A Guiding Hand for Families in NICU and Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 22
Babies born too soon, too small, or sick
Babies may need to spend time in
a Neonatal Unit (NICU and/or SCN)
Having a baby arrive early or sick can be an overwhelming
experience and one that most parents are not prepared for.
With approximately 48,000 babies admitted to Neonatal
Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Special Care Nurseries (SCN)
in Australia each year, you are certainly not alone.
There are several reasons why your baby might need to spend time in a
neonatal unit. It may be that your baby is sick, born early (prematurely) or is
having trouble growing. No matter the reason for your baby spending time
in hospital, rest assured your hospital care team and unit is set up to give
your baby the best possible care.
Premature Babies
A premature baby is a baby born before 37 weeks gestation. There are
categories of prematurity based on gestational age:
Extremely preterm
or Micro prem
Very
preterm
Moderate to
Late preterm
(less than 28 weeks)
(28-32 weeks)
(33-36 weeks)
Babies born too small
There are a number of reasons babies are born too small. This could be
due to their prematurity or medical conditions. Generally, if your baby
weighs less than 2.5kg, you may find that your baby will spend some time
in a neonatal unit. This is so they can support your baby’s growth before
heading home.
Babies born sick
Babies can be sick due to a variety of medical conditions, genetic conditions
and prematurity. There are number of support services available to help
guide you if your baby is born sick or has a particular medical condition. You
can find many of these listed in LLTF’s community service list or you may like
to speak to your hospital social worker for information.
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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