Every Mum knows that whenever their child hurts themselves, feel unsure, feels unsafe and needs reassurance, the first thing their children do is turn to them … for a hug.

I can flip through the last 14 years of my life and almost every happy moment etched in my brain includes at least one of my children on my lap or in my arms.

That happiness stemming from my ability as a Mum to make them feel better; to fix whatever has happened.

New research conducted by Huggies and The Children’s Hospital Foundation Australia (CHFA), has found that 99% of Australian midwives and nurses agree that hugs and affection are an important part of the healing process for sick children, and 98% believe that hugs can help children recover more quickly during illness.

Sadly there are times when a hug from Mum can’t fix whatever is wrong.

The ‘hug’ needs to come from not just one but many. And that ‘hug’ may not be for the child alone but for the entire family.

And it’s in times like this that the Huggies ‘Hugs for Healing’ initiative makes a massive difference to the families affected.

The Huggies ‘Hugs for Healing’ initiative takes profits from the sale of Huggies nappies and invests those funds as donations into much needed medical equipment for Australian Childrens’ Hospitals.

These donations are put towards critical lifesaving equipment which saves the lives of thousands of little Australians each year …

Little Rocco is just one of those children.

At Rachelle’s 20 week scan, doctors discovered that her baby boy Rocco had Spina Bifida, which involves the closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. There was the potential for fluid on the brain, and doctors also found that Rocco had Arnold Chiari malformation type 2, a condition affecting the brain.

Before he was born, Rachelle and Adam were told that Rocco would have no movement of his legs and little quality of life. They were offered the option of termination all the way up to 36 weeks, but Rachelle and Adam decided against it.

Rocco was 2.5kg when he was born, and perfect in every way.

But at just a few hours old, doctors found that the Spina Bifida had blocked fluid to the brain, and Rocco spent the next two weeks in ICU.

At 10 days old specialists inserted a VP shunt, which is a device that drains the fluid from the ventricles.

From this time onwards, Rachelle and Adam take Rocco every few months to the Spina Nifida clinic at Sydney Children’s Hospital, and he is monitored regularly for infections in the bladder. This has also involved constant stays in hospital since he was born.

Today, Rocco has no feeling from his knees down to his toes and his feet are turned in. He undergoes regular occupational and play therapy near his home in Terrigal, NSW.

This November, $1 from every bulk pack of Huggies Nappies will help sick babies and toddlers just like Rocco through the ‘Hugs for Healing’ initiative.

A beautiful cause; a cause that enables all us Mums to extend our hugs from our children to others in the hope that together we can all make a difference to the lives of others.

Please know: We were not paid to publish this story. The team at Mouths of Mums chose to run this story because we truly believe that the Huggies ‘Hugs for Healing’ initiative is a cause we want to support. We’d like to think that the very next time you buy a pack of nappies for your bub, you’ll think about the difference your purchase could make to others.

Much love, Nikki x