The Aultman NICU staff will teach you how to bond with and care for your newborn. Every NICU room includes a CARES notebook with helpful developmental tips including:
Comfort Measures
Hold your baby's hand, give a pacifier and play heartbeat sounds, recordings of your voice or quiet music.
Alignment/Positioning
Hold and position your baby to support tone and development.
Rest and Sleep
Hold your baby or do "kangaroo care" (see below) with your baby.
Environmental Conditions
Talk quietly, dim the lights or cover the isolette.
Safety
Learn important safety tips on car-seat safety and caring for your baby at home.
Other bonding and developmental tools include:
Sensory Aid
You can wear a cloth under your gown to absorb your body's natural scent. The cloth will then be placed in your baby's isolette, so your newborn can detect and be comforted by your scent.
Kangaroo Care
This technique promotes extended skin-on-skin contact between baby and mom (dad and grandparents, too). The baby and adult bond and snuggle chest-to-chest in a dimly lit room. The baby is comforted by the close contact and the sound of the adult's heartbeat. This is the first step to breastfeeding a NICU baby.