Dear Parents,
We extend our heartfelt congratulations on the birth of your baby. Your baby has just been admitted to the Neonatology Department where they will receive specialist care. We are delighted to be able to give you this welcome booklet, which aims to provide you with useful information about your baby’s treatment and how the Neonatology department works. We hope that this information will help you to feel more comfortable with us. We are here to help and are available to answer any questions you may have.
The Neonatology department team
Your baby
Place for photo
………………………………………….
was born on ………..
at ………………. AM / PM
Your baby weighs …………….. grammes and measures …………………cm.
The circumference of their head is ………………………………cm.
The neonatology department
The neonatology department at the Maternity and Child unit of the Hôpitaux Robert Schuman welcomes premature babies born from 32 weeks onwards with a birth weight of more than 1,500g, as well as newborns who are experiencing difficulties in adapting or other health problems. Admitting your baby to the neonatology department means that we are able to monitor them continuously and provide highly technical care. Your presence and your contact with your baby are strongly recommended and encouraged.
Location
The neonatology department is close to the delivery room, on the 1st floor between Clinique Bohler and Hôpital Kirchberg.
A few recommendations
- For safety reasons, the department is not freely accessible. Visitors need to ring at the door and a member of staff will let you in.
- As hygiene measures are particularly important in neonatology, we required that you leave your personal belongings in the locker provided for this purpose and wash your hands before entering the department.
- Please do not touch the other beds or babies, stay close to your child and do not go into the other rooms.
- Your child and other patients need lots of calm and rest.
- Please keep phone use to the absolute minimum.
Visits
Parents
The neonatology department at Hôpitaux Robert Schuman welcomes parents every day, 24 hours a day. So, you are free to visit your child whenever you want to and for as long as you want to.
Siblings
A visit from your baby’s siblings may be possible after discussion with the care team.
Other family members and friends
Other visitors are permitted to enter the department with the prior agreement with the care team and always in restricted numbers. Visits can be scheduled from 3pm onwards with a maximum duration of 1 hours and a maximum of 2 people per day.
If there is any doubt regarding a potentially contagious infection for the baby, please talk to the team.
Visitors are required to follow the same rules as parents during their visit.
A multi-professional team
Your baby’s day-to-day care will be overseen by our neonatal paediatricians and our paediatric care staff.
Various resources (breast-feeding consultant, physiotherapy, psychologist, social worker, basic bonding nurse…) tailored to each situation are available and offered as required throughout your baby’s stay.
THE BASIS FOR OUR CARE
Baby is at the centre of our care
Parents
- Parents able to access the department continuously
- Key players in their newborn’s treatment
- Development of their parenting skills
- Support towards autonomy
Parents and the team work in collaboration
Multi-professional care and treatment
- Neonatal paediatricians
- Paediatric nurses
- Paediatric surgeons
- Physiotherapists
- Social workers
- Psychologists
- Breast-feeding consultants
- Basic bonding nurses
Breast / Bottle Feeding
- Information
- Respect for decision
- Support
- Guidance
Skin-to-skin
- Encouraged
- Early
- Made easy
- Promoted
- Made safe
Respectful care
- Care and treatment grouped together
- Suitable sound and light environment
- Bespoke care tailored to meet the needs of each baby
- Suitable positioning
- Sleep respected
Getting information and updates
You can contact the department day and night to see how your baby is doing. The nurse in charge of your baby’s care is sworn to professional secrecy and will only provide parents with this information.
Examinations
As part of the process for admitting your baby into the neonatology, various tests and examinations will be performed. These include blood tests, scans, nursing care, hearing tests…
Hearing test:
Neonatal screening:
Paediatrician’s visit
The paediatrician visits daily between 9 AM and 10 AM. You can meet the doctor during or after the visit to be given the necessary information on your child’s health developments. They will also be able to answer your questions.
Helping with care
Parent-child relations are essential. You will be able to look after your baby as soon as possible. With the guidance of the care team, you will be invited to gradually take responsibility for overseeing your baby’s care needs.
Care that supports development
Sleep
Your baby needs a lot of sleep. Sometimes they can sleep for up to 22 hours a day. During these periods of sleep, your child is growing and is recovering from stimulation and treatment. It is therefore vital that you allow your child to sleep as much as possible.
Suitable environment
Auditory and visual stimulation are extremely tiring for a premature and/or fragile baby. Consequently, noise and light are dimmed in the neonatology department.
Pain – Discomfort
In order to reduce baby’s pain sensation, they may be offered the breast or administered a sugar solution during some treatments.
Comfort
You can bring your baby a scarf or a small soft toy that has been washed and, if you like, worn against your body. This item can be placed near your baby’s head, which will help them to remember your presence.
Drawings by baby’s siblings can be stuck around the incubator or bed to attract your baby’s gaze.
A small “Ocki” octopus will be given to your newborn. They will be able to hold onto one of its tentacles, which will remind them of the umbilical cord and help soothe them.
A CD with your voices or gentle music can also help your baby to feel safe.
Breast / bottle feeding
Although we encourage and support breast-feeding for your baby, we respect your decision to bottle feed.
However, your baby may need time to coordinate suction, breathing and swallowing. It is therefore perfectly normal if it takes a little while for feeding to settle.
The care team and breast-feeding consultants will guide you, provide you with information and support you throughout your stay.
Skin-to-skin
Carrying and holding your baby skin-to-skin is important for their development. It is an opportunity for them to reconnect with your voice, smell and heartbeat, as well as being kept warm whilst they are held against your body… and it’s an opportunity for you to share your very first cuddles with your child.
Skin-to-skin will help your baby become aware of all their senses and promotes everyone’s well-being.
Plan enough time (minimum 1 to 2 hours) to ensure that you and your child can really enjoy and benefit from this special moment.
Fall prevention
Be aware of the risk of falling for your baby.
- Anytime your newborn leaves their room, they must be lying horizontally in their cot.
- Keep your hand on your newborn at all times when they are on the changing mat.
- Raise the bed bars or close the incubator if you need to move away.
- Before you leave, remember to come and check with us that your baby is correctly installed in their transport seat.
- Beware of bulky items and cables, which are trip hazards.
- To hold your baby in the kangaroo position, make sure you unfold your relaxation chair correctly and fold it back up when you leave.
- Use the brakes on the bed / incubator / relaxation chair.
- Call a member of care staff the first time you hold your baby in the kangaroo position.
- If it feels like your baby is sleepy, put them in their cot / incubator and catch up on your own rest.
- We recommend that you wear flat shoes that fasten when you move around.
Souvenirs
A “Tell me my story” photo album is available for you. This book is a gift and can be used to record each important step during your stay. When you leave you will be given a little souvenir box with the objects that belonged to your baby.
Departure
How long your baby stays in the department depends on how premature they are, how their health evolves and how autonomous they are in terms of their primary needs, such as feeding, breathing and regulating their temperature.
Their discharge will be authorized by the doctor.
For more information about the neonatology department, don’t hesitate to ask our team and to consult our “Acteur de ma santé” platform.
CHARTER FOR HOSPITALISED CHILDREN*
The HRS commit to the following for children of 0 to 16 years old (18 years old if necessary) and for their parents:
To hospitalise a child in compliance with ethical principles
- A child is hospitalised only if their physical and/or psychological health and/or their social situation requires it.
- For a duration that reflects the situation.
- With respect for their religion, beliefs and culture, and those of their parents.
To provide an environment that meets the child’s needs
- They are accommodated in a care unit that is appropriate for their age and pathology.
- Equipment and material are specific and suited to their age and pathology.
- Recreational and educational activities are offered free of charge.
To support the presence of a family member during hospitalisation
- Solutions are sought in the event of a difficulty.
- The family member is encouraged to stay overnight.
- Unless medical reasons prevent it, visits are facilitated and no age restrictions are imposed.
To provide treatment suited to the child’s medical characteristics
- Examination, treatments, acts that require taking risks that are unhelpful for the child are to be avoided.
- Professional understanding and knowledge are developed on the basis of the most recent national and international scientific recommendations.
To establish a high degree of collaboration with the child and their parents in terms of treatment
- Information that is easy to understand for both the parents and the child about the child’s stay, their health, examinations, treatment and discharge will be provided.
- The child and their parents are regularly informed of changes to treatment.
- The child and their parents are considered partners in the provision of care and treatment.
To provide quality care and to ensure its continuity
- Care is provided continuously by qualified staff who can turn to a multi-disciplinary team for assistance if necessary.
- The child and their family are supported in all circumstances.
- End of life and support during this time are the subject of specific, professional and humane care provision.
To reduce situations of suffering and their impacts, whether they be physical, psychological or emotional
- Wherever possible, these situations are anticipated and the means to deal with them are put in place.
- Individual treatment and care methods are sought and implemented for these situations.
- An institutional policy is the subject of continuous improvement actions.
To take into consideration the specific needs of the newborn and their family
- Developing the bonds between the newborn and their parents is encouraged.
- Real support is provided for breast-feeding, whilst respecting, without judgement, a decision to bottle-feed or to give baby both breast and bottle.
- Supporting the development of parenting skills is a permanent goal.
*Inspired by the European charter for children’s rights