Couple donated Cuddle Cots, device that helps parents of stillborn babies, to Milwaukee hospitals in honor of their son

Samantha Hendrickson
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Megan and Jason Jaeger pose for a family picture with newest addition Josie, born July 14, Guinevere, 2, and a stuffed cow representing Charles, the child they lost in 2018.

While Megan and Jason Jaeger donated thousands of dollar of equipment to three area hospitals, they hope their donations never have to be used.

With the help of friends and family members, the Watertown couple were able to raise enough funds to purchase three Cuddle Cots, special baby baskets or cribs equipped with cooling pads for stillborn babies.

The devices allow parents more time with their deceased child in the hospital by temporarily preserving the baby's body, and helps them through the grieving process as they say goodbye to their child.

The day time stood still

The grieving process is one the Jaegers know all too well, and the Cuddle Cot is something they wished they'd had through it.

In March 2018, after 17 hours of labor, Megan's midwives, of Authentic Birth Center in Wauwatosa, told her she needed to be transported to Froedtert Children's Hospital. Something was wrong, and they needed additional help. 

An ultrasound revealed that the baby, whom Megan and Jason had named Charles Franklin, had no heartbeat.

"Time stands still," Jason said. "You're kind of just ... numb."

After another 19 emotionally agonizing hours, many of which were spent trying to naturally birth their stillborn son, Megan had to have a cesarean-section, knowing she would hear no first cries as she had imagined for so long. 

"I always wanted to have a baby," Megan said. "It's what I always wanted when I was a kid; I just always wanted to be a mom." 

Family and friends would later arrive at the hospital, taking turns saying goodbye to Charles, despite never really getting to say hello. 

However, it wasn't long before Charles' body began to deteriorate in the warm room, with many people coming in and out, some even holding him. Though they were far from ready, the Jaegers had to let their first child go. 

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The gift of time

The Jaegers found comfort in loss groups on social media, and it was through those groups that they first heard about Cuddle Cots.

The medical devices are popular in Europe, and are slowly being introduced to hospitals in the United States. The Cuddle Cots that the Jaegers donated — to Froedtert Hospital, ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital and ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital — came from Flexmort, a company based in the United Kingdom. 

Megan and Jason Jaeger pose with staff and their donated "Cuddle Cots" at three hospitals: Froedtert Children's, ProHealth Waukesha Memorial and ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial.

In honor of Charles' third birthday on March 26, they asked family and friends to donate so they could purchase a Cuddle Cot for one hospital. 

Donations poured in. Megan's boss, Sally's Sweet Shoppe owner Tracey Catarozoli, started a GoFundMe for the couple, and the Jaegers recall receiving checks in the mail from strangers. By the end of the donation period, they had enough to purchase three. 

Dana Kerr, Megan's best friend, also experienced a stillbirth, with her first daughter, Linley, in 2016. She said she wished she'd had a Cuddle Cot for her child to spend more time with her. 

"When you deliver a stillborn ... those few days that you are in the hospital are the only days that you ever will get to hold that baby," Dana said. "So you want to create as many memories as you can."

Jessica Kronenberg, the manager of the Maternal Fetal Newborn Unit at Froedtert, said the Jaegers' gift was the hospital's third donated Cuddle Cot.

Often the donors are couples who have experienced loss, she said, and they're always excited at the prospect of helping provide resource for parents they did not have themselves.   

Three years after Charles' stillbirth, Megan and Jason now have two "rainbow babies," — children born after the loss of another — named Guinevere and Josie. 

"My first hope is that [the Cuddle Cots] don't ever have to be used," Megan said. "But we hope to give the gift of time."

Samantha Hendrickson can be reached at 414-223-5383 or shendrickson@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @samanthajhendr.