy Cuddle Cots for Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, and French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo. She met that goal, and is now trying to get one of the cuddle cots for Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, in San Luis Obispo.
They cost about $3,000 each.
It’s also changed the career direction for the Dignity Health nurse. She was a labor and delivery nurse at Marian, and she’s now a part of the Stollmeyer Birthing Center at French Hospital. And, while she’ll never forget Greta, besides work she has her hands fully with her six year old daughter, and three year old son.
The Cuddle Cots are relatively new to the United States, but many hospitals are adding them to give families those extra few hours before having to say goodbye to their babies.
Here is a link to the GoFundMe account to help this effort on the Central Coast.
