Welcome to the Neonatal Unit Parent Booklet

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Information for parents and carers

Welcome to the Neonatal Unit (NNU). Your baby has been admitted to NNU because they require extra observation and support.

The Unit accommodates up to 18 babies and has up to 7 nursing staff on duty: 6 registered nurses (3-4 with a qualification in neonatal care) and a nursery nurse. There is a Doctor 24/7 and a Consultant available every day.

When you are admitted to NNU, and regularly throughout your stay, a member of staff will talk you through the care your baby is receiving. We cannot always say exactly how long your baby will be on the Unit, as this will depend on your baby’s progress.

Free Public WiFi
Go to Wi-Fi settings on your device and select NHS Wi-Fi from the list of available networks. Once connected, select “Create an account”, or if you have an account, fill in the details and select “Continue”. If this is your first time connecting, please follow the onscreen instructions to complete registration. Once you are registered and signed in, the landing page will be displayed.
You are now able to use our free Wi-Fi service. You will need to reconnect every 24 hrs.

What happens when your baby is admitted
We understand that having a baby on the Neonatal Unit is a worrying and frightening time for families. We want to reassure you that we are here to advise and support you while you are with us.
Your baby may be placed in an incubator to keep them warm. They may have breathing and feeding tubes in their nose or mouth. They will be attached to a monitor so we can closely observe their breathing and heart rate.

There are 3 stages of care on the Neonatal Unit.
We refer to these as Intensive care, High Dependency care, and Special care.
Your baby may experience one of these, or all three. All stages of your baby’s care will be discussed with you throughout your stay with us.
We also have a Transitional Care Unit, which is located on the Postnatal ward. You and your baby may be transferred to this area before discharge so you can build up confidence in caring for your baby while still having nursing and medical staff support.
You may be discharged home with additional support from our Neonatal Community Outreach Team. If this is the case we will have a discussion with you about this service nearer to discharge.

Parents, Carers and Siblings
Involving the family in the care of their baby is very important to us, and we see this as a partnership. Parents and carers have open access so are welcome at any time, and encouraged to be with their baby for as long and as often as they can. Siblings can also have open access.
The nursing team can support you to have private family time with your baby if medically safe for baby. Please discuss with your allocated nurse if this is something you wish to do.

Extended Family & Friends Visiting
The early days and weeks are an important time for you to bond and get to know your baby. Babies are susceptible to infections and need a calm quiet environment. Other visitors must be over 18 years old and be accompanied by a parent. They may visit between 13.00–19.00 hrs.
We recommend only 2 people at the cot-side at any one time, of which one must be a parent. (Siblings are not counted in this number).
In certain circumstances, another person can be nominated instead of a parent. Please ask your nurse for more details and for a copy of the ‘Extended Family & Friends Nomination’ form.

It is advisable that only parents cuddle and touch their baby during the early days to
support parent-to-baby bonding and reduce the risk of infections.

Protecting Baby from Infection
A premature baby is more vulnerable to infections. What may be a minor infection to you could be more serious for your baby. Because of this, we ask that you follow our infection control procedures closely for the health and safety of your baby.

Remove coats and jackets at the door.
Aim to be “bare below the elbow” when on the unit – roll long sleeves up, and remove watches and jewellery that may harbour infection.
Wash your hands thoroughly when entering/leaving a room, and before touching your baby.

If you have a cough, cold, diarrhoea, vomiting, or any other signs of infection, please call the unit to discuss your symptoms with the nursing team before attending.
Please discourage other family members from visiting if they are unwell.

Parking
The Trust provides free parking for you whilst your baby is being cared for on the Neonatal Unit. Please ask the nurse caring for your baby for a form for you to complete to access this.

Travel Costs
Some parents and carers may qualify for help with travel costs to and from the hospital. You may be eligible if you or your partner get Universal Credit, Income Support, or Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance. You may also qualify if you have an NHS Tax Credit exemption certificate or on a low income. Please ask a member of staff for further information.

Food and Drink

Free meals and snacks can be provided. The meal trolley is on the Postnatal ward at 12.15 pm and 5.30 pm. There is a snack box with free items for all parents in the parent’s flat. Sandwiches are available at all other times. Please ask a member of staff for assistance.

Hot drinks/water: Hot drink-making facilities are available in the parent lounge. We also have a cold water dispenser on the unit. Hot drinks must have a lid if they are taken into the rooms. Please bring in your own hot and cold drink bottles if you have them.

Parent’s and carer’s sitting room: We have a small lounge area for families opposite the main neonatal door (Ben Bennett suite). You are welcome to use this to make a drink and eat your meals. There is also a fridge, air fryer and microwave available for you to use, and a toilet and shower.

Hospital Restaurant There is a restaurant on the lower ground floor. It is open 7.30 am – 7.30 pm Mon-Fri. You will find vending machines outside the restaurant and in the corridor at the main entrance.

WRVS shop This is situated in the main entrance atrium. It is open 8 am – 5 pm on Mon-Fri and 10 am – 4.30 pm on weekends.

Costa Coffee There is a Costa Coffee outlet at the main entrance. Open 7 am – 8 pm on Mon-Fri and 7.30 am – 7.30 pm on weekends.

Accommodation
We have a parent’s/carer’s flat on our Neonatal Unit, called “The Ben Bennett suite”. The lounge/kitchenette, washer dryer and bathroom facilities are available for all neonatal parents to use during daytime hours.

For overnight stays, we have two rooms: one with a double bed, and the second room with a double pull-out day bed. The second room can also be used as a quiet room when not being used as a bedroom. Priority is given to parents or carers whose baby is very sick, have an excessive distance to travel or have transport issues.

A buddy bed (a chair that can be used as a bed) is available for a parent to stay next to their baby in a side room if available and appropriate.
Alternatively, there are local hotels nearby: A Premier Inn just off junction 6 on the M5, and another in Worcester city centre. There are over 50 hotels in Worcester. Details of these can be found on the internet.

Use of Parent Flat
We request that you are considerate of all users of the flat facilities, any unacceptable behaviour or use may result in the offer of the flat being withdrawn.

Keep area clean & tidy
Keep noise to a minimum
Do not leave any electrical items unattended during use
Report any faulty equipment to a member of staff

We try to be fair to all parents and will rotate the use of the flat to enable all parents that wish to, to stay overnight.
Please raise any concerns with a member of staff.

Please bring in…
We understand that you were not prepared when you had your baby early, so we provide everything you need for the first few days. After this, please bring nappies in, nappy sacks, clothing, and cotton wool balls/pads and muslin squares for your baby to lie on (70cm square or similar is ideal). All of these items are generally available in larger branches of local supermarkets. If this is a problem for you, please speak to staff in confidence. Thank you!

West Midlands Perinatal Network
We are part of the West Midlands Perinatal Network. This means that if your baby needs more intensive care, or we are struggling for cot space, we might transfer them to another neonatal unit in the West Midlands (on rare occasions outside the West Midlands Network). If there is a unit closer to where you live it may be possible to move. If your baby does need to be transferred, we will discuss this with you first. For more information, please visit https://www.wmnodn.org.uk/

Neonatal Journey Booklet
The Neonatal Journey booklet is a place to record your baby’s progress and milestones with photos and stories. It helps us understand you and your family, and how we can support you throughout your neonatal journey. As you learn how to care for your baby, the booklet becomes an educational guide as well as a keepsake of your journey together. Please ask a member of staff for your booklet.

Feeding your baby
All babies benefit from receiving their mother’s breast milk. This is especially important for babies born early or sick. Your breast milk helps protect your baby from infection and preterm complications, and will also help your baby’s brain, eyes, and gut to mature and develop. Breast milk is seen as part of their medical treatment.

We recommend that you start to hand-express milk for your baby within an hour of birth. You will be given a hand expression pack either before your baby is born or as soon after delivery as possible. If you haven’t received one, please ask the nurse or your midwife. The QR code below has a video of how to hand express.

After the first couple of days, when your milk starts to flow, we have expressing pumps available for you to use. We loan out hand-held breast pumps free of charge. They are available to use for the duration of your baby’s stay on the Neonatal Unit. We ask that these be returned before your baby’s discharge.
We are here to support you however you choose to feed your baby, whether that is breast or bottle feeding.

You will find lots of useful information in the feeding room on the unit, and staff are always available to help and advise.

Donor Expressed Breast Milk
If you have given birth to a very small or preterm baby, you may not always be able to provide enough of your own breast milk at first. Donor-expressed breast milk (DEBM) may be the preferred alternative milk if there is not enough of mum’s own breast milk to meet the baby’s needs. If your baby’s Consultant feels this is the best alternative milk, they will discuss this with you and will need to gain your consent. DEBM is donated from mothers who have been fully screened and their milk is pasteurised and frozen until needed.

The benefits of colostrum for the sick or preterm baby, and how to hand express
https://bit.ly/benefitsofc

Skin to Skin
Whether you are breast or bottle feeding, you and your baby will benefit from spending time having skin-to-skin contact often called “kangaroo care”. Skin-to-skin contact keeps your baby warm, regulates their heartbeat and breathing, and even helps with growth and brain development. It stimulates the production of breast milk and encourages your baby’s breastfeeding cues. It makes you both feel calm and reduces the production of your stress hormones.

HOW TO: When you are relaxing in the chair, undress your baby leaving just the nappy on, and hold your baby upright on your bare chest and place a blanket to cover you both.
Do this for as long as you can, but at least once a day.

Avoid the use of strong perfumes on your skin or recent cigarette smoke.
We encourage skin-to-skin with all babies, even those requiring the support of a breathing machine.

Skin-to-skin care can be given by both parents/carers and siblings too – this helps you all bond with your new baby.

The benefits of skin-to-skin and kangaroo care for premature babies https://bit.ly/skin2skinbenefits

Noise and light
The Neonatal Unit should be a calm and peaceful place where your baby can get better and grow so they can be discharged home as soon as possible.

Please talk quietly when on the Unit and encourage your visitors to be quiet too. Phones should be kept on silent or have a low ring volume. Whenever possible, we ask for calls to be taken outside the Neonatal Unit.

Preterm babies find bright lighting stressful, and it can disrupt their sleep and rest, so you may notice that we turn the lights down whenever possible. This helps to provide a calm environment for babies.
We aim to have a ‘protected rest time’ each day when we try not to disturb the babies. You are especially encouraged to give skin-to-skin care during this time as your baby will experience a deeper undisturbed sleep.

Daily Ward Rounds
Your baby will have their care assessed by a consultant, senior doctor, or an Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (ANNP) every day while they are receiving intensive or high-dependency care. Once your baby no longer requires Intensive/High Dependency care your baby will be moved into Special care, where they will be reviewed by the medical team every day except Tuesdays and Thursdays. On those days the nurse in charge will perform the review.

We would like you to be present on the ward round while your baby is being assessed and examined to participate in discussions and decision making on the plan of care for your baby.
Family-integrated care is important to us, and we encourage parent-led ward rounds. As a parent or carer, you know your baby best, and this is your chance to tell medical and nursing staff about your baby and ask any questions you have. Taking part in a parent-led ward round is completely voluntary.

If you hear confidential information at any time which is pertinent to another baby/family on the unit please be respectful and do not discuss or share with anyone else.
To support confidentiality we have noise-cancelling headphones available. Please ask staff if you would like to have a discussion in private, or request that other parents in the room wear the headphones whilst your baby is discussed.

Health Professionals you may meet
Many different health professionals work as a team on the neonatal unit. Some of them may be involved in the care of your baby. With staff coming and going on different shifts, you will probably get to know some of the staff, but it can feel confusing at first to know who’s who, and what their job role is. Scan the QR codes to find out more about the staff you will meet and their roles.

Introduction to a neonatal unit https://bit.ly/BlissNeonatal

Allied Health Professionals (AHPS) in the Neonatal Unit: Working together to care for your baby

Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychology provides understanding of the babies’ experiences in the neonatal unit and provide support to the families of those babies and the staff who are caring for them. They can provide short term psychological support/ brief interventions to the families and carers of babies.

Dietitians
Neonatal dietitians work with families and the health care team to support babies nutrition and growth in the following ways:

Monitoring nutrition by looking at growth measurements, blood results, medications and other clinical information.
Working closely with families and other healthcare professionals to help meet the needs of babies who require tube feeding.
Educating families on the benefits of expressed breast milk for their baby.

Occupational Therapist(OT)
OTs work together with parents/caregivers, their babies and other health professionals to protect the development of babies and to support:

Babies and parents’ participation in daily activities (sleeping, feeding, bathing) and early interaction whilst adapting to parenting on the neonatal unit.
Developmentally appropriate sensory and supportive environmental experiences.
Parent’s awareness to their babies’ behavioural cues and to understand their babies likes and dislikes.
Babies reaching their full developmental potential and offering advice when transitioning home from the neonatal unit.

Physiotherapist
Physiotherapists work with the families and the medical team to protect and promote babies’ development. This can be through assessment, advice and guidance or individual programmes looking at:

Supportive handling and positioning techniques
Promoting physiological flexion and encouraging typical movement patterns
Developmentally supportive care, promoting neuroprotective environments and developmental or neurological assessments
Specific and targeted exercise or movement programmes
Support with discharge home including advice and guidance for the parents and supporting the nursing outreach team as required.

Speech & Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapists on the neonatal unit support families and babies in the following ways:

Supporting families to understand their baby’s early communication
Educating and supporting them to read their babies cues so that they can help them progress their feeding and develop their communication
Helping babies to establish safe and positive suck feeding opportunities
If too early for suck feeding (by mouth) we will support families with pre feeding skills and providing positive touch
Supporting babies in transitioning from tube feeding to suck feeding when appropriate.
Support onward referral on discharge to appropriate teams.

Siblings
Noah’s Star charity supports families of premature and sick babies within the West Midlands. Noah’s Star provide downloadable and printable resources for siblings – a sibling support book, a storybook and story worksheets. You can download them from https://noahsstar.co.uk/support-for-families/resources/ or by scanning the QR code on the right

We can provide a selection of books and toys for siblings while they are on the unit. Please ask a member of staff if you wish to use them.

Parent Support
The Bliss charity offers a wide range of free services for the families of premature and sick babies including a video call support service.
For more information scan the QR code or go to:
https://www.bliss.org.uk/parents/support
We have a Clinical Psychologist available to support parents and siblings on your neonatal journey, please ask a staff member if you would like to speak with her.

Books from birth
All babies admitted to the neonatal unit are gifted a story book to keep.
Hearing your voice helps your baby feel safe and secure, and research shows that reading to your baby can help you to develop a close and loving bond. It also sets a foundation for their learning, helping to increase their language and brain development.

It is never too early to start reading to your baby and we hope that by gifting this book to your family, we can help you on your reading journey.

You can share a story during cuddle time, skin to skin, or while your baby is awake in their cot or incubator. Brothers and sisters can get involved too.

Keep an eye out for your baby’s cues and if they need a little break. For example, signs like yawning, turning away or stretching out their hands may mean it’s best to save the story for later.
Ask a member of staff for your free book if you haven’t already been given one.

Financial Support
Having a baby on the neonatal unit can have significant additional financial implications
for the family, such as travel expenses and time off work.

The Healthy Start scheme: Get help to buy food and milk
When you have a baby you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on, that you can use in some UK shops.

The Family Fund scheme
Grants and wider support for families raising a disabled or seriously ill child on a low income can get support from the Family Fund scheme. Our Family Integrated Care lead will be able to help you with this. Scan the QR for more information about the scheme.

Pastoral Care and Religious Support
Our chaplaincy service provides emotional and spiritual support for parents, carers, and siblings. You do not have to be religious to use this service, and they provide help and emotional support whatever the circumstances.

The chaplains make weekly visits to the neonatal unit. If you would like to speak with them please ask a member of staff.

Neonatal Parent Leave
Neonatal Care Leave and Pay gives parents the opportunity to extend their parental leave by one week for every full week that their baby is receiving hospital care if:

Their baby is admitted for neonatal care within 28 days of birth
The treatment is for a continuous period of 7 days or more

For more information, visit the link below or scan the QR code.
https://www.bliss.org.uk/parents/support/neonatal-care-leave-and-pay-guidance-and-faqs

Registering the birth of your baby
All births must be registered within 42 days of the child being born.
There are register offices in Worcester, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Evesham, Kidderminster, and Malvern.
You need to make an appointment first. Book your appointment by scanning the QR code or going to: https://bit.ly/registerabirth

Registering with a GP
You do not currently need a birth certificate to register your baby with the GP Practice; all you need to do is:

Call your GP practice and tell the receptionist that you wish to register your baby with the GP; or
Contact your practice online and follow the process.

Any information required to register the baby with the GP will be in your baby’s red book, so have it handy when making the call or online application for details required. The red book is usually kept with your baby on the unit.

Follow us on Social Media

Feedback
Your feedback is important to us. It helps to improve our service and your experience. There are several ways you can let us know what you think about your experience on the NNU:

Friends and family test: there are cards at the entrance to the Neonatal unit. You may also be given one to complete by a member of staff. Please leave it by the ward clerk’s desk or hand it back to a member of staff. Your responses are anonymous, unless you would like us to know by writing your name on the form.
Feedback of your experience on the Neonatal unit – you will see posters on the neonatal unit asking for feedback (“Your Opinion Matters” ) – you can scan the QR code on the poster, or scan the QR code below, which will take you to a short survey. Your feedback helps us understand how we can improve our service to families on the unit.
We have a “Star of the Month” award. If you would like to thank a member of staff, use the QR code or link which can be found on posters all around the unit. All staff nominated will receive a letter of thanks along with your comment, and the winner is chosen by the Ward Manager using the criteria of who has gone “above and beyond” this month. The winner receives a certificate, a small gift, and a gold star to wear for the month.

If you have a concern please ask to speak to either the Nurse in Charge, the Ward Manager, or the Matron in the first instance. If you feel the concern is not resolved you can contact PALS for further support.
PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service). Contact us if you have a query or need advice. We can help you sort out any concerns you may have about the care we provide. Call PALS on 0300 123 1732 or email: [email protected]

More Information
There is a parent information board on the unit as you enter. You will also find leaflets in the feeding room, and links on the QR code board near the ward clerks.

NEONATAL AND TRANSITIONAL CARE UNITS – WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST https://staging.worcsacute.mixd.co.uk/neonatal-unit

WORCESTERSHIRE ACUTE HOSPITALS TRUST WEBSITE for general information https://staging.worcsacute.mixd.co.uk/

NEONATAL SERVICES JUST GIVING PAGE: FOR DONATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR UNIT https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/The-Worcestershire-Neonatal-Unit-Fund

Free online course to help you develop the best bond and relationship with your baby: Understanding your preterm or sick baby in hospital.
https://inourplace.heiapply.com/online-learning/course/98
There is another free course for when you are at home: the link is in the booklet you will be given when you are preparing for home or can be found from the link above or using the QR code.

Mission Statement
Worcestershire Neonatal Services

Our mission is to create an environment where babies receive excellent care, and parents are supported and recognised as partners in care during their stay on our unit, and at home with our outreach team

Our Values

Family integrated care – we believe in always involving family: supporting, encouraging and teaching parents to care for their premature or sick babies, with assistance and advice from our highly qualified neonatal nursing, medical and allied health professionals.
Evidence-based care – we provide evidence-based care which follows the latest neonatal guidelines.
Excellence – we never aim for anything less than excellent care for both babies and families. Our staff are highly skilled and trained in neonatal care.
Compassion – our staff appreciate some of the challenges of having a baby that requires neonatal care and demonstrate compassion and understanding, taking the time to talk with parents about any concerns they have.
Privacy – We are committed to respecting and upholding parents’ right to privacy and dedicated private time within our neonatal unit, recognising these as essential components of bonding, healing, and family-centred care.
Respect – we respect parent’s choices and decisions on their baby’s care, which will be based on the information that they receive from us.
Honesty and Clarity – we believe in being honest and open with all parents and will discuss and explain all treatment and care in terminology they can understand.

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