Our Caring Environment
Developmental Care and the NICU Environment
Your baby’s developmental needs are a top priority in the NICU. The NICU is designed to create a nurturing environment. This may include dim lighting, decreased noise levels and special positioning and handling.
Lighting
Bright lights may harm baby’s eyes and keep him from interacting with the environment. Constant light can also disturb body rhythms. The use of day and night variations can increase sleep duration, aid in weight gain, support daily hormonal changes and stabilize temperature levels. In the NICU we keep lighting low, cover isolettes and turn off bright lights used for procedures when not needed.
Sound
Babies in the NICU are often sensitive to sound. Loud noises may startle or disturb them. Loud noises may also harm their ears and may contribute to hearing loss. Noise levels can be reduced by simple measures such as closing portholes in isolettes, decreasing alarm levels on equipment, using quiet voices and limiting the number of visitors in the NICU.
Positioning
The more contained your baby is, the less stress she feels. Positioning helps with your baby’s physical development. Babies are most comfortable with knees curled toward the chest, feet confined and arms swaddled close to their face with hands free. In the NICU, we use positioning tools to help keep your baby positioned comfortably. These tools include Snuggly™, Bendies™, and blanket rolls.
Touch and Handling
Touch and handling need to be individualized based on each baby’s response. For some babies, touch and handling can produce signs of stress such as changes in their heart rate or breathing and oxygenation levels. The smaller and more ill the baby, the more sensitive he is to any stimulation. Nurses will try to cluster your baby’s care to allow for longer periods of uninterrupted sleep and to decrease the number of times your baby is handled.
Touch can be rewarding for both the baby and the parent. Babies prefer a firm, steady touch rather than soft strokes. They also like to feel contained. You can help achieve this by holding your baby’s head in one hand and feet in the other.
Kangaroo Care
Skin to skin contact, referred to as kangaroo care, has advantages for both you and your baby. It promotes bonding and can increase a nursing mother’s milk supply. Ask your nurse if kangaroo care is appropriate for your baby. You may need to wait until your baby is stable before attempting this type of care.
Signs of Stress in the Baby
Your baby will let us know when she is experiencing stress. These are some signs to look for:
- crying
- hiccups
- jerky or flailing movements
- startling easily
- yawning
- sleeplessness
- avoiding eye contact
- changes in heart rate, breathing and oxygenation.
You can help decrease your baby’s stress by:
- comforting your baby
- noticing how your baby reacts to light, sound and touch
- reducing noise levels, dimming lights, using a softer voice and less touch
- positioning your baby in the “fetal” position to help promote self-comforting.
