Pregnancy complications can occur. It is imperative that you seek medical attention as soon as possible, should you experience any of the following:
• Any vaginal bleeding
• The baby is not moving as regularly as you are accustomed to
• Severe, unexpected, sudden pain or dull, ongoing pain
• Headaches with blurry vision
• If your water breaks before you have reached 38 weeks of gestation
• If you start having contractions before 38 weeks of gestation
• Weakness or dizziness • Swelling of face and fingers
• Difficulty breathing It is important to attend all your antenatal check-ups with your obstetrician – he/she will carefully monitor your health as well as your baby’s, by ensuring your placenta is working well and the baby is growing and developing normally. Our aim is to keep you and your baby together at birth and assist you with bonding and breastfeeding. However, in a small percentage of cases, your baby may be born too early or will not be well at birth. In such an event, he/she may need to spend time in a neonatal unit.
A neonatal unit or ‘NICU’ (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) is where babies are cared for that require special care. The three main reason for babies going to the neonatal unit are listed below:
1. Premature birth The baby is born between 26 and 37 weeks of gestation. Most babies that are born early will need to spend roughly the same amount of time in the neonatal unit as they would have in utero – this is until about 38 weeks of gestation. For example, the baby that is born at 30 weeks of gestation will spend approximately eight weeks in a neonatal unit. Babies born prematurely may have breathing difficulties, and if their lungs are not fully developed, their breathing will assisted by special machines. They are often nursed in an incubator where they can be easily monitored and which assists in maintaining their body temperature. A premature baby may also not be able to suck, swallow and breathe and may initially require intravenous fluids and nutrients, followed by expressed breast milk via a nasogastric tube. This tube goes into the baby’s stomach from either its nose or mouth and the milk runs in. From day one of admission, the aim for the doctors and nurses who care for your baby is to get him/her home to you as soon as possible. To do this, the baby will need to be big enough to be able to maintain its own body temperature in normal room air, must be able to breathe without the assistance of machines or supplemental oxygen, and must be gaining weight and feeding well.
2. Congenital abnormality Some babies are born with congenital abnormalities – sometimes you will know beforehand, sometimes not. Depending on what the abnormality is, your baby may need to be admitted to a neonatal unit for further tests or management.
3. Baby is sick at birth At times, term babies are not well at birth, and may be born with infections, which need specific treatment and support in a neonatal unit. A neonatal unit can be a very scary place, but your paediatrician and nursing staff will guide you through the neonatal journey. Always remember that they want your baby home with you as soon as possible. Initially, you may be overwhelmed by machines, beeps, wires and all the new terminology – but you will soon learn all the different functions and ‘lingo’, and become part of the neonatal family.