![\"NICU](\"http:\/\/ehealth.cooperhealth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/2007_08_NICU_Nurtures_Preemies_and_Parents_Alike.jpg\" "\\"2007_08_NICU_Nurtures_Preemies_and_Parents_Alike\\"")
Ask a parent what it felt like when first seeing their premature baby in an intensive care nursery. Chances are you\u2019ll get two answers: scared and helpless.<\/p>\nAsk a parent what it felt like when first seeing their premature baby in an intensive care nursery. Chances are you\u2019ll get two answers: scared and helpless.<\/p>\n
The tiny newborn is connected to monitors, tubes and machines doing the work that the under-developed organ systems cannot. Ventilators help with breathing, feeding tubes deliver nutrients and enclosed plastic beds (\u201cisolettes\u201d) keep body temperature up. These babies can weigh as little as 2 pounds. With thin, almost translucent skin, their cries are weak. They are at risk for complications that, in some cases, can change quickly from mild to life-threatening.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was scary,\u201d says Julie Gonzalez, whose son Leocardio was born prematurely at 30\u00bd weeks gestation, weighing just over 2\u00bd pounds. Mrs. Gonzalez says she got past the shock of seeing Leo supported by tubes and machines. \u201cI could see him growing and getting stronger.\u201d But other stresses were harder to handle.<\/p>\n
Because their immune systems are so immature, preemies are highly susceptible to infections. Leo developed a serious infection that was not responding to antibiotics.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt one point, I was told that he could possibly have a stroke,\u201d Mrs. Gonzalez said. \u201cI\u2019m a strong person, but I just broke down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through persistent testing, Leo\u2019s doctors determined that the infection was centered in Leo\u2019s heart, and they were able to treat it with a specific type of antibiotic. After six weeks in Cooper\u2019s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Leo went home infection-free and weighing a much healthier 5 pounds.<\/p>\n
Family-centered care taken seriously<\/strong> \u201cHere, the parents are not onlookers,\u201d says Emma Brandon, R.N., B.S.N., M.H.A., Clinical Manager, who oversaw the NICU nursing staff until a recent promotion. \u201cBonding starts as soon as a baby is born, so we promote that as much as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Parents are encouraged to do what any parent of a newborn would do\u2014change diapers, feed, cuddle and take temperatures.<\/p>\n \u201cEven when babies are on ventilators, as long as they\u2019re stable, we suggest \u2018kangaroo care\u2019 by placing the baby on the parent\u2019s chest for skin-to-skin contact,\u201d Ms. Brandon says. \u201cIt promotes bonding, plus it helps modulate the baby\u2019s temperature.\u201d<\/p>\n In Cooper\u2019s NICU (pronounced \u201cnick-u\u201d), parents enjoy a 24-hour visitation policy. Ample space surrounds each bed so that entire families, including the baby\u2019s siblings, can spend time there comfortably. Each baby has a bulletin board that families can post photos, drawings, cards and other mementos. Nurses often put up the baby\u2019s footprints so parents can see the baby\u2019s growth over time.<\/p>\n A Ronald McDonald House \u201cFamily Room\u201d is next to the NICU where families can relax.<\/p>\n Close connections with baby\u2019s medical team<\/strong> Cooper\u2019s NICU practices \u201cprimary nursing,\u201d in which the same two nurses (day shift and night shift) are assigned to an infant throughout his or her stay. This provides consistent care and develops strong working relationships with the parents.<\/p>\n Julie Gonzalez says, \u201cI felt very included. The doctors were on top of everything. They told me what to expect with Leo\u2014and they were always right on the money.\u201d<\/p>\n Mrs. Gonzalez raves about Leo\u2019s nurses. \u201cThey were awesome,\u201d she says. \u201cI was amazed at what these nurses knew\u2014how much they needed to know to do their jobs. And you could tell they cared. They acted as if the babies were their babies.\u201d<\/p>\n More than two years after Leo left the NICU, she still brings him back to visit so the nurses can see how this former preemie has become an energetic and healthy child.<\/p>\n Emma Brandon agrees that NICU nurses and parents form bonds that last years. \u201cAs much as parents appreciate our nurses\u2019 medical competence, they value their compassion,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Nurses pick up on problems that parents may have trouble expressing. \u201cThe very hardest thing for a mom is to leave the unit without taking her baby home,\u201d she said. \u201cOur nurses may gently say something like, \u2018I know it\u2019s hard for you to be going home without the baby.\u2019 And the mother, instead of keeping these feelings inside, is able to open up and feel a little better.\u201d<\/p>\n Each family\u2019s emotional challenges<\/strong> \u201cIt can be very hard for parents,\u201d says Gary E. Stahl, M.D., Division Head of Neonatology in the Department of Pediatrics. \u201cTo some degree, all parents mourn the loss of the image of the perfect, pink-cheeked, seven-pound newborn.\u201d<\/p>\n While for some parents premature delivery is completely unexpected, others have time to prepare. Julie Gonzalez, for instance, was hospitalized at Cooper with preeclampsia, a condition during pregnancy that often leads to premature births. This condition usually develops in about 5 percent of pregnancies. Preeclampsia is usually marked by an increase of blood pressure and the presence of protein in the mother\u2019s urine. Its cause is unknown.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew ahead of time there was no way I was going to go full term,\u201d says Mrs. Gonzalez, whose other three sons had been full-term, normal births. She was hospitalized to help Leo stay in utero for as long as possible so he could develop more.<\/p>\n Mrs. Gonzalez and her husband, Raul, had been through three frustrating and often-disappointing years of fertility treatments, finally conceiving Leo in what they had decided would be their last attempt at in-vitro fertilization (IVF). They were helped through the Cooper Center for IVF.<\/p>\n Then, just days after Leo was born, Raul, an army reservist, was called into active duty at Fort Dix. Mrs. Gonzalez was already nervous about living far from Leo. Their home in Landisville, NJ, is an hour from Cooper. Raul\u2019s absence made her feel \u201call alone\u201d in Leo\u2019s care. A Cooper nurse suggested something that would make a world of difference: staying at a room at the nearby Ronald McDonald House.<\/p>\n The nonprofit Ronald McDonald House of South Jersey (which also sponsors the family room near the NICU), is across the street from Cooper University Hospital. Funded entirely by private donations, the national organization provides a \u201chome away from home\u201d for families of children being treated at local hospitals.<\/p>\n Mrs. Gonzalez seized the opportunity. \u201cStaying at the Ronald McDonald House definitely helped the baby and me bond,\u201d she says. \u201cI could be with him anytime I wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n Raul stayed there with Mrs. Gonzalez whenever possible.<\/p>\n Understanding baby\u2019s cues<\/strong> \u201cWe believe that preemies are competent human beings who can communicate their needs,\u201d Dr. Stahl said. \u201cBy learning their \u2018language\u2019\u2014that is, by understanding their cues\u2014we can create an environment and provide care that support their needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Under the NIDCAP model, doctors and nurses focus less on following rigid treatment schedules and medical protocols. Instead they place more emphasis on observing each infant\u2019s behaviors. For example, if the baby puts up her hands when offered a feeding, she\u2019s signaling that she\u2019s not ready to eat. Instead of trying to enforce a strict feeding schedule, the nurse following NIDCAP will feed the baby later. Cooper\u2019s NICU is one of only nine NIDCAP training centers nationwide.<\/p>\n Even in its design, the Cooper NICU is sensitive to preemies\u2019 unique needs. \u201cKeep in mind that in the third trimester their nervous systems are still developing,\u201d Dr. Stahl says. \u201cThey\u2019re used to being in a womb. They\u2019re not expecting to be in a loud, bright, open space typical of most hospital units.”<\/p>\n \u201cNeurologically, preemies expect to be in an environment that is relatively quiet although not silent, fairly dark, and pretty confined,\u201d he said. To make the NICU preemie-friendly, the Cooper team makes sure the noise level is low, the lighting is soft and the bedding gives a comforting sense of being \u201cnested.\u201d<\/p>\n Parents, like preemies, are made to feel nurtured at Cooper\u2019s NICU. \u201cFor those six weeks, the NICU was like my home,\u201d Mrs. Gonzalez says. \u201cI was so glad that Leo was at Cooper, and I hate to think of what could have happened if he was not there.”<\/p>\n \u201cMy experience there is something that will be in my heart forever,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n To make an appointment with a Cooper University Hospital physician at an office near you, please call 1-800-8-COOPER (800-826-6737) to speak with a member of our physician referral and information service.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ask a parent what it felt like when first seeing their premature baby in an intensive care nursery. Chances are you\u2019ll get two answers: scared and helpless.<\/p>\n The tiny newborn is connected to monitors, tubes and machines doing the work that the under-developed organ systems cannot. Ventilators help with breathing, feeding tubes deliver nutrients and enclosed plastic beds (\u201cisolettes\u201d) keep body temperature up. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[451,459,528,530],"class_list":{"0":"entry","1":"post","2":"publish","3":"author-admin","4":"has-excerpt","5":"has-more-link","6":"post-2458","8":"format-standard","9":"category-ehealth-connection","10":"post_tag-neonatology","11":"post_tag-nicu","12":"post_tag-preemies","13":"post_tag-premature-birth"},"yoast_head":"\n
\nCooper\u2019s NICU embraces a philosophy of \u201cfamily-centered care\u201d that has shaped all aspects of the unit, from nursery design to visitation policies to parent-staff interactions. By deeply involving parents in the baby\u2019s routine care, Cooper helps parents overcome any feelings of helplessness. This ultimately helps their baby thrive.<\/p>\n
\nFamily-centered care also means parents have frequent contact with their baby\u2019s medical team. Parents are invited to attend the twice-daily rounds, when doctors and nurses review the baby\u2019s progress. From the baby\u2019s very first week, parents can attend discharge planning meetings that address special needs the baby might have after going home.<\/p>\n
\nA premature infant is any baby born before 37 weeks gestation. About 10 percent of all births in this country are premature. Depending on the infant\u2019s condition, he or she may spend weeks or months in a NICU.<\/p>\n
\nIn addition to its dedication to family-centered care, Cooper\u2019s NICU is notable in that it follows the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP), a medical model that sees the premature infant as an active participant in its own progress.<\/p>\n