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Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Family integrated care (FICare)

 

Our NICU follows a family integrated care (FICare) approach. This means we encourage parents to spend time with their baby and help care for them, even in the early days. Your family is an important part of your baby’s care and their journey home. We welcome you to join the medical team during your baby’s daily check-ups and help with their care. These rounds happen every day between 10 and 11 a.m.

Parents and siblings are welcome to visit as often as they can. We do our best to include your family in your baby’s care. If space allows, we can provide a hospital bed or couch in your baby’s room so you can stay close. We also respect your family’s values, beliefs and culture when planning care.


What to bring

To bring familiarity to your baby, you can bring a small photo or a clean blanket from home. During breaks you can leave these items with your baby. We can also provide you a quilt that you can use to cover your baby's incubator to create a calming environment. You can also use it during skin-to-skin time with your baby.

Taking care of yourself is also super important during this journey. Consider bringing comfortable clothing, a journal, your favorite water bottle, snacks, a book or items that bring you comfort.


Father and baby bonding
Holding your baby skin-to-skin

Skin-to-skin contact, also referred to as kangaroo care, between you and your newborn provides many benefits to your baby’s health. It’s the practice of keeping your baby, only in a diaper, against your bare chest. We encourage parents to share this family bonding time.


Why should I practice skin-to-skin holding?


Holding your baby skin-to-skin benefits the health and well-being of you and your baby. It’s now considered a “standard of care,” which means it’s the best care.

How do I prepare for skin-to-skin bonding?
  1. Talk to your nurse to find out if your baby is ready.
  2. Get yourself ready by pumping, eating, hydrating and going to the restroom before you start to hold your baby.
  3. Make sure you and your baby are comfortable and well supported. This takes preparation but our staff is ready to help you.
  4. Plan to hold your baby a minimum of one hour. Holding from one care time to the next is best. Care time is when your baby is fed, their diaper is changed, and vital signs are checked.
Sleeping baby


Skin-to-skin time can help babies by:

 

• Regulating body temperature

• Promoting weight gain

• Encouraging quiet sleep

• Helping with digestion and pain control

• Stabilizing heart rate, breathing and less apnea





Skin-to-skin time can help parents by:

 

• Boosting milk production

• Increasing breastfeeding success

• Reducing stress

• Improving infant-parent bonding

• Decreasing postpartum depression