The birth of a baby is a wonderful yet very complex process. Many physical and emotional changes occur for mother and baby.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is where your new born will stay for days, weeks or possibly longer depending on his / her degree of prematurity. This department or area in the hospital where hospital staff care for newborns having medical complications or babies who have born prematurely.
Here your baby will be provided the optimal environment for growth. Though the environment of NICU can be intimidating health care professionals will familiarize you with it so you can participate in the care process.
Advances in neonatal care with innovations have made this process of caring for a premature baby more safe and comprehensive than ever.
The Incubator
This provides your baby the optimal growing environment balancing his or her need with right amount of heat, humidity and in some cases oxygen. Much of the treatment is administered directly further reducing the risk of complications from outside elements.
Infant warmer
Provides optimal temperature for your baby perhaps the most important aspect of time spent in NICU. Here babies grow stronger as their organs develop fully and become less susceptible to infections.
Ventilator
Proper oxygen flow for growing babies is of critical importance. Small puffs of oxygen can be administered to your baby using the ventilator where the doctor can determine the length and span between breaths and baby's natural rhythm.
Photo Therapy
This unit helps to battle jaundice which is a common sight on newborns. Some babies make bilrubin faster than they can get rid of through bowel movements wherin this system shines blue light and helps to break down the extra bilrubin.
Infusion pump
The infusion pump handles any medications, nutrients and other fluids your baby needs while in NICU. These fluids and medications are administered on the baby through intravenous catheter. It provides optimal amounts of what is needed for your baby.
Monitors
Help the doctors to keep track of how a baby is doing. The NICU monitors display your baby's heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels.
Ecmo, XRay and Ultrasound
Ecmo is commonly used in the NICU if the baby is in pulmonary distress. It is a treatment to provide oxygenation till the lung funtioning becomes proper.
Ultrasound imaging is a common diagnostic procedure which gives a clear picture inside the body to check the developing organs.