September is NICU Awareness Month, a time dedicated to acknowledging the challenges, honoring the experiences, and providing support for babies, families, and medical professionals impacted by time in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). It’s estimated that about 13 percent of babies born in the United States will spend time in a NICU, some for extended periods of time.
The NICU Experience
In the NICU, the goal is for parents to participate in their baby’s care as much as possible. Communication between the parents and the care team is crucial, as every baby and every situation is unique. Here are some tips and tools that can help parents navigate NICU life.
Touching and Holding and Comfort
At early gestational stages, a baby’s skin is fragile and sensitive to touch and is generally not ready to be held out of the bed. Babies may have difficulty staying warm, so their temperature may be constantly controlled when in the incubator or during skin-to-skin care. They may be placed on a safe warming device like the Infatherm Warming Mattress. Babies at a later gestational stage, safe for kangaroo care, benefit from touch and find comfort in mom and dad’s skin-to-skin contact. Babies who develop jaundice, though, may need time under special lights. The BiliCocoon allows phototherapy and kangaroo care simultaneously.
Feeding
In order to eat, babies need to learn to suck, swallow, and breathe during feedings. Preemies may need some time to coordinate all those actions, so a feeding tube may be placed. Pumped breast milk may be given through a feeding tube. As they mature, babies can advance to other feeding methods by mouth. Before feedings, babies may show hunger cues like becoming restless, moving hands to mouth, or waking up. Hospital grade pumps can allow moms to express milk, including the important early milk called colostrum that is full of crucial antibodies and nutrients for newborns. An international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), can help moms develop a pumping routine to build a full milk supply within a few weeks using a pump like Ameda’s Pearl or Ameda’s Platinum.
Positioning
Babies’ movements become increasingly purposeful as they develop, but preemies may not have the strength on their own. Positioning aids can help recreate a womb-like environment that calms babies’ neurological systems allowing their bodies and brains to develop properly. Positioning aids can also help babies maintain a safe and comfortable position for sleep and medical procedures and reduce the risk from complications like apnea and reflux.
International Biomedical Supports NICU Awareness
At International Biomedical, we are committed to advancing the state of neonatal care through our range of reliable and advanced infant care solutions. During NICU Awareness Month and beyond, we salute the resilience of NICU families and the dedication of the healthcare professionals who make miracles happen every day. Your journey is our journey, and we strive to offer products and insights that make the road a little easier to travel.