If you’ve been told your baby will have complications when it’s born, you and your family might have a lot of questions and worry about what will happen. What to do if your baby might need special care Parents can watch their babies grow and progress day by day as they get stronger and are eventually released from the hospital. A baby’s stay in NICU can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding. However, infants born earlier than 32 weeks into pregnancy stayed for an average of 46.2 days. The average length of hospital stay for newborns into a special care nursery is 13.2 days. How long infants remain in the NICU depends on the severity of their illnesses. How long will infants remain in the NICU? In many circumstances babies with parents who are actively involved in their care while in NICU have been shown to have healthier outcomes. Visiting the baby will give the family and parents the opportunity to bond with the baby and learn how to take care of him/her. It is important to feel as comfortable as possible with a baby in NICU so please feel free to ask the nurses as many questions as necessary. Parents, grandparents and other close family members over the age of 18 are encouraged to visit the baby often. Additionally, premature and critically ill newborns often have respiratory complications and may require a respirator (breathing machine). The babies may also have tubes attached which provide fluid, oxygen or medicines. Inside the incubators there will be wires attached to the babies which monitor the baby’s breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and temperature at all times. Control the moisture so the babies do not lose water or become dehydrated.Decrease the risk of an infection and illnesses which can be more harmful for premature babies.However, they will usually have on caps to keep their heads warm. They will not need to be in blankets because the incubator is heated. While in NICU, babies will be placed in enclosed, see-through plastic cribs called incubators. Low birth weight (babies that weigh less than 5.5 pounds)Įverything in an NICU is different and can be frightening for parents, but knowing what to expect can help parents feel less afraid.Early term infants (babies born between 37-39 weeks of pregnancy).Prematurity (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy).Newborns with these following serious diagnoses are generally admitted to the NICU: These infants are fragile and will need special medical attention and an advanced level of care after birth.Įach baby is evaluated individually by a medical team to determine if there is a need for NICU care. It is a special unit for preterm babies which are born very early or very ill. NICU stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Few parents expect it, but between 10 and 15 percent of all babies born in the United States require special care in the NICU.
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