Special Nursery Care for Newborns Who Need Extra TLC
- Summer 2023
Sometimes when babies are born, they may have a minor medical condition that could require closer monitoring or care after birth. To treat these newborns and keep them with their families, New Beginnings Birth Center provides Level II Special Nursery Care.
“Every team member who provides OB care – nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, and anesthesia – are trained to give newborns this level of attention,” said Obstetrics Director Michelle Sand, RN. “Bi-annually our team must recertify in our neonatal resuscitation program and our S.T.A.B.L.E. (sugar, temperature, airway, blood pressure, lab work, emotional support) training. This ensures our professionals have the expertise to manage conditions and complications that may arise in newborns.”
Level II Special Nursery Care differs from Level I Well-Newborn Nursery Care. Level I care focuses on full-term, healthy infants who do not have complications or medical needs. For most babies born at Brookings Health System, this is the level of care they receive. But when a baby is born with a condition like mild prematurity and respiratory distress or develops certain conditions like jaundice or low blood sugar, they need a step up. Level II care helps stabilize and prepare babies for hospital discharge and life at home.
Providing Level II nursery care requires close monitoring and observation of infants. This includes regular assessments of vital signs, respiratory function, and other important parameters. To perform this monitoring, New Beginnings Birth Center is equipped with technology and supplies to support babies’ health, including warmers, neonatal CPAP, ventilators, micro IV syringe pumps, specialty feeding supplies, bili blankets and lights, and other life-saving equipment. The continuous monitoring helps detect any changes or signs of distress early on, allowing for prompt intervention and treatment.
While babies with Level II care receive extra TLC from healthcare providers, parental involvement is still a key part of their treatment plan. Parents are encouraged to spend time with their baby and participate in their care in order to encourage bonding and gain confidence in their own abilities to care for their child. The special care nursery provides a comfortable and calming environment to foster baby-parent bonding.
Thinking about having a baby? Find out what services New Beginnings Birth Center offers to local parents at brookingshealth.org/OB.