Saint Joseph Hospital & Good Samaritan Hospital
Neonatal Intensive Care Units
(NICU)

What can you learn to do for and with your baby?

 

Kangaroo care (holding your baby skin to skin)

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• Highly beneficial to you and your baby.  This activity is encouraged unless there is a medical indication for not doing it.  Refer to the Kangaroo Care section in Family Integrated Care.  Ask your nurse for more information.

 

Breastfeeding & Nuzzling

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• Breastfeeding or letting your baby nuzzle at mom’s breast can be done fairly early during your stay.  Doing kangaroo care at your breast can help your breasts make milk and improve your baby’s oral feeds later.  Ask your nurse to arrange a time for you to meet with a lactation consultant.

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Care Times

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• Your baby’s daily plan of care will have scheduled times for certain routine care activities, like diaper changes, taking their temperature, repositioning, and, at some point, feeding. Plan to be here at these care times so you can learn to care for your baby.  Your nurse will guide and help you to become more comfortable with these care activities. Please respect your baby’s care schedule by being here to give care during these times.  This will help your baby in the most important part of their growth and recovery - sleep!

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Infant Massage

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• This is another way to help your baby’s development. Your baby’s developmental therapist can teach you how to do this.  Please let your baby’s nurse know if you are interested.