NEONATAL CARE

A Neonatal unit is a cell especially designed and equipped to take care of sick and pre-term babies. One in ten babies born in India needs to spend at least a few days in a Neonatal Unit to recover from infection and hence require intravenous antibiotics, need extra monitoring or breathing support. The length of stay varies from days to months and depends on the infant's condition.

Whatever the level of care required, all newborn infants need to be primarily kept warm, receive fluid and nutrition. Keeping the baby warm may be done by wrapping the infant in a blanket, or by placing it under an overhead warmer, or by placing it in an incubator. Fluid and nutrition can be provided intravenously via a narrow tube inserted into a blood vessel, or through a tube placed into the nose or mouth feeding into the stomach, or through oral feeding.

Staff in Neonatal Units
The senior nurse and sisters are in charge of the nursing staff, which includes nurses of all grades as well as interns. The medical staff consists of Consultants, Registrars and Senior House Officers. If an infant requires surgery, a Paediatric Consultant Surgeon will be involved in the infant's care.

Other visiting staff may include physiotherapists, radiographers, pharmacists, dieticians and social workers. Social Workers help parents in practical ways and advise on benefits and maternity rights.