You might not have had any time with your baby after they were born and before they went to the unit.
Many parents tell us that seeing their baby in the incubator and attached to wires makes them feel distanced from them. There can also be sounds from equipment which can seem alarming at first. This can feel very upsetting.
Some parents find it helpful to know what the equipment does and how it helps to monitor and provide support for their baby. If you are ever unsure about the equipment used for your baby, ask the neonatal team – they will be happy to explain.
Incubator
Incubators are clear boxes which help keep your baby warm. Premature or sick babies can struggle to stay warm on their own.
Some incubators are closed boxes with hand holes on the side. This helps keep the heat and humidity in the incubator, stopping too much moisture evaporating from your baby’s fine skin.
Other incubators have open tops and an overhead heater or heated mattresses.
The temperature is controlled in two ways – either with controls or using an automatic sensor on your baby's skin. If the sensor falls off or is not working properly, an alarm sounds, and a nurse will check the temperature of the incubator.
Ventilators and breathing machines
Before your baby was born, they received all the oxygen they needed from their birth parent. The oxygen in the birth parent's blood passes across the placenta and into the umbilical cord (the cord that connects the baby to the placenta and which is cut at birth).
Once they are born, babies get their oxygen by breathing. If a baby is born prematurely or with a medical condition, they may struggle to breathe by themselves. Premature babies' lungs in particular might not be developed enough to manage breathing by themselves yet.
Depending on what your baby needs, they might be put on a machine called a ventilator – this helps your baby to breathe.
There are two types of basic ventilator:
Ventilators: These blow air with or without added oxygen (depending on what your baby needs) gently into your baby’s lungs through a tube which is passed through their nose or mouth. This inflates your baby’s lungs and is adjusted depending on what your baby needs.
High frequency oscillating ventilators: These blow small amounts of air, with or without added oxygen, (depending on what your baby needs) into the lungs very quickly, hundreds of times a minute. Your baby’s chest will look like it is vibrating. This might look worrying, but it can work very well for some kinds of lung conditions.
Other breathing machines can include:
Continuous positive airway pressure (often shortened to 'CPAP')
These blow air, with or without oxygen, (depending on what your baby needs) through two thin tubes in your baby’s nose, or through a small mask over their nose. CPAP slightly raises the pressure of the air, which helps keep your baby’s lungs inflated.
Non-invasic positive pressure ventilations (also called BiPap)
This is given through a mask or a small tube in your baby's nose and helps to regulate their breathing.
Heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula (also called 'high-flow' or 'optiflow')
Some babies need help with their breathing but do not need something as strong as a ventilator. High-flow is where warm, moist air with or without oxygen (depending on what your baby needs) flows into your baby’s lungs through small tubes in their nose.
Endotracheal (pronounced en-doe-track-eel) tube
This is put down your baby's windpipe (called a trachea by health professionals) if they are on a ventilator. It is either put in through your baby's nose or mouth. It is the tube which passes the air into your baby's lungs from the ventilator.
Vital signs monitor
These machines pick up electrical signals given out from your baby’s heart, and always check that it is beating properly. They can also pick up changes in your baby's breathing. These monitors pick up these signals through small pads put on your baby’s chest. Wires run from the pads to the monitoring machine.
Oxygen saturation monitor
These monitors check the amount of oxygen in your baby's blood, by shining a light through their skin. The sensors are strapped gently to your baby’s foot or hand.
Intravenous (pronounced in-tra-vee-nus, and sometimes shortened to IV) drip
Your baby might have thin tubes (sometimes called IVs, drips or cannulae) put into a tiny blood vessel. The IV is usually put in a hand, foot, arm or leg. Sometimes the staff might have to use one of the tiny veins on the surface of your baby’s head. These tubes are there to give fluids or medication, like antibiotics.
Feeding tube
If your baby can't feed by themselves yet, they might be able to have breast milk or formula through a tube that goes down their mouth or nose and into their stomach. Doctors might use a nasogastric (pronounced nase-oh-gas-trick) or orogastric (pronounced or-oh-gas-trick) tube.
For more information about feeding, visit our page about being a parent on the neonatal unit.
FAQs
Equipment That Is Used in the NICU
- Heart or cardiorespiratory monitor. This monitor displays a baby's heart and breathing rates and patterns on a screen. ...
- Blood pressure monitor. ...
- Temperature. ...
- Pulse oximeter. ...
- X-ray. ...
- CT scan. ...
- MRI. ...
- Nasogastric tube or orogastric tube.
Cord clamps x 3 Sharp scissors/umbilical cord scissors Gauze Clinical waste bag x 2 Stethoscope Gloves Patient ID bracelet x 2 Axilla thermometer Copy of the NLS algorithm Oxygen cylinder and saturation monitor with an appropriate probe.
What equipment is used for premature babies? ›
high-frequency ventilator— A machine that breathes for your baby at a faster rate than other ventilators. Oscillating and jet ventilators are examples of high-frequency ventilators. incubator — A clear plastic bed that helps keep your baby warm.
What would you find at the neonatal unit of a hospital? ›
The NICU is a nursery in a hospital that provides around-the-clock care to sick or preterm babies. It has health care providers who have special training and equipment to give your baby the best possible care. Learn about the levels of medical care that NICUs provide and what level your baby needs.
What is baby equipment? ›
Baby gear includes various products that aid in the daily care, comfort, and safety of infants and young children. Cribs, strollers, high chairs, and play mats are just a few examples of these convenient items for parents.
What is the physical organization and equipment of NICU? ›
It describes the necessary physical space, facilities, equipment, staffing, and organization of care into three levels - basic, high-level, and intensive care. Key requirements for the NICU include appropriate space per bed, ventilation, lighting, environmental controls, and isolation rooms.
What do NICU nurses need? ›
Neonatal nurses need a college degree and a state-issued license. Certifications can help professionals qualify for more career opportunities. The typical neonatal nurse practitioner salary exceeds $115,000 as of June 2024.
What is included in the neonatal program quick equipment checklist? ›
NRP Quick Equipment Checklist
- Preheated warmer.
- Warm towels or blankets.
- Temperature sensor and sensor cover for prolonged resuscitation.
- Hat.
- Plastic bag or plastic wrap (< 32 weeks' gestation)
- Thermal mattress (< 32 weeks' gestation)
Care during this period should be continuous and effective. Newborn care consists of evaluation for the need of resuscitation, a complete physical exam, administration of prophylactic medications and vaccines, adequate feedings, safe sleep, hygiene of the newborn, and other important areas for baby wellbeing.
What are the requirements for a NICU room? ›
Each room shall be designed to allow visual and speech privacy for the infant and family, including skin-to-skin care, breastfeeding, and pumping. At least four electrical outlets for use and charging of electronic devices. Supply storage of no less than 30 cubic feet (0.85 cubic meter).
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Through small tubes that fit into the baby's nostrils, called nasal CPAP, this machine pushes a continuous flow of air to the airways to help keep tiny air passages in the lungs open. CPAP can give extra oxygen as well. It may also be given through an ET tube.
What is inside NICU? ›
NICUs have highly trained staff and special equipment to care for sick and premature babies. Each baby is closely monitored by an individual bedside nurse and other specialists. Most NICUs aim to involve parents and help them understand what's happening.
What is a neonatal unit? ›
When babies are born early, have health problems, or a difficult birth they go to the hospital's NICU. NICU stands for "neonatal intensive care unit." There, babies get around-the-clock care from a team of experts. Most of these babies go to the NICU (NIK-yoo) within 24 hours of birth.
What is a NICU box called? ›
Incubators are clear boxes which help keep your baby warm. Premature or sick babies can struggle to stay warm on their own. Some incubators are closed boxes with hand holes on the side. This helps keep the heat and humidity in the incubator, stopping too much moisture evaporating from your baby's fine skin.
What is the difference between neonatal and NICU? ›
A NICU is a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: An even more specialized facility that cares for brand-new patients such as premature infants and sick "term" newborns. When children are first entering the world and need a little extra care, they typically go to the NICU.
What is the NICU box called? ›
Incubator. Incubators are clear boxes which help keep your baby warm. Premature or sick babies can struggle to stay warm on their own. Some incubators are closed boxes with hand holes on the side.
What are NICU cribs called? ›
Incubators: Incubators are clear plastic cribs that keep babies warm and protect them from germs and noise. These allow medical personnel access to the baby for treatment while minimizing potential environmental health risks.
What are NICU babies kept in? ›
Incubators: These are small beds enclosed by clear, hard plastic. Temperature in the incubator is controlled to keep your baby's body temperature where it should be. Doctors, nurses, and other caregivers care for babies through holes in the sides of the incubator.
What goes on in a NICU? ›
Babies in the NICU are constantly monitored for apnea and bradycardia (often called "A's and B's”). Sensors on the baby's chest send information about his breathing and heart rate to a machine located near the incubator. If a baby stops breathing, an alarm will begin beeping.
