Frequently Asked Questions

A cooling bassinet or cooling cot like the Caring Cradle is a specialized device used in perinatal bereavement care. The cradle is specially designed to support families who have experienced the loss of a baby. Instead of sending the baby to the hospital morgue, the baby can remain in the room with the family.

By gently cooling the baby’s body, the bassinet slows natural changes, giving the family more time to say goodbye. With the extra time, families can hold, dress, photograph or simply spend these precious moments without feeling rushed.

The Caring Cradle offers a dignified means for a family to say goodbye, starting the grieving process at a gentle pace within the safe supportive environment of the hospital.

Note: A cooling bassinet should not be confused with medical devices used for therapeutic hypothermia, which is a cooling treatment for newborns who have experienced hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).

The Caring Cradles provide families the extra time they deeply need, and nurses can now offer a more dignified, comfortable way for families to spend time with their babies. There is no more pressure on nurses to rush separation. There is no reason for families to be refused the extra time they desire. Learn more about Caring Cradle.

The Caring Cradle is not only designed for families, but also to support hospital staff in providing superior bereavement care to their patients. The bassinet is specially designed to further support families by reducing the burden on hospital staff. In this way, the Caring Cradle provides a simpler and more dignified solution to supporting families during infant loss without creating unnecessary confusion or interruptions when time is most precious for the family. Learn more about why nurses prefer Caring Cradle for neonatal bereavement care.

The cradle arrives pre-assembled and ready-to-use from the manufacturer. All that’s required is to plug it into a standard outlet. It takes the cradle about 30 minutes to reach an ideal temperature, as low as 40 degrees. The cradle is cooled by a removable gel pad that allows loved ones to continue cooling the baby while swaddling or holding them. 

The Caring Cradle’s no-maintenance design frees up nurses so that they concentrate on what matters most—medical care for the mother and emotional support for the family.

The Caring Cradle can be set as low as 42 degrees. Factory settings are set between 42-47 degrees, however specifically made units can be lowered to 40 degrees or lower if needed. The cradle is cooled by a removable gel pad that can also be used when swaddling the infant, making the cooling mechanism functional and supportive in allowing loved ones to interact with the baby.

This should only be done in the maintenance/bio-med dept. It is always good to consult with the manufacturer before making changes. Download a copy of temperature controller manual here. 

It is important to cool the body of a deceased infant to slow the changes that happen naturally after death. Having a functional cooling system that looks and acts like a bassinet allows the family to say goodbye in a warmer more dignified environment outside of a morgue or a refrigerated room.

We recommend that the baby stay in the room as long as the mom requests, up until discharge.

Yes. This is a standard Hex L-Key, 5/16" Size, 4-1/8" Overall Length, available for purchase online or at hardware stores.

Contact the manufacturer at admin@caringcradle.com to request a replacement, or you can purchase with a credit card on our online store.

The Caring Cradle arrives preassembled and ready-to-use. This thoughtfully designed cooling bassinet is so simple and easy to use because it doesn’t have too many bells and whistles. You can order additional accessories like a replacement gel mat from our online store.

Whether your facility will need a full-sized Caring Cradle and a Mini depends on your hospital’s statistics. Consider the size of the unit and statistical infant demises. 

If you’re in a rural unit that experiences very few losses, we recommend having just the Original Caring Cradle. The Original Caring Cradle can be used for a loss of any size, up to one year in age.

With higher demand for a cradle due to more early term losses in your unit, you will see the benefit of having the Caring Cradle Mini available as a supplemental cradle. The Caring Cradle Mini is a good option as a second unit because it more appropriately fits the tiniest of losses. 

If your unit sees a higher risk population, it will be beneficial to have more than one Caring Cradle Original. We have some hospitals that have as many as four Caring Cradle Originals, so that they are not put in the impossible position of choosing which family gets a unit and which must go without one. It is also helpful to have units that can be shared with the emergency department or pediatrics. 

The Caring Cradle’s thoughtful design is easier to use, more dignified and safer than the CuddleCot. It requires less maintenance by hospital staff and has fewer parts. Find a full breakdown of the difference on our Caring Cradle vs. CuddleCot Comparison Chart.

After donating a cradle, you can order a black and silver aluminum plaque from a local trophy shop to have included with your order. For the Caring Cradle Original, ask for a max size of 4 in. by 7 in.; and when ordering for the Mini, ask for a max size of 3 in. by 5 in.

We currently make the Caring Cradle in two sizes and different price tiers. 

The Caring Cradle Original is a molded bassinet permanently attached atop a steel cart and easily moved on four swivel casters, each with a locking brake. A compressor inside a locked compartment cools the original Caring Cradle®. This unit retails for $6,995 plus shipping and handling. 

The Caring Cradle Mini has a more compact cooling design due to its smaller size. This unit is only for the tiniest of losses under four pounds. It is a countertop model and retails for $4,295 plus shipping and handling. 

Your can start the process by submitting a form online, or send an email to us at admin@caringcradle.com. We will need to know the hospital delivery address, a contact at the hospitals email and phone number to arrange delivery and your name and address.

Please prepare to provide the following info for emailed invoicing:

• Billing address and email address
• Hospital name, address for receiving dock, attention to name and email address
• Direct phone number for the Receiving dock, along with hours and special instructions regarding receiving in a semi-LTL
• Contact phone number and email address for use and training instructions at the hospital

1. Send above information to this email and an invoice will be generated that can have a payment via credit card or wire transfer. Please note there is a 3% fee for paying by credit card.
2. Send a check payable to Comfort Innovations P.O. Box 93215 Lakeland, FL 33804-3215
3. Purchase Order with 30 day terms is also available to hospitals.