The parents of a newborn baby have been left traumatised after they were handed the wrong baby due to a maternity ward mix-up and spent 45 minutes with a child who was not theirs. The parents say the trauma of the incident has affected their ability to connect with their son. Samantha and Nick Stuhlener welcomed baby Levi in January and were enjoying their precious first moments together at St Vincent's Private Hospital in the inner city Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. However, the proud parents were horrified to discover that they spent 45 minutes with another couple's baby, after a nurse mistakenly brought another child to them from the 'settling room'. Scroll down for video . Levi was born on January 6 this year to proud parents Samantha and Nick Stuhlener at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Fitzroy . His mother, Samantha Stuhlener, has had trouble bonding with her cherished baby after a mix up at the hospital which saw her mistakenly spend 45 minutes with someone else's child . The two babies had been together in the overnight settling room at St Vincent's Private Hospital . 'I said what's happened, what's going on?' Ms Stuhlener told 7News. 'And she said, you didn't have Levi, you had somebody else's baby.' The error happened despite both infants wearing the correct identification wristbands in the settling room. It's understood that a nurse failed to cross-check the tags and mistakenly brought Mr and Mrs Stuhlener someone else's child. The CEO of St Vincent's Private Hospital, Ian Grisold, confirmed the accidental baby swap and gave the parents affected both a private and public apology on behalf of the hospital and all staff. 'It is extremely regrettable and our staff and myself feel gutted by the incident. We unreservedly apologise and take full responsibility for the incident,' he told 7News. He emphasised that throughout the stay the babies were only touched, fed and changed by their parents. 'While both babies had correct identification name tags attached at all times and both babies remained in their correctly named cots at all times, the staff member did not disturb the parents and check their name bands,' Mr Grisold said. Both children were wearing the correct ID wrist bands in the overnight settling room. It's understood that a nurse failed to cross check the wristbands and mistakenly brought the Stuhleners someone else's child . 'The second baby remained in the night nursery. 'When it was realised by staff that there was a baby in the incorrect room, the still sleeping baby was instantly removed from that room and returned to its parents. 'At no time was either baby picked up, held or fed by anyone other than their parents.' The hospital has told the distraught parents that Levi remained in the settling room during the 45 minutes period that they were with another infant. However, the Stuhleners are demanding the truth. 'I don't believe that,' Ms Stuhlener told 7News, unable to hold back tears. 'I don't know, was he (Levi) with another mother?' They have become suspicious as St Vincent's Hospital staff allegedly refuse to show the couple the incident report, which details where their baby was throughout the incident. The CEO of St Vincent's Private Hospital, Ian Grisold, confirmed the accidental baby swap and gave the parents affected both a private and public apology on behalf of the hospital and all staff . 'That's all we've wanted, to actually see what's written in the incident report and what actually happened,' said Mr Stuhlener. To make matters worse, the hospital's attempt to apologise resulted in another embarrassing mix-up. Mr and Mrs Stuhlener received a letter of apology and $500 worth of vouchers to try and make up for the error. However, the hospital sent them the wrong letter. They received a package addressed to the other couple involved in the mishap – the parents of the infant they mistakenly had in their care for 45 minutes. 'I acknowledge that we made an administration error in sending the wrong correspondence to the wrong family,' Mr Griswold confirmed. The Stuhleners say they've been in contact with the parents of the other child and says they have 'also been left traumatised'. The couple insists the incident has had repercussions on their family. Ms Stuhlener says she has had more difficulty bonding with Levi than she did with her firstborn. Their son, now almost three months old, was 'unsettled' for the first several weeks of his life and did not take to breastfeeding. St Vincent's Private Hospital have changed their procedures to try ensure the error is not repeated. Two staff members are now required to cross check both the mother and baby's name tags when moving babies to and from the settling room. The Stuhleners claim to have been in contact with the parents of the other child and says they have 'also been left traumatised'
The Stuhleners were handed the wrong baby in a maternity ward mix-up . Samantha Stuhlener had just given birth to baby Levi at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Melbourne . The wrong baby was brought to them from the settling room by a nurse . They spent 45 minutes with the couple's baby before the nurse realised . The error comes despite both babies wearing the correct ID wristbands . They are traumatised and claim to have had trouble bonding with Levi . The hospital's apology resulted in another embarrassing mix-up . The Stuhleners received a letter which was addressed to the other couple involved - the parents of the other child .