Taking Care of Your Baby While in NICU

to most new parents, the sudden change of events in their lives can get quite stressful; from dealing with a premature delivery to the anxiety over their newborn's health to the additional work in coping with the daily life at a neonatal intensive care unit, or the NICU.

Although the prime purpose of NICU is to take care of a premature baby's health, the surroundings of the room with its equipment can get quite intimidating for parents. Nurses have a fixed routine and perform the daily activities to take care of the babies in the NICU. Parents, too can coincide their visits with these times in order to learn and provide the same care to your baby yourself.

There are some daily tasks that the nursing personnel can guide you through with till you are comfortable with them.

Monitoring Baby's Temperature

A nurse makes a temperature check when a baby is taken out from the infant care bed for feeding to ensure he/she is not losing body heat. The traditional glass thermometer is placed in the baby's armpit and left undisturbed for three to five minutes. Digital thermometers give an instant readout. This is a task parents feel most comfortable performing.

Diaper Change

A premature baby or a preemie is a tiny little being, inside an incubator, connected to IV tubes, wires and other equipment; for parents, a diaper change session can feel quite daunting as they wouldn't want to disturb any setting by mistake. It might take some time and practice, but new parents can surely grasp the technique to do it themselves.

The baby is to be placed on the back; a premature baby is quite floppy to hold unlike a full term baby who feels like a compact bundle. Holding a preemie might feel as if the upper and lower parts of body are disjointed, and parents might have some difficulty initially. With both hands scooped under the baby's head and body, place the diaper and fix it in place.

Sometimes working through the portholes in the incubator is difficult; the nurse can open the side door to the incubator and slide the baby's bed out while simultaneously switching on warming lights to keep the baby warm.

Mouth Care

          premature babies often have feeding tubes connected to their mouths; parents can gently wipe away secretions that accumulate around the baby's mouth and also apply glycerin to protect against chapped lips.

Bath

a premature baby's skin is sensitive and transparent. Baths initially are just sponge baths with soft cloth and plain warm water. Tub baths are given only later when the baby has grown more. Parents can arrange with the nursing staff to be present at the bathing time or themselves give their babies a sponge bath.

Thus. New parents concerned over their baby's health and feeling separated from their precious ones through tubes and wires can still participate in the daily activities of NICU and fell close to their loved one.