Maintaining the right body temperature is important for your baby’s well-being. In the delivery room, tiny babies are wrapped first in a type of cling wrap. Bigger babies are dried and wrapped in a blanket.

In NICU, some babies need a humidicrib to provide warmth and sometimes humidity, this bed also lets us see your baby. If your baby is in a humidicrib we will show you how to care for your baby.

Breathing difficulties (Respiratory distress) are important and frequent signs in NICU. Your baby’s lungs might be stiff or small, have too much fluid or infection. Preterm babies can require help to ensure regular breathing even when lungs are normal. Breathing support is given with CPAP or a ventilator, and extra oxygen if needed. This support will gently assist your baby’s own breathing. A chest X-ray is done in NICU when needed.

Your baby’s heartbeat, breathing, and oxygen level are observed continuously on a monitor. Sticky leads are placed on the chest, and stretchy tape holds leads on the hand or foot. Blood pressure is also measured. All this monitoring together shows how the heart and lungs are working. If an alarm rings on this monitor, do not panic the staff caring for your baby know how to respond and will explain what is occurring to you.

Intravenous cannula’s (lines in veins) are used for giving fluids and nutrition, for taking blood tests, and for continuous monitoring. Breast milk is the best food for all babies, especially preterm babies. Support, guidance, and equipment will be available for you to express. Then when your baby is ready, your breast milk is ready.

• Please do not bring food or hot drinks into NICU (water is permitted)
• Please use the cots to move your baby around the NICU and between wards
• Please respect the privacy of other babies and families in the NICU/SCN
• Please be aware that smoking is harmful, if you do smoke, chemicals from cigarettes may stick to your skin/hair/hands and can be detected in your baby. The best way to prevent this is stop smoking and ask our staff for assistance. If you choose to smoke please wash your hands well and wear an over garment when smoking that can be removed when visiting your baby.

Even though your baby’s medical needs require that he or she be cared for in the hospital’s neonatal unit, you are still the most important person in your baby’s life. Your baby knew your voice even before birth and needs your special touch.

We encourage you to talk to, read to, touch and caress your baby as much as his or her medical condition will allow. The human touch, especially, that of a parent, has as much to do with getting well as does all of the medical technology and expertise.

This provides skin to skin contact between baby and parent, so your baby can experience the feeling of warmth and comfort associated with this contact. There are many short-term and long-term benefits of skin to skin care for instance a kangaroo cuddle with you is a perfect way to help control your baby’s temperature so we encourage and support parents to do this whenever possible. We will help position your baby safely for Kangaroo cuddles and will always be available should you need support.

These are a communication tool to help individualise patient care for your baby. It also makes it easier for the health care team and you as a parent, family and/or carer to plan and understand the care that is provided for your baby on a daily basis. Both you and the staff can write on the boards.

Flash photography will not harm your baby, so feel free to take as many photos as you wish with your own camera. You are welcome to bring in your own video camera to take videos of your baby. Please remember to gel hands after touching any equipment before you then touch your baby.

We provide clothes for your baby but you are welcome to bring clothes in if you wish. We will do our best to ensure these will be placed in a plastic bag when soiled for you to take home and wash. Please label any clothes or blankets.

NicView is a web camera specifically designed for use in the NICU. NicView allows you to see your baby in NICU whenever you wish when you are not in the hospital.

In the NICU you will learn how to care for your baby, including giving them a bath from time to time. This may be a gentle sponge bath for babies in cribs or a big bath for babies who are in a cot. The nurses will be there to help you along the way, so talk to them about your baby’s bath routine.

This is an enclosed bed that provides a warm, clean, and controlled environment for your baby.

This is an open bed with special overhead heater.

These beds keep your baby warm whilst permitting easy access for parents, nursing and medical staff from all sides.

This is a machine that displays your baby’s heart rate, heart beat pattern, blood pressure, breathing rate, breathing pattern and level of oxygen in the body.

A small device that monitors oxygen levels in the baby’s blood. It is usually attached to your baby’s hand or foot and secured with a stretchy tape.

This monitors your baby’s skin temperature to ensure your baby’s temperature stays within the normal range.

A soft tube inserted through the nose or mouth into the stomach. This tube can be used to feed your baby and administer medications.

This device slowly and continuously administers fluids and medications to your baby at a desired rate through intravenous lines.

A method of giving oxygen or mixture of oxygen and air to your baby through small, flexible, plastic tubes placed in his/her nostrils.

This a method used to help support your baby’s breathing. The CPAP is delivered by two short plastic tubes (prongs) in the nostrils.

This machine is used to assist your baby’s breathing when (s)he cannot breathe well enough on his/her own.

If you plan to breastfeed it is important to establish your milk supply by hand expressing every 3 to 4 hours and switching to expressing by pump once your milk supply is established. This may seem like hard work but it is worth the effort and your baby will benefit from the breast milk.

It is normal to express small volumes of breast milk at first but this will increase over time. To help to increase your supply, drink enough water, eat a good, healthy diet and make sure you have plenty of rest. We recommend reducing your intake of caffeine and stopping cigarette smoking. If you need assistance to stop smoking the staff in NICU can help you.

The NICU has a Breast feeding/Expressing Room available for all expressing mothers and a breast pump and milk warmer by each bed space. This room provides a quiet, private space to use the electric breast pumps that are available. To ensure privacy this room is for mothers only. Some mothers may prefer to express near their baby’s bed space. Breast pump kits are available on loan and can be obtained from the nurse caring for your baby. The nurse or Lactation Consultant can help you with the setting up and use of the equipment. They can answer any questions you may have.

Store your breast milk in plastic cups with lids. These must be BPA free and must be sterilised before use. Use of Milton solution, steam steriliser or microwave steriliser is recommended. The nurse caring for your baby will supply you with labels for use with these containers. These labels have your baby’s name and medical identification number printed on them. Write the date and time of expressing and place in either the fridge or freezer in your baby’s own labelled tray.

Information sheets are available on where to purchase containers and hire breast pumps or purchase pump kits for use at home. In addition, information sheets outlining sterilising equipment, handling, storing and transport of breast milk are also available.

Tube feeding is performed via a gastric tube, which is inserted through the nose or mouth into the stomach. This tube can be used to feed your baby and administer medications.

The head ultrasound is able to detects any changes and is done during the nursery stay. This is a painless procedure, similar to the ultrasound you may have had during pregnancy. The probe scans through the soft spot on the top of your baby’s head (fontanelle). Babies usually sleep through this procedure. The ultrasound is usually performed within the first 48 hours of life and repeated at one week of age and again at one month of age. The results will be discussed with you by the doctor when the results are available.

Small babies will have an eye examination to screen for “eye disease of prematurity” called Retinopathy of Prematurity. This will be carried out in babies born 30 weeks gestation or less, when your baby is 28 days old and approximately 32 weeks corrected age. You will receive more information when your baby’s eye check is due. Some babies will need an ophthalmology review for other reasons.

This is a blood test for babies in the first 24 - 48 hours. If your baby weighs less than 1500 grams at birth a repeat NBST will be attended at 28 days of age. You will be given information about this test by the bedside nurse, and asked for your consent.

All babies are offered a hearing screen closer to term. This is also available at your local hospital.

All babies have hand and foot oxygen levels measured with a small probe placed on the baby’s hand and foot before going home. It takes less than 5 minutes. 99% of baby’s pass this test, if your baby has to be re-tested, the result will be discussed with you.

All infants requiring immunisation will be identified and given appropriate immunisation in a timely, safe and effective way, based on the National Immunisation Program Schedule. Parents will be given information regarding immunisation and have any questions answered to allow an informed decision to be made.

A cardiac ultrasound, also known as an echocardiogram, is an ultrasound study of your baby's heart. It looks at heart structure, blood flow and muscle function. Some babies need this to screen for or diagnose problems with their heart or major blood vessels. You may also hear the words echo or cardiac echo for this test.

Babies in the NICU need frequent exams and monitoring as part of their care. At times this includes testing of the blood as they help to monitor your baby’s condition and to identify potential problems. Common tests include, testing for anaemia (low red blood cells), electrolyte and mineral levels, blood sugar levels or testing for infection. The tests are more commonly attended by collecting blood from the baby’s vein or heel.

Situated within the NICU, the Ronald McDonald Family Room is available for parents to and take some ‘time out’. There is a lounge area, children’s play space as well as tea and coffee making facilities. Ask your social worker for opening hours. Basic meal provision may be available and the room is available for all parents, local and from regional areas of NSW. In addition there is a Family Room on Ward J1 that also has laundry facilities.

Lockers are available for families to store their belongings, there is a locker by each bed space, or at the entrance to the NICU. The lockers by bed spaces are not secure, however those near the entrance can be secured by lock and key, this requires a $2 coin, which is refundable on departure.

We have limited short stay accommodation available for emergency situations only. NICU Social Workers can discuss this with families who may require it.

The hospital cafeteria “The Cosy Kooka” on Level 1 (adjacent to H1) is available to parents and visitors for meals at a lower cost. “Café Grab ‘n Go” and the Food Hall in the Royal Newcastle Centre are available for refreshments on Level 2 in the hospital foyers.

Due to safety issues hot drinks or food are not allowed in the nursery. There is a cold water fountain for your use in the entry hall of the nursery.

Parking is available 24 hours a day.

Public rates and concession rates apply:

Public rates

Concessions only rates

Toilets are available in the entrance to NICU. There is a baby change facility and shower facility in this area.

The Newcastle Permanent has one ATM located within the John Hunter main entrance.

A chapel is located on Level 2, adjacent to the John Hunter main entrance.

The Children’s Hospital has free guest wifi available. To access in NICU, search wifi on your device and select ‘_NSW_Health_Guest_Wifi_HNEH’.

Your baby is ready to go home from the nursery when your baby;

1. Is 35 weeks corrected gestation or more,

2. Is feeding and growing well – breast, bottle or sometimes tube feeding,

3. Is maintaining temperature.

Babies born less than 1500 grams or less than 32 weeks gestation at birth, or have complex issues will be followed up in the Neonatal Growth and Development Clinic shortly after discharge and at 3, 6, 9 months corrected age by one of our Neonatologists, Liaison CNC and a Physiotherapist.

At 12 months and 24 months corrected age some babies will be given a formal Developmental Assessment. This assessment involves being seen by our Developmental Neonatologist or an Occupational Therapist who will run through a series of tasks with your baby to assess how their development is progressing. We will contact you close to the time the assessment is due to arrange an appointment. If you change your address or phone number after discharge from this nursery, please contact us on 02 49214362 with your new details.