A Guiding Hand for Families in Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 69
At home
oxygen tank and provides a steady flow of oxygen for your baby. Do not
hesitate to ask questions about the oxygen and breathing equipment you
take home with your baby.
A home health nurse may visit on a regular basis to check on your baby and
answer your questions. If you live in a cooler area and are bringing baby
home in winter, you may be able to request that the maternal health nurse
visits you at home to avoid taking baby out into the cold.
When your baby is breathing better, your respiratory specialist or
paediatrician may decide to lower the amount of oxygen your baby
receives and then eventually stop the oxygen completely. Most babies need
oxygen at home for less than six months.
Safe Sleeping
What is the best sleeping position for my baby?
You should place your baby on his or her back at the start of sleep time.
If you find your baby has rolled over on to
their tummy, or to the side, place them on
their back again.
Eventually, babies learn to roll on to their front
and back again. When this happens, you do
not need to reposition them.
Babies who have spent time in the SCN may
have become used to being positioned on their
front, and they may take some time to learn
to settle and sleep on their back. Most babies
will be introduced to back sleeping two weeks
before discharge by the SCN team caring for them.
My baby is unsettled and wants to be picked up all the time.
What should I do?
Coming home is a big change for your baby. Everything is new and different:
noises, temperature, smells and colours. They may need lots of cuddles
for reassurance. It can take some time for babies to settle into a new
environment. The transition from hospital to home is a big one for baby –
there is less noise and rooms are quieter and darker.
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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