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1. How do I contact a Maternity Care Coordinator?
   link to contact a Maternity Care Coordinator
2. Why does my baby need to go to intensive care? He/she doesn't seem sick.
   
   Babies need the neonatal intensive care for a variety of reasons. At Saint Luke's we admit babies
   • Born before the completion of the 35th week of gestation; remember a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks. Your baby may require help with breathing, keeping his temperature normal, or learning to eat.
   • That have a possible infection. Your baby may seem to be doing fine but without treatment can become very sick.
   • Born with other medical conditions such as a heart problem that needs special treatment.
   • Born with a surgical problem that needs correction. more information
   • That may just need to be watched closely for a few hours before coming to your room.
3. Can I be with my baby in the intensive care?
   
   Absolutely! We encourage you to be here as much as you wish. We do close the nursery one time per day for doctor's rounds. This protects the privacy of all babies and families. On occasion, stricter visitation policies may be put in place if it is in the babies' best interests.link to visitation letter for families
4. Will I be able to bring in other family members and friends? What about my other children?
   
   link to visitation letter for families.
   In the rare case of a serious illness in the community, we may limit visiting by your extended family to keep your baby safe.
5. What if I cannot make it to the hospital, can I call to check on my baby?
   
   Yes, we will give you the toll free number, if needed, and the special information you will need to provide when calling the unit. To protect your privacy, only the mother and her support person may have information over the telephone. To prevent hurt feelings, please let your family members and friends know that they will need to get all information about your baby through you.
6. Who will help me care for my baby?
   
   You will have a team of healthcare providers specially trained to care for babies needing help in the first few weeks of life. We will work with you every day to develop the best plan of care for your baby.
   • Neonatologists-these are pediatricians with special training in the care of sick and premature newborns. They will supervise all of the care your baby receives.
   • Neonatal Nurse Practitioners-these are experienced neonatal nurses with special training to assist the physicians in the medical care of your baby.
   • Registered Nurses-the nurses will work closely with you everyday to provide care for your baby. You can rely on them to give you information and assist you in learning new things.
   • Respiratory Therapists-the therapist will assist with any of your baby's breathing needs.
   • Lactation Consultants-these are registered nurses with special training in the art of breast feeding. They will be a very valuable resource for you.
   • Neonatal Nutritionist-a registered dietician with special training in the nutrition needs of the premature or ill newborn. The nutritionist works very closely with the physicians.
   • Occupational Therapist- will work with you on your baby's developmental needs and any feeding issues that come up during your baby's stay.
   • Infant Massage Therapist-will work with you on your baby's developmental needs.
   • Pharmacist-will assist the physicians in managing your baby's medication needs.
   • Social Worker/Case Manager-will give you emotional support, help you with other services, and help you with insurance issues as needed.
7. Will everything need to be sterile around my baby?
   
   The answer to that is no. We do want to protect your baby as much as possible from infection but we can do that with a "clean" living space." You can provide the best protection by carefully cleaning your hands every time you touch your baby or his bed and supplies. The nurse will show how to do this. Also, please do not bring in any children or visitors that have any kind of illness. If you feel that you may be sick, talk to your baby's nurse or physician about coming in to care for your baby.
8. Will I be able to touch and hold my baby?
   
   We will have your baby in your arms as soon as possible. For some babies, this may be right after birth. Sometimes you may have to wait a few hours or a few days depending on your baby's medical condition. We encourage skin-to-skin contact or "Kangaroo Care" which research has found to be very helpful as your baby grows and heals. Your nurse will tell you all about "Kangaroo Care" so don't forget to ask. It is important for your baby's brain development that you do not wear perfumes, strong smelling deodorants, or lotions when coming in to care for your baby.
9. When will my baby get to start feeding?
   
   Most babies begin getting very small amounts of breast milk or formula in the first few days of life. In the beginning, we will feed this through a very tiny (about the size of pencil lead) tube every 3 hours. Each day the amount your baby is fed will increase until "full" feedings are reached. To feed safely by breast or bottle, your baby must be medically stable.Your baby will begin feeding by mouth when stable and showing oral feeding cues. Each baby is different so what you see another baby is doing for feeding may not be appropriate for your baby.
10. I really wanted to breast feed. Will I be able to do so?
    
    Yes, yes, yes! We have an entire team of lactation consultants to help make this successful for you. About 60-68% of the babies in the Saint Luke's NICU go home breastfeeding. In the beginning, you will learn to pump your breasts and we will feed your baby the milk you bring to the nursery. Breast milk is very helpful to your baby's healing process. You may want to think about providing breast milk for those first important weeks even if that was not your plan before your baby was born. Remember that this is something ONLY YOU can do for your baby.
11. When will by baby be ready to come home?
    
    We promise to get your baby home to you as soon as possible and we will begin working with you on this goal beginning the day of your baby's birth. Your baby does not have to be any special age or size but meets some special milestones.
    • Must be medically stable with very little change in day-to-day needs.
    • Body temperature must remain in the normal range in an open crib.
    • Breathing and heart rate must be stable. A home heart monitor may be needed in some cases.
    • Must be gaining weight every day and taking all feedings by breast or bottle, without using the feeding tube, for at least two days.