What to expect when your baby is in the NICU

While a NICU is rarely part of a birth plan, knowing what neonatal services are available at the place where you are giving birth, should something be required, can help put parents at ease. For example, it is much easier for the neonatal team to communicate with obstetricians and maternal fetal medicine doctors a lot before the baby is born. This communication continues as the baby receives care from many specialists in the hospital, and then follows the infant after being released from the hospital, easing the transition of care from medical specialists to the baby’s new paediatrician.

Every parent’s experience in the NICU is different and hospitals support NICU parents. One thing that mothers recall from their NICU days is that when they started the journey, they just didn’t know what to expect once they got there. Some common tests that the parents might notice their baby undergoing are the bilirubin test, oxygen level tests, sugar level tests, blood tests, and urine tests. Even though these tests can be daunting to parents, try and remind yourself that they are necessary for your baby’s advancement and proper growth. Infants get measured every day.

Breastmilk can often help babies that are born early. Sometimes mums whose babies are in the NICU are not yet strong enough to nurse, but mums can still pump milk and have their babies consume it. The hospital often has staff that can help new mums pump milk or even try nursing if their NICU babies seem healthy enough. There are certain NICU units which also have a milk donation center where other mothers donate their breastmilk to tiny infants in need of the power.

NICU doctors and nurses play an important role in monitoring the baby’s growth and development. The Neonatal Care at the CK Birla Hospital provides expert neonatologists to ensure that the treatment is as comfortable for the baby as far as possible. Research has shown that babies nursed with Development Care approach are healthier, develop faster and go home earlier.

Consult top neonatologists at the Department of Neonatology & Paediatrics to learn more.