Kangaroo Care
Kangaroo care, also called skin-to-skin
care, means holding your baby next to your bare chest. The name comes from the
way a mother kangaroo cares for her prematurely born baby by holding her little
one close to her body in her pouch.
Kangaroo care is good for both mother
and baby. When a mother snuggles her baby against her chest, the baby relaxes,
breathes easier, sleeps better and may gain weight more quickly.
Care-by-Parent Rooms
Because most neonatal patients
require special care even after discharge, parent education is important. Our
seven care-by-parent rooms offer parents an opportunity for “on-the-job”
training in which they learn home care techniques and treatments their infant
may require.
Parents may take the time they need,
spending the night if necessary, until they feel fully prepared to provide the
care their baby needs at home.
Neonatal Pain Management
Comfort activities have been shown to
help newborns experiencing pain. These activities include gentle handling and
movement, holding the newborn snugly next to your body, rocking, swaddling in a
blanket, positioning or holding the baby with arms and legs tucked close to the
body, keeping the room quiet and calm and providing a pacifier or fingers for
sucking.
When pain is strong, medicine may be
needed for relief. Pain medicine can be swallowed, applied to the skin,
injected into the skin or muscle or given through a small tube placed in a
blood vessel (intravenous catheter or IV).
How the medicine is given depends on
the medicine itself, the type and location of the pain and the age and
abilities of the baby.
Care
Conferences
Family sessions with the members of
your baby's care team are a good way for parents to help plan their baby's care
during hospitalization. Care conferences may be called by anyone who is part of
the baby's team, including parents. They can be very helpful for babies with
multiple care needs.
Updates
on Your Baby's Condition
Our neonatal medical team will make
every effort to meet with you in the afternoon to discuss your baby’s progress
and any issues that may have developed. The team is available daily until 5
p.m.
After 5 p.m., doctors on call staff
the nursery, and they may not know all the details of your baby's care. If you
can only visit at night, please let the nurse know. We can make special
arrangements to schedule an evening meeting when your doctor is on call.
At
Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital we understand the emotional stress of
having a child in our Neonatal Care Unit. We are here to assist you every step
of the way.
For your baby's safety and security,
a picture ID is required of anyone entering the nursery, including parents.
Nursery Closed Hours
The Neonatal Special Care and
Neonatal Intensive Care units are closed from 6:15 to 7:15 mornings and
evenings to allow our nurses to complete their change-of-shift reports. The
nurseries are also closed during medical team rounds. In the Level III NICU,
rounds are scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. In the Level II Special Care Unit,
rounds take place from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Ronald McDonald House
Families of critically ill children
can rest and recharge in the home-away-from-home environment of the 14-bedroom
Ronald McDonald House located within Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. A
true collaboration between the hospital and Ronald McDonald House of Houston,
the House includes seven rooms that serve the Pediatric ICU and seven more that
serve the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Ronald McDonald House of Houston
furnished and decorated the rooms to create a comfortable environment that
includes Internet service, refreshments, books, games and other services. The
House also has two large family living rooms, laundry facilities and a
kitchenette. Each sleep/nap room with adjacent bath is designed to give parents
a place to rest or spend the night.
Bedrooms are available from 1:00 to
5:00 p.m. on a first come, first served basis by checking in at Ronald McDonald
House office located on the seventh floor of the Hermann Pavilion. Overnight
rooms are available from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m. and are assigned by your
child’s nurse.
Married Parents
If the parents are married, both
husband and wife are legal guardians of their baby, and they determine who may
visit. A parent must accompany visitors during each visit.
With the parents’ permission, two
designated visitors or grandparents may visit by themselves. For privacy, only
minimal information will be given to these designated visitors. Parents will be
asked to designate a password so that the staff may give detailed information
about their baby’s condition by telephone.
Unmarried Parents
If the mother is single, the mother
is the legal guardian of the baby, and she determines who may visit.
With her permission, the father may
come into the nursery by himself. The mother can designate two visitors or
grandparents who may visit without her presence. For privacy, only minimal
information will be given to these designated visitors. The mother of the baby
will be asked to designate a password so that the staff may give her detailed
information by telephone.
Children as Visitors
Brothers and sisters of the baby may
visit if they are at least 3 years old and accompanied by a legal guardian of
the baby. Children younger than 3 years may not come into the nursery. Children
other than siblings must be at least 13 years of age to visit.
Preventing the Spread of Infection
Sick and premature babies can catch
illnesses from adults and children. Parents and visitors who are ill should
speak with a staff member about their symptoms before going into the nursery.
If you have sores, suspect you have a contagious illness or have been around
someone who is sick or may have chickenpox, please avoid coming to the
hospital.
Patient Stories
Read
about families and their first hand experience with Children’s Memorial Hermann
Hospital.
When families come to Children’s
Memorial Hermann Hospital, they expect to find the technological advances and
healing expertise of a full-service, university-affiliated hospital. What
continues to surprise them is the special compassion and focus on family that
distinguishes us as one of the finest children’s hospitals in the nation.
Contact Us
For
more information or to schedule an appointment.