以家庭为中心的照护

您是子女生命中最重要的人。假如您的子女为早产儿、或为足月顺产但罹病的新生儿，这并非刚成为父母的您乐见的情形。

孩子处于一个陌生的环境，也依赖陌生的人士。作为父母，您可能在胎儿仍在母体中时就已经熟悉孩子每天的作息；而孩子也能辨认出您们的声音。您们的声音对孩子来说是十分熟悉，且让他们感到心安的。但是，你们现在必须真正开始认识彼此；这包括必须了解孩子的个性、脾气以及其自身的意志。所有的新生儿都会用自己的肢体语言与外界沟通。假如新生儿染病或为早产儿时，新生儿可能会较难以传达自己的想法和愿望。

部门的职员会在此为您提供指导、直到您能够亲自为孩子提供必须的支持与协助为止。即使我们职员的知识对孩子的照护有其必要性，所有的职员都仍是可以替换的；职员会轮班、来来去去。作为父母的您，才是子女生命中不可或缺的人。


每个人都是不一样的；一部分人较能够处理预料之外、导致重大变化的事件，其他人则很难以处理这类事件。生下一个必须在新生儿部门接受医疗照护的孩子，是相当重大的改变；事情未能按照事先的预料发展，可能是一段令人感到伤心的过程。一部分家长想要立刻参与其新生子女的照护过程；而另外一些家长则会想先观察一下，进行一些研究并"了解"孩子的样貌。她/他是否与某人相似? 是否传承了某个家族成员的特征? 请观看、触碰孩子，并嗅闻属于她/他的气味。请将您的一只手或双手"固定"在宝宝的身上；由于早产儿的神经系统尚未发育完全，他/她们被爱抚时，可能会感到不舒服。

双亲参与孩子的照护过程

我们希望您能在已经准备妥当的前提下，尽早开始参与孩子的照护过程。您将有充分的时间学会所有的操作；每一名家长都必须获得其所必须的时间。请考虑到：具备重要性的不仅仅是照护的操作过程，同等重要的是您的子女如何反应、能够适应日常生活中哪些事务、以及需要哪些支持与帮助。请感受、观察并跟从孩子借由其行为表达的信息，用您的双手、声音与被褥等床具给予支持。假如宝宝表现出焦躁不安的迹象、或由于身体施力而感到疲累，请给宝宝暂停的时间、在其周边予以支持，使其能够恢复原状态。您可和医护职员讨论孩子的行为与需求。

请在医护职员给您的日记本页面上记录您新生子女的动作与成长；这将使您能够追踪子女成长的历程，而您的孩子也将能得到一本与自己生命历程最初阶段有关的专书。

散发出双亲特有气味的绒布玩偶

假如您无法与宝宝维持亲密 (皮肤对皮肤的) 接触，您可以用一块柔软的布料按着您的皮肤；宝宝可以贴近这块布料、嗅闻它并抓握它 (这能够为亲子互动提供良好的出发点)。当您最终有机会能坐在宝宝身边、保持皮肤上的亲近接触时，宝宝已经能充分辨识出属于您的气味。假如宝宝的母亲必需在其他部门接受医护措施而无法亲自来到新生儿部门，她可以领到一块散发出宝宝身上气味的小型"绒布玩偶"。母亲可借由与宝宝学会辨识属于自己双亲身上味道相同的方式，逐渐熟悉属于自己宝宝的气味。然而，即使宝宝的母亲并未生病，亲子之间仍然可以交换绒布玩偶。宝宝所把玩的"绒布玩偶"，将会充分散发出其身上所专属的气味。

供家长所填写的 "我喜欢的事项/我不喜欢的事项/我们身为家长所希望的事项"文件

当您评估亲子之间已建立初步的认识与互动时，您可以填写一份标题为"我喜欢的事项/我不喜欢的事项/我们身为家长所希望的事项"的文件。这为医疗职员提供与您子女有关的重要信息；当您认为状态发生变化时，您可以要求更换新的页面，以便更新您与宝宝所希望共同达成的目标。

Interpreting the behaviour of premature babies

Signs that your baby is feeling fine:

  • The baby has a peaceful, relaxed expression
  • The baby's breathing is not strained
  • The baby tries to do or does the following:
    - Move its arms and legs closer to its body
    - Bring its hands to its mouth, searches and sucks
    - Grab and hold its hands, your finger or an object
    - Put its feet together or against the bed
    - Move in a calm and relaxed manner
    - Calm down and sleep peacefully
  • The baby's skin colour remains the same despite any exertion


Your baby shows that it is feeling over-exerted and may need support or a break when:

  • It has a tense or worried expression
  • Its breathing is strained
  • Its body is tense or flaccid
  • It is lying with its legs and arms out-stretched
  • Jerks and/or quivers a lot
  • It yawns, coughs or sneezes repeatedly
  • It seems to feel unwell, whimpers, spits or vomits even though it has not taken too much breast milk/baby formula
  • It is fretting and finds it difficult to settle
  • Its skin colour changes, it becomes pale, dark or mottled

Your baby can manage different levels of activity on different occasion.

The more premature and/or sick your baby is, the more support it will need. As your baby develops and becomes healthier, it will need less support and more stimulation. You will soon recognize what your baby can manage and find ways of coping with their situation.

How your hands, voice and smell can help your baby

With your hands you can support and help your baby. By putting your hands gently on or around your baby, you will make your baby aware that you are there. The baby will then be able to wake up calmly with your support. If your baby is fretting, you can try to calm the baby by putting your hands around the baby and keeping them still. See if he or she wants to hold your finger.

When the baby has calmed down and has fallen asleep under your hands, gently remove them. You can give your baby support using your voice. Talk quietly to your baby. It will recognize your voice and can wake up in response to it and fall asleep to it. When your baby is fretting, try to talk calmly to it while gently holding it.

Sometimes your baby may need to take a break. Try letting it rest for a while before continuing to care for or interact with your baby.

If your baby is in your arms being fed or breastfed, you can give the baby a break so its energy does not flag. Lift the baby up and hold him/her close to you before you continue feeding/breastfeeding.

Let the baby have a soft piece of cloth close by to smell and hold, preferably something you have had against your skin. It will give your baby the opportunity to recognize your smell when the time comes to engage in skin-to-skin contact.

Make your baby's cot like a little nest, so it can feel support all around it and still have room to move.

Help your baby bring its hands to its mouth. It helps the baby feel safe. Perhaps your baby wants to suck its hand? Even premature babies like to suck their hands or a little dummy.