|
Welcome to the NICU at Saint Barnabas Mary and Joseph Spiteri admire baby Kaylee. While many Christians were celebrating the Christmas season by recalling the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, another Mary and Joseph were welcoming a child into the world last December 28. Unfortunately, for Mary and Joseph Spiteri of Franklin, NJ, this birth was not supposed to have taken place until February. A sudden bout of bleeding in the middle of the night caused Mary to phone her obstetrician who told her to come to the hospital immediately. Unbeknownst to the couple as they raced to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Mrs. Spiteri was experiencing both placental abruption and preecclamsia, conditions dangerous to both mother and unborn baby. At the Medical Center, the baby’s heart rate showed a significant drop and physicians determined that an emergency cesarian section was needed. During the procedure, a team from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was at the bedside, prepared to usher the newborn into the specialized unit for premature and sick babies. At 3:16 a.m., baby Kaylee Spiteri was delivered nine weeks early weighing only 2 pounds 13.8 ounces. “They were right there waiting for her,” says Mrs. Spiteri of the NICU team. “As shocked as we were, with so many questions about her weight and her health, they made us feel comfortable immediately.” The couple never thought of a NICU as a necessity because Mrs. Spiteri’s pregnancy had progressed without complication prior to the sudden health problems. In retrospect, they were pleased to have chosen Saint Barnabas because it is a Level III Regional Perinatal Center, the highest designation attainable by the New Jersey State Department of Health. The 50-bed NICU is the centerpiece of the pediatric component. “Since our experience, I tell everyone that is expecting a child to be conscious of whether or not the hospital they choose is equipped to care for premature babies,” adds Mr. Spiteri. “We put our trust in the NICU staff and they guided us through everything with so much patience and attention.” The NICU staff, which includes neonatologists and neonatal intensive care nurses, is always ready to transport infants to this specialized unit. Unlike most large medical centers where residents care for premature infants, the NICU at Saint Barnabas has only board-certified neonatologists attending to young patients at all times of the day or night. “I tell parents that this is a very stressful time and that no one wants to deliver prematurely,” says Teresa Stec, M.D., neonatologist. “It does comfort them to know that, given the circumstances, this is the best possible place for their baby.” Waiting for the day when an infant can leave the NICU may seem endless at times, but parents with newborns at Saint Barnabas make their baby’s NICU environment a home away from home. Through the loving attention of staff and family members, NICU babies receive comfort and care while they take each day one baby step at a time. As they prepared to take baby Kaylee home from the NICU, the Spiteri family recalled the NICU bulletin board filled with Halloween and Christmas photos of babies who had once been in the unit. “Seeing all those happy, healthy faces made me think if they can do it, our daughter can too,” says Mrs. Spiteri.
Caring for the Premature or Sick Infant Dr. Stec recommends that parents have contact with their infant in the NICU as soon as the baby’s condition stabilizes. While newborns are kept in incubators to help maintain body temperature, parents can hold them for 10- to 15-minute intervals. In addition, parents can reach into the incubators to stroke a tiny hand or a head. Once parents overcome their initial fear of “breaking” such a tiny infant, the physical contact promotes bonding. Even the most premature baby will curl a hand around a parent’s finger. Many parents decorate their baby’s incubator with family photographs and other loving touches. The Spiteri family took the suggestion of a nurse and placed a tiny tape recorder in Kaylee’s One of Mr. Spiteri’s favorite activities was his daily lunchtime feeding of baby Kaylee. NICU parents can participate in the care of their baby, including changing diapers and feeding,either through bottles or a syringe into a feeding tube. Mothers are encouraged to store milk if they are interested in breast feeding and the NICU offers a pumping room. The days spent in the NICU provide time for the premature infant to develop organs, especially the lungs and heart. Because premature babies sometimes experience health setbacks, the NICU offers a support group for parents. Another source of strength can come from other NICU families. The Spiteris speak with a smile about the parents who celebrated with them when their baby hit a new weight milestone. Despite the sometimes frightening circumstances, Dr. Stec has found that the overwhelming majority of couples turn to each other and work together throughout the experience. When parents finally bring their baby home from the NICU, they may still feel their childrearing experience is different from others. Dr. Stec recommends that parents of premature infants avoid comparing their child with other full-term babies born in the same time period. In the premature baby, every part of the body that was supposed to continue to grow inside the mother has to mature outside the womb. At one year of age, a child who was born four months premature may be the developmental equivalent of a 9-month-old. “This developmental delay usually corrects itself by 18 months to two years of age,” reports Dr. Stec. “Although the more premature the baby, the longer it may take.” For the 10 to 15 percent of premature infants who may continue to experience developmental or health problems, Saint Barnabas offers the High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Program. Babies receive physical and occupational therapy to improve gross and fine motor skills, as well as assistance in a variety of areas. For information about the NICU at Saint Barnabas, call [ top ] |
|
|||||||
The NICU at Saint Barnabas treats premature babies born at less than 34 weeks gestation, as well as full term infants with special needs. The average baby in the NICU was carried to between 24 to 36 weeks, although the unit has cared for infants born at only 23 weeks. The NICU treats many multiple birth babies__twins, triplets and occasionally quadruplets__as they have a greater chance of premature birth. 
incubator. They read stories into the tapes and the familiar sound of their voices comforted the baby. Mrs. Spiteri recalls how Kaylee turned her head and opened her eyes when her mother spoke, distinguishing her voice from others. 
