Over 4,350 babies are born at Watford General each year. Of these, around 10% are born prematurely but the professionalism, care and compassion of the neonatal unit staff means that they are in the best possible hands.
This World Prematurity Day we are joining with our clinical colleagues to raise awareness of premature birth and the hurdles that babies and parents face every single day.
Around 500 babies are admitted to Watford’s neonatal intensive care each year, and 50 of them will weigh less than 1500 grams (that’s just 3.3 lbs). Together, they require 1,000 days of respiratory care.
Vital charitable support helps ensure that these tiny and vulnerable babies get the best start in life. The skills and care of the staff are supplemented by the latest equipment and extra comforts which mean that babies and their parents receive a level of care over and above what the NHS alone can afford.
Comforts such as kangaroo care chairs (featured in the photo above). These chairs help support breastfeeding and bonding between parent and baby. This is crucial as premature babies can be so fragile that parents are often frightened of handling them. But these chairs help parents build their confidence and enable the family to take their precious child home sooner.
Charitable funding also buys life-saving equipment. Many premature babies need to have their hearts scanned for a variety of reasons. These could range from potentially life threatening conditions that need early surgery, to ongoing heart conditions which need regular scans to monitor progress. Thanks to charitable funding we were able to purchase this additional paediatric cardio scanner, which means that clinicians are able to diagnose and treat babies’ heart problems faster.
Charitable funding also buys life-saving equipment. Many premature babies need to have their hearts scanned for a variety of reasons. These could range from potentially life threatening conditions that need early surgery, to ongoing heart conditions which need regular scans to monitor progress. Thanks to charitable funding we were able to purchase this additional paediatric cardio scanner, which means that clinicians are able to diagnose and treat babies’ heart problems faster.
Will you join our staff in giving more babies the best care possible, by making a donation? Then please visit our neonatal wish-list and make a donation. Thank you.
