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A free app to support you emotionally during your neonatal journey. Canopie is rooted in evidence-based techniques. The program focuses on the challenges that all mamas and parents face as they transition from the prenatal to postnatal period.

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Maternal mental health conditions are the #1 complication of pregnancy and childbirth. We created a digital platform to address symptoms of maternal depression and anxiety.

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Neonatal units in Kent, Surrey and Sussex

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Neonatal units in Kent, Surrey and Sussex

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This page directs you to websites for each of the units in Kent, Surrey and Sussex as well as Thames, Valley and Wessex. You will find information about each unit, their own padlet, how to get there, and 3D tours of the unit.

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Click on the hospitals below to find out more about the units within our network and to view each unit's individual website. To find out more about where each unit is situated across our region, you can also visit our interactive map.

Accessibility Toolbar

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Unit Information - Neonatal Network South East

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Click on the hospitals below to find out more about the units within our network and to view each unit's individual website. To find out more about where each unit is situated across our region, you can also visit our interactive map.

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Key telephone numbers

Main hospital switchboard:              01273 696955

Trevor Mann Baby Unit reception:   01273 523450/01237 696955 Ext. 64377

Princess Royal SCBU:                      01444 441881 Ext. 68489  or direct via 01444 448733

Outpatient appointments:                01273 696955 Ext. 64195/64188

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Psychological support for families

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You're not alone, find out what emotional and practical support is available to you here.

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Within the hospital grounds you will find several food outlets including....

The Royal Sussex County Hospital is situated in the Kemp Town area of Brighton and Hove. There is a selection of coffee shops, cafe’s, pubs and some small local shops including a Co-Op. You can find many of these establishments on St. George’s Road (between the hospital and the seafront).

Nearby you will also find Brighton Marina (about a 20-minute walk from the hospital), which has a large Asda superstore, numerous restaurants and some entertainment facilities, such as a cinema and bowling. The Marina will also give you access to the under-cliff walk where you can walk/cycle/run along the seafront to Saltdean. There is free parking available at the Marina for up to 4 hours.

Along the seafront in Kemp Town, you will find beach bars and coffee shops, some outdoor exercise establishments and some more entertainment facilities. You can continue to walk/cycle/run along this seafront road past the Palace Pier and continue up to Hove Lagoon as part of the ‘local health walk’.

It is around the Palace Pier where the city centre begins and where you can find all the local shops, cafes and coffee shops that Brighton and Hove is well-known for. There is also Churchill Square shopping centre (near the i360) where you can find the majority of the popular high street stores.

For any transportation needs, Brighton and Hove buses are one of the best methods for getting around the city. Around the hospital, the buses 1/1A, 7 and 23 are the ones that stop just outside the main entrance. You can download the free Brighton and Hove bus app for all routes, timetables and fares (it is recommended to buy your ticket via the app).

The closest train station is Brighton, but it is approximately

a 35 minute walk to the hospital, or you can get one of the buses from outside the station.

If you require a taxi, there are a selection of local taxi companies which can be contacted on: 01273 204060, 01273 202020

or 01273 205205.

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Going home from the neonatal unit | Bliss

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You may have a lot to think about when you go home from the neonatal unit with your premature or sick baby. Find out more about preparing to go home, and what support is avaliable.

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For babies born premature or sick | Bliss

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Our vision is that every baby born premature or sick in the UK has the best chance of survival and quality of life.

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Unit App for parents to document their neonatal journey

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Unit App for parents to document their neonatal journey

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A parenting charity, they focus their work on the ‘window of opportunity’ from preconception to a child’s fifth birthday, where the foundations for a healthy and happy life are laid.

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We develop simple, educational and interactive tools to support parents-to-be and new parents so every child in the UK has the best start in life.

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Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus) | Family Lives

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Parenting and family support from Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus) through our website, helpline 0808 800 2222, email service at askus@familylives.org.uk, live chat and local services.

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A diary to document all your baby's milestone moments with space for photos.

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Watch Small Wonders videos here
Supporting you when your baby is sick or premature
More than 1 in every 10 UK babies is born prematurely or sick. As well as professional support there's so much that only you as a parent can do to make a real difference to your baby's chances of growing up fit and strong.

It can be very distressing to be told when you're pregnant that your baby is likely to be born prematurely, however there are so many ways you can make a real difference to their health and wellbeing.

Small Wonders are 12 bite-size films following families and their journey in neo-natal units.
Topics covered:

Birth

First hours

Expressing breast milk

Holding your baby

Your time in hospital

Feeding independently

Preparing for home

First months at home

Twins and triplets

Bereavement

What is Small Wonders?
Seeing how other parents have coped in a similar situation can be comforting. Seeing them become involved in their baby's care can help you feel more confident to get involved in your own baby's care.

The films, endorsed by seven Royal Colleges and many charities, aim to support families of sick and premature babies through their experiences and form the heart of a National Change Programme.

Best Beginnings has supplied Small Wonders DVDs to around 150 neonatal units in hospitals across the UK. The films address sensitive situations, some of which may not be right for you at this time. If in doubt, ask the advice of your hospital staff before watching.

We have worked closely with over 200 families, experts and endorsing organisations to produce these films and the DVD has been endorsed by over 20 organisations, including UNICEF and RCPCH.
How do I watch Small Wonders?
For a quick look at the Small Wonders, click . You can also watch online on the Baby Buddy app , on our YouTube channel, and on the desktop version of Baby Buddy. You can buy copies of the Small Wonders DVD, which comes with the supporting booklet, from our online shop. If you are a parent of a sick or premature baby you can receive a copy of the DVD for free through your hospital.
Ways parents can participate in their baby's care:

Regular skin-to-skin/kangaroo care. Skin-to-skin contact reduces susceptibility to infection and can help to stabilise a baby's temperature and reduce the length of hospital stay. It also improves awareness and helps mother to produce milk

Providing and feeding breast milk to your baby, for example through expressing. Breast milk is very important because it reduces infections and advances mental and emotional development

Providing comforting touch and comfort holding. Time spent holding or touching your sick or premature baby allows you to bond, which increases your baby's responsiveness and lets you get to know one another

Day-to-day care such as nappy changing or bathing your baby

Best Beginnings collaborates with other organisations to ensure that families receive the best possible support. For more information regarding premature and sick babies, visit the Bliss website or call their Family Support Helpline for free on 0500 618140.
What mums and dads think of Small Wonders
"I found the films useful as I am in a similar situation as some of the parents and it gives a good idea of what to expect."

"I have had a premature baby but I learnt a lot from watching these films. There are a MUST for parents who haven't had previous experience of a neonatal unit. Really good!"

"Absolutely fantastic films. Very informative and a great insight into what's to come when having a premature baby. So glad that I got a chance to watch these as it really helped myself and my partner."
Want to know more about Small Wonders?
Visit the Small Wonders Impact and Evaluation page.
To find out how Best Beginnings can work with you in your are and use our Small Wonders resources email Nilu, our Head of Evaluation and Impact at [email protected]

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Supporting you when your baby is sick or premature. Small wonders project include 12 bite-size films following families and their journey in neo-natal units. Learn more here.

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Why you are important to your baby's care | Bliss

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Find out why you are a really important part of your baby's care on the neonatal unit

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We would be grateful to receive your views on all aspects of our services. The information you give helps us to identify areas where we are doing well and where we need to make improvements. There are feedback cards and a locked box located in the family area which can be filled out whenever and as often as you like during your stay. These can be completed by yourselves or your visitors, please use these for suggestions of improvements or indeed to highlight something positive.
When you are getting ready to be discharged, we will ask you to complete a questionnaire on one of the unit’s iPads, we really do appreciate all the feedback that we receive. You can also access this questionnaire below. Once you are discharged home you will receive a text message from the trust asking for feedback. This is generated by the hospital rather than the unit but is still valuable feedback. All feedback is completely confidential.

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Support and advice for those with Twins and more

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Finding out you are pregnant with twins, triplets or more can be an exciting but sometimes overwhelming time. We have all the support you need.

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Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative | Hand expression

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While on the unit your baby is likely to have investigations, treatments and procedures that are seen as routine in the neonatal journey. Staff will always try to inform you of any routine blood tests or procedures that are due to be carried out for your baby.

There are some procedures that require consent, either verbal or written, before being completed and these will be discussed with you by either a doctor or nurse if required. Consent must be given by the person with legal ‘parental responsibility’.

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Julie has been a qualified Psychotherapist working within the NHS for 23 years, and BACP registered and accredited. She offers support and counselling to parents who may be struggling coming to terms with having a sick and/or premature baby on the neonatal unit, and all that that involves.

Such as being away from home, caring for other children at home, lack of support from family and friends if out of the area, financial worries etc.

You are able to refer yourself by contacting her on 07435-601817. Calls are only picked up on Tuesdays and Wednesday. If you would prefer, a staff member can refer you, please just ask.

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Bliss offers a wide range of free services for the families of premature and sick babies including a video call support service.

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Your feedback is important to us and will shape neonatal care in the future

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Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

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Weight conversion chart update September 2023

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The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 is a leave and pay entitlement for parents with a baby in neonatal care – which came into effect in England, Scotland and Wales on 6 April 2025.

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Neonatal Care Leave and Pay: Guidance and FAQs | Bliss

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The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 – a new leave and pay entitlement for parents with a baby in neonatal care – comes into effect in England, Scotland and Wales on 6 April 2025.

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Choose which finance issue you'd like some information about. You can always come back if there's more than one area you'd like to explore.

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Watch a video about us here.

" Not only do the EBA raise money for vital life-saving equipment on the units they also make it just that little bit more comfortable for parents by supplying tea, coffee and biscuits and also the opportunity to talk about their experiences. " Matt, Dad to Finlay who was in TMBU.

The Early Birth Association is a registered charity and we are here to make a positive difference for babies and families and the staff teams who work on the units by providing a wide variety of help and support for TMBU and SCBU in PRH. This ranges from providing practical items for the babies and parents on the units to make their hospital stay more homely and comfortable, to funding vital life saving equipment and research. Please visit our News page to get up to date information on what we are doing.

The EBA is run by a group of volunteer parents and family members who have had premature or unwell babies. You can read more about us and meet the team here. We offer help and support to parents by regularly visiting the TMBU & PRH SCBU to run informal drop in coffee mornings, and by ensuring the units are stocked up with the items and equipment that they need. Please contact us, or ask on the units to find out when the next drop in coffee mornings are.

We're always keen to hear from new supporters and committee members who are interested in helping us. Whether you have a little time to spare or a lot, your skills and time will be much appreciated and you'll have fun and help a fantastic local cause. Please get in touch to talk to us about volunteer supporter roles and opportunities. You can also help us by making a donation and /or holding a fundraising event or activity for us. We're entirely run by volunteers so any money raised is spent directly for benefit of the neonatal units and the babies and families using them.

We'd also like to hear from you if you're a current or recent neonatal unit parent/family member and you have any feedback about things provided by The EBA whilst you were there. We are always looking to improve what we do to support babies and families and your feedback would be very valued so please do contact us.

Please click here to read our statement on the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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The Early Birth Association | Charity | Trevor Mann Baby Unit, Brighton

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Watch a video about us here. " Not only do the EBA raise money for vital life-saving equipment on the units they also make it just that little bit more comfortable for parents by supplying tea, coffee and biscuits and also the opportunity to talk about their experiences.

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Available at ASDA with pharmacy - see link for your nearest ASDA

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Asda has partnered with Pampers to offer free nappies for all premature babies from its 254 instore pharmacies across the UK.

The Asda & Pampers partnership is a first for a UK retailer as nappies for babies born pre-term have previously only been available in hospitals or from healthcare providers.

The nappies are available free of charge and parents can pick them up by visiting an Asda pharmacy, which are open from 8am - 8pm Monday - Saturday and 10am - 4pm or 11am - 5pm on Sundays. Parents can find their nearest pharmacy by visiting

Around 1 in 13 babies are born pre-term in the UK, meaning that 60,000 babies each year require specialised care and need smaller sized nappies to protect their delicate skin during critical stages of their development. Pampers Preemie Protection Nappies are Pampers' smallest nappy and are up to three times smaller than a regular newborn nappy. They come in three sizes for babies weighing less than 1.1lbs up to 4lbs when they would move into standard newborn sized nappies.

The nappies have been specially designed in collaboration with neonatal nurses for the most delicate skin with all over fastening for a customisable fit which adapts around medical leads and lines, helping minimise disruption and irritation during nappy changing. A contour fit core provides a narrow, contoured fit between the legs, allowing baby's legs and hips to rest comfortably and support their healthy development.

With no front or back, the nappies have end-to-end absorbency to prevent leakage, and the nappy liner quickly pulls wetness and runny mess away from baby's skin into the core of the nappy to help keep baby's delicate skin dry whilst asleep.

Faisal Tuddy, Asda's Superintendent Pharmacist said: "We are proud to be the first retailer to partner with Pampers, and hope that by offering these nappies for free to new parents from our 254 Asda Pharmacies, those early weeks with a premature baby are made slightly easier. Within our in-store pharmacies, customers can also speak to trained professionals for healthcare advice relating to baby and parent."
Sonal Dash, Asda's VP for Non-Edible and Healthcare said: Nicole Hallak, Brand Director, Pampers UK & Ireland commented: "We are thrilled to be partnering with Asda Pharmacies to offer our Pampers Preemie Protection Nappies free of charge to new parents with premature babies. Pampers is committed to the happy, healthy development of every baby and this partnership allows all UK parents to access quality nappies with our trusted Pampers promise for their precious little ones." "Asda is a values-led organisation and we always put our customers first. We focus our efforts in delivering products to support our communities. This partnership with P&G supports new parents at times which can be scary and challenging, and this is testimony to Asda's culture and purpose."
Pampers continues to work with their long-term partner, Bliss, to support parents with the resources to help them feel more involved & confident in the care of their premature or sick babies and give them the best start in life. For more information and advice, please visit or call their careline on 020 7378 1122.

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Asda Becomes First Retailer to Offer Free Nappies for Premature Babies

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Asda has partnered with Pampers to offer free nappies for all premature babies from its 254 instore pharmacies across the UK.The Asda & Pampers partnership is a first for a UK retailer as nappies for babies born pre-term have previously only been available in hospitals or from healthcare...

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Transfer Closer to Home: The neonatal repatriation of your baby

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If you have any concerns or complaints regarding the unit, nursing or medical staff, or any other issue, please let a member of staff know immediately. Often, we are able to resolve any issues promptly and directly. You may feel more comfortable speaking with the nurse in charge, the sister on management, or the matron. This can be arranged easily so please ask a member of staff to notify the relevant staff member to arrange a mutually convenient time.
If you would prefer to speak to someone outside of the unit then the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is available to discuss any areas of concern you may have while your baby is on the unit. You can either ask the unit staff to contact them for you or contact them directly by telephone. Please see the latest PALS leaflet available on the leaflets and information stand or online on the trust website. Contact details to write to the chief executive are also included in the How to Make a Complaint leaflet.

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Dr Kerry Taylor is a HCPC registered clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with 0-3’s and their parents. She is a specialist in parent-baby bonding, parenting, and babies’ mental health. She is also founder of the BrightPIP charity which works with parents-to-be and parents and babies in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex.

Kerry is here for all families on the Trevor Mann Baby Unit and there is no reason too small to ask to see her. It could be a one-off question, a regular check in or therapy sessions. There is a wide range of reasons parent and baby psychology can be helpful. Examples are, managing the overwhelm of the birth experience, coping with being in a medical environment, coping with feelings of anxiety or low mood, building confidence in parenting, understanding what your baby needs and enjoying connecting with your baby.

You can refer yourself directly by calling/texting/Whatsapp 07887 793162. Calls will be picked up during working hours of: Tuesday 9-8, Wednesday 9.30-2.30, Thursday 9.30-5.30.

A staff member can also link you up with Kerry, please just ask

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The Trevor Mann Baby Unit (TMBU) is based within the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and is a specialist department for the care of premature and sick new-born babies.

Founded by Dr Trevor Mann in the 1970's, the TMBU has become one of the foremost centres for treating premature and sick new-born babies and has dramatically improved survival rates.

Over 600 babies are treated at the unit every year and we work closely with the TMBU team to support them by providing the vital equipment they need for their life-saving work.

We continue to support the TMBU with ongoing developments in neonatal care, so if you would like to donate towards our support of the TMBU, please click here to go to our dedicated Just Giving fundraising page.

Visit the TMBU website by clicking here.

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Find out more about the Trevor Mann Baby Unit in Brighton - Rockinghorse Children's Charity Supporting sick babies, children and young people throughout Sussex

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Founded by Dr Trevor Mann in the 1970's, the TMBU has become one of the foremost centres for treating premature and sick new-born babies and has dramatically improved survival rates. Over 600 babies are treated at the unit every year and we work closely with the TMBU team to support them by providing the vital equipment they need for their life-saving work.

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How to measure for accurate funnel sizing

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How to measure for accurate funnel sizing

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Expressing Breastmilk - Patient Information Video

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This video was produced in collaboration with University Hospital Southampton as part of a project funded by NHSE South West. The project focuses on equity of access to appropriate equipment for expressing maternal breastmilk.

This video is designed to help breastfeeding parents to express breastmilk. The topics covered include:

The importance of correctly fitted equipment.
How to measure your nipple for flange sizing.
How to tell if you have the correct or incorrect fit. 
Variations in sizing depending on type or brand of breast pump.
How to prepare for expressing breastmilk.
How to assemble and use a breast pump.
Troubleshooting common issues in expressing breastmilk.

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Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) site map

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Royal Sussex County Hospital (RSCH) site map

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The Trevor Mann Baby Unit is located on the 14th Floor of the Thomas Kemp Tower.

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Sands supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth.

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Sands - Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families.

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Sands supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Bereavement support is at the core of everything we do.

Sands is here to help you choose the right support for you. Some of the services that we offer include a Helpline for parents, families, carers and health professionals; a UK-wide network of support groups with trained befrienders; an online Facebook support group; a Sands online message board enabling bereaved families to connect with others and a wide range of leaflets, books and other resources available online and in print.

Although we don't offer counselling, our Helpline can help you find what is available in your area and help you request a referral from your GP.

Our free to call Helpline

The Sands National Helpline provides a safe, confidential place for anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby. Whether your baby died long ago or recently, we are here for you.

The telephone helpline is free to call from landlines and mobiles on 0808 164 3332.
Helpline calls are answered by trained bereavement support staff. If counselling is needed we recommend you seek support via your GP who can help you with a referral to your local team.
Language interpreters can be accessed via Language Line. If you are ringing to request support for for a non-English speaker please ring our Helpline and our staff will be happy to help.

The helpline team can also be contacted at helpline@sands.org.uk
Find out about more about our Helpline here
In 2017-18

The Sands Bereavement Support app

The Sands Bereavement Support app was created for anyone who has experienced the death of a baby.

It aims to help bereaved parents and families to find the right information and support at the right time. The app can also be used by healthcare professionals, who would like to know how best to support bereaved parents and their families.
Find out more about the App and how you can download here
Our Sands Groups

Many parents feel that only others who have experienced the death of a baby can offer real understanding. Our countrywide network of over 104 local support Groups, usually run by bereaved parents and family members, offer you the chance to meet others, gain support and share your experience.

Most Sands Groups offer either regular support meetings, telephone support or email support.

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Support for you | Sands - Saving babies' lives. Supporting bereaved families.

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Sands supports anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby before, during or shortly after birth. Bereavement support is at the core of everything we do.

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Before you leave the neonatal unit, a trained doctor or nurse will show you how to resuscitate your baby if they stop breathing.

The thought of having to resuscitate your baby can be very scary, and is something that no parent or carer ever wants to have to do or think about. But the training is designed to help you be as prepared as possible.

Research suggests that learning how to resuscitate your baby could help increase your confidence and reduce any anxiety you may have.

If your baby stops breathing, it is important to stay calm and call 999; the emergency call handler will help. If you need to perform CPR on your baby, the call handler will talk you through the process until the ambulance arrives.

We have more information on what to do if you think your baby is becoming unwell.

We are currently reviewing our resuscitation video and will upload the new version later this year. Until then, our friends at the St John's Ambulance have an instructional video about what to do if your baby stops breathing.

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Having resuscitation training can help you be more prepared to care for your premature or sick baby after leaving the neonatal unit.

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KSS - Kent, Surrey and Sussex | British Association of Perinatal Medicine (bapm.org)

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British Association of Perinatal Medicine

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Team base location

Kent team
Oliver Fisher Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Medway Maritime Hospital
Windmill Rd, Gillingham,
Medway, Kent, ME7 5NY

Sussex Team:
Trevor Mann Baby Unit,
Royal Sussex County Hospital
14th Floor, Thomas Kemp Tower
Eastern Road
Brighton, Sussex, BN2 5BE

Surrey team:
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,
St Peter's Hospital
Guildford Road
Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 0PZ

Geographical area covered

Kent, Surrey and Sussex

Cot locating service contact details

Emergency Bed Service (based in London): 0207 407 4999.

Team contact details for referrals

All emergency referrals via EBS: 0207 407 4999

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Kent, Surrey and Sussex Transfer Service

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Alongside giving grants, they offer families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, on a low income, wider support, including information and resources on where to go for help with money and benefits, budget planning, their children's education, mental health and wellbeing, digital training and creative workshops.

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Alongside giving grants, we offer families raising a disabled or seriously ill child, on a low income, wider support, including information and resources on where to go for help with money and benefits, budget planning, their children's education, mental health and wellbeing, digital training and creative workshops.

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Use our wider support section to find information and resources to help with finances, caring and education as well as digital technology.

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Do you want to continue to be involved in shaping neonatal care - please contact the PAG to get involved

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This page contains a guide to help you understand some of the common words and terms you might hear while on a neonatal unit.

When you are new to the neonatal unit, it can feel like you hear many new words. You might hear medical words, or shortened or abbreviated words which you have not heard before. This can feel confusing and overwhelming at a difficult time.

You have the right to understand the care your baby is getting and how they are doing. The neonatal team will work to make sure they explain things in a way that you understand.

If you are ever unsure about your baby's care, or you do not know what some words mean, let the staff know. They will be happy to explain things in a different way for you, and explain anything you are unsure about.

To find the term you are interested in, scroll through the alphabetical list below.

A

Acidosis (pronounced ass-sid-oh-sis) A high level of natural acid in the blood. This can be because the lungs are not working well, or because not enough oxygen is reaching parts of the body. It can be a combination of both. Sometimes, the body produces too much acid, or the kidneys do not remove the acids from the blood. This is called metabolic acidosis.

Anaemia (pronounced anne-eem-me-ah) Too little haemoglobin in the blood (see 'Haemoglobin').

Apgar score A simple way of checking a baby's health immediately after birth, by scoring 'points' for heart rate, breathing, skin colour, tone and the baby's reactions.

Apnoea (pronounced app-knee-ah) A pause in breathing for 20 seconds or longer.

Apnoea of prematurity Premature babies may have an apnoea because of being the part of the brain that controls breathing is not developed yet. Often the baby starts breathing on their own, but might need to be gently helped by moving them slightly. Caffeine is often given to help with this. Apnoeas in premature babies might happen more than once. Most babies will grow out of apnoea of prematurity by the time they are around 36 weeks.

Apnoea alarms or monitors A monitor that checks that a baby is breathing regularly. These set off an alarm if the baby pauses for 20 seconds or longer between breaths.

Asphyxia (pronounced ass-fix-ee-ya) A condition where there is too little oxygen and too little blood flow in the body. This can cause injury to the brain and other organs in the body. The most common time for asphyxia to happen is during labour (whilst the baby is being born) or at birth.

Aspirate (pronounced ass-pi-rate) This word is used in different ways in the neonatal unit:

1. Doctors and nurses might talk about 'checking the aspirate' before putting a milk feed down a nasogastric or orogastric tube. This means that a syringe is attached to the end of the feeding tube to get a small amount of the baby's stomach contents. It will be tested by using a pH paper or stick to make sure that the tube is in the stomach and it is safe for feeding. This aspirate will be checked regularly.

2. You might hear the word 'aspirate' used when something other than air (eg. meconium) is inhaled into a baby's lungs before the baby has been fully born. This is called meconium aspiration, which can be a serious, although rare, condition (see 'Meconium' and 'Meconium aspiration' for further information).

3. Milk aspiration is when the baby inhales small amounts of milk when feeding. This can happen if they are premature and have not yet developed some skills needed for feeding.

Audiology (hearing) tests There are two ways of assessing a baby's hearing. Both involve placing earphones over the baby's ears to deliver a series of clicks. The baby's responses to the clicks are then analysed.

B

Bagging Putting a mask connected to a squeezable bag or pressure device over the baby's nose and mouth to help breathing.

Bilirubin (pronounced billy-roo-bin) A yellow part in the blood that gives a yellow colouring to the skin. High levels can be dangerous, and cause jaundice.

Blood cultures If doctors think that a baby may have an infection, a small blood sample is taken and added to and sent to the laboratory for testing. Results are available after 48 hours. When it is known what bacteria are in the baby's body, the team can check that the baby is on the right antibiotics to kill that bacteria.

Blood gases This is a test done in a laboratory to find out the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases and acids in the blood. Medical staff do this to work out how well the lungs and circulation are functioning, and to make sure any breathing help they are getting is working well. The number of gases that need to be checked will depend on the problems the baby is having. Some blood gas tests also measure the amount of salt (often called sodium) in a baby's blood.

Blood pressure This is the pressure generated in the body's arteries by the pumping of the heart. It is often monitored in babies who are unwell. They can do this using a cuff on the baby's leg or arm, or a line in their vein. If the blood pressure is too low, the baby may be treated with medicine.

Blood transfusion This is when extra blood is given from a donor. A blood transfusion might be needed to treat severe anaemia (a serious lack of red blood cells), low blood pressure, or during or after an operation.

Bradycardia (brad-ee-card-ee-ah) This is when the heart rate slows down for a period of time. This is common in premature babies. It is usually part of apnoea of prematurity (see above). The baby usual recovers on their own. Sometimes, the staff might need to stimulate the baby to make them respond. Bradycardia usually stops after about 36 weeks' gestation.

Breast pump Piece of equipment used forexpressing breast milk. They can be manual (done by hand) or electric.

Broncho Pulmonary Dysplasia (pronounced bron-co pul-mon-air-ree dis-play-zee-a) See 'Chronic lung disease'.

C

Candida (pronounced can-di-dah) A yeast infection (where fungus grows) of the skin, mouth, gut, groin or inside parts of the genitals).

Cannula (pronounced can-you-la) A very small, short, soft plastic tube that is put into a baby's vein to give fluids or medicines straight into the bloodstream without having to keep using needles. Veins in the arms and legs are usually used, although sometimes the veins in the baby's scalp have to be used. A cannula can last for several days but can also need to be changed every few hours.

Cannulae (pronounced can-you-lee)

Soft plastic prongs which go into the nose to send oxygen into the lungs.

Centile charts (pronounced sen-tile) Graphs showing the normal ranges of body measurements at different ages, like weight and the size of the baby's head.

Cerebrospinal fluid (sometimes called CSF, and pronounced se-ree-bro-spy-nal) Fluid made within the parts of the brain which flow down and around the spinal cord. If anything gets in the way of this flow, fluid can't be removed and the pressure rises. This can cause the parts of the brain to get bigger, which can lead to a condition called hydrocephalus.

Cerebral Function Monitor (sometimes called CFM)

A machine that looks at the background electrical activity in the brain. It can tell if a baby might have a fit. This is often used for babies born at term (near their due date) who might have asphyxia (see above) and are being treated on a cooling mattress.

Chest drain A tube passed through the chest wall into the space between the lungs and the outside of the chest to drain off air or fluid leaking from the lung.

Chronic lung disease (CLD) A condition of the lung that may happen because the baby has been on a ventilator for a long time. With CLD, the baby needs more oxygen and may find breathing difficult. This can take some time to improve. CLD is also known as broncho pulmonary dysplasia (BPD, see above).

Chronological age (pronounced cron-a-lodge-ick-al) A baby's age from their date of birth.

Cooling mattress A cooling mattress is used to treat hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE, see below). The mattress cools the baby to prevent damage to the brain.

Corrected age The age a premature baby would be if they had been born on their due date.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) A type of treatment used to help a baby's breathing and helping them have fewer moments of apnoea. Using a CPAP machine, the lungs are expanded by applying a small amount of pressure (oxygen or air) through small prongs just inside the nose or by a small mask over the nose. In some cases a premature baby may be on and off CPAP for several weeks.

CT scanner This is a special type of X-ray machine that is more detailed than a normal X-ray. In babies, it is usually used to look in detail at parts of the brain or sometimes the chest.

Cyanosis (pronounced sigh-an-oh-sis) When there is not enough oxygen in the blood. It can make the skin, lips, the tongue and nails appear a blue, dusky colour.

D

Developmental care This is about making the baby's surroundings as free of stress as possible to help improve how your baby develops over time. This is done in several ways, by:

Reducing the amount of light and noise that the baby is exposed to. The staff might cover the incubator with a sheet or specially-made cover

Creating a 'nest' to nurse a baby, which makes them feel more comfortable and secure

Changing how your baby is disturbed

Massaging your baby

Involving babies in caring for their baby on the unit - for example Kangaroo Care.

Dysmorphic When the doctors and nurses see some features in a baby that are unusual. In many cases, the features turn out to be normal and cause no concern. If there is a problem, a number of tests will be carried out and, if necessary, other specialists may be asked to look at your baby and give an opinion.

Drip When fluids or blood are passed into a vein or artery using a needle or plastic tube. The word drip is sometimes used instead of Cannula.

E

Electrocardiogram (sometimes called ECG, and pronounced ee-leck-tro-car-dee-oh-gram) A test to look at the heart's electrical activity.

Electroencephalogram (sometimes called EEG and pronounced ee-leck-tro-en-seph-la-gram) A test to look at the brain's electrical activity. This is often done in a different unit of the hospital.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (sometimes called ECMO, and pronounced ex-tra-corp-or-ree-al mem-brain ox-i-gin-a-shon) This machine puts oxygen into the blood when a baby born at term is not able to do this using their heart and lungs. It might be used in very sick babies when treatment with a ventilator has not worked. As this is a special machine, babies might need to be moved to another hospital for this treatment.

Electrolytes (pronounced E-leck-tro-lites) Salts in the body (which can be measured in blood tests) that are essential for the body to work.

Endotracheal tube (sometimes called an ET tube, and pronounced en-doe-track-eel) Soft plastic tube put through the mouth or nose into the windpipe (trachea), which is attached to a ventilator to help breathing. It is often called a tracheal or ET tube.

Exchange transfusion Replacing a baby's blood with blood from an adult donor. This is done if a baby's jaundice level (see below) is very high and they are not getting better with treatment.

Expressed breast milk (EBM) Expressing breast milk means to use a pump, hands or both to get milk from the mum's breasts. The milk can be stored in a fridge or freezer or given directly to the baby.

Extremely low birthweight A baby born weighing less than 1000g.

Extubate (pronounced ex-tube-ate) Removing the endotracheal tube (see above) from the windpipe.

F

Fontanelle (pronounced fon-tan-el) Soft spots on a baby's head that disappear by 18 months, as the skull bones grow and join together.

Family-centred care This means involving families in the care of their baby on the unit. Find out moreinformation about family-centred care.

Family-integrated care This is a care model, which is an extension of the principles of family-centred care. This model can be used by neonatal units.

G

Gases and Gas monitor See 'Blood gases'.

Gestational age (pronounced jest-a-shon-al) The number of weeks the baby has been in the womb is known as the gestation. Being born at term means being born after 37 full weeks in the womb but before 42 weeks. If a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation, they are considered to be premature (sometimes called preterm by medical staff).

Glucose monitor This is a machine that can measure the amount of glucose (sugars) in the blood.

Grunting A noise made by a baby with breathing difficulty.

H

Haemoglobin (pronounced hee-ma-glow-bin) Carries oxygen around the body. It is found in the red blood cells.

Head circumference (pronounced sir-come-for-ence) Measurement of the biggest distance around the baby's head.

Heat shield Clear plastic shell placed over the baby to prevent heat loss.

Heated, humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC, or high-flow) Where warm, moist air flows into your baby's lungs through small tubes in their nose.

High dependency unit (HDU) Another way to describe the level of care babies get in a local neonatal unit. Babies who need a higher level of medical and nursing support than provided in a special care baby unit (SCBU) are cared for here.

High frequency oscillatory ventilation A type of ventilator. With most ventilators, you can see the baby's chest rise and fall at the breathing speed that has been set, which looks like regular breathing. Oscillators use very fast speeds, so the baby's chest appears to vibrate. This may look alarming, but this type of ventilation works extremely well for some of the lung conditions that babies may have.

Humidity To prevent premature babies losing too much water through their skin, they are often looked after in warm, humidified incubators. This is why there is sometimes mist on incubators. Humidity (water) is also added to the gases the baby breathes through the ventilator, CPAP or high-flow machines (see above).

Hyaline membrane disease (HMD) A breathing problem in which the lungs are stiff and collapse instead of staying filled with air. This is also known as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).

Hydrocephalus (pronounced high-dro-keff-al-uss) When too much fluid is present inside the parts of the brain. The increased pressure in the brain might cause the head size to increase very quickly.

Hypocalcaemia (pronounced high-po-cal-sea-me-a) A low blood calcium level.

Hypoglycaemia (pronounced high-po-gly-sea-me-a) A low blood glucose level.

Hypothermia (pronounced high-po-ther-me-a) A body temperature of below 35.5°C (95°F).

Hypoxia (pronounced high-pox-ee-a) A low amount of oxygen in the body tissues.

I

Incubator A heated bed covered by a clear plastic box that allows the baby to be kept warm without clothes so that they can be monitored very closely. Humidity and extra oxygen can be run into the incubator if needed. The levels of oxygen can be very closely controlled and monitored.

Incubator cover A special cover that is made to fit over an incubator to shield the baby from light and noise.

Infusion pump Like a syringe, and provides fluids, medicine or nutrients directly into the blood or gut. These can be given over a set period of time.

Inotrope A medicine used to support blood pressure

Intra-ventricular haemorrhage (sometimes called IVH, and pronounced in-tra-ven-trick-you-la hem-or-ridge) This is a common in premature babies where there is bleeding into the fluid chambers (ventricles) of the brain. IVHs are graded 1-4, according to their size, and are found on an ultrasound scan. Grade 1 bleeds are quite common in premature babies and tend to have no long-term consequences. Grade 4 bleeds (the biggest) means that there is bleeding into the brain tissue and may mean the baby has difficulties as they develop and grow.

Intravenous (IV) lines Fine tubes (cannula) that are sometimes put into a blood vessel - usually in a hand, foot, arm or leg - in order to give fluid or medicine directly into the blood.

Intravenous (IV) nutrition A way of supplying all the most important nutrients directly into the blood through an IV line (see above).

J

Jaundice (pronounced jawn-dis) A yellowness of the skin and/or whites of the eyes caused by a high level of bilirubin (see above) in the blood. It is very common in babies, and is caused by the normal breakdown of the baby's red blood cells. However, high levels can be dangerous and phototherapy (shining blue light onto the baby's skin) may be needed to prevent high levels.

Jejunal feeding (pronounced ju-jew-nal) Putting milk, using a special soft tube through the nostrils, into the jejunum (part of the small intestine). This is not as common as other types of tube feeding.

L

Long line This is a longer cannula that is put into a vein in the arm, leg or head, with the end of the line lying close to the heart. It is also sometimes called a central line. These lines are used to give the baby IV nutrition directly into a vein when the starting of milk feeds has to be delayed. They can also be used for medication.

Low birth weight (LBW) There are three categories of low birth weight:

Low birth weight (LBW) - a weight at birth of less than 2500g

Very low birth weight (VLBW) - a weight at birth of less than 1500g

Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) - a weight at birth of less than 1000g

Low flow oxygen A way of giving small amounts of oxygen to babies

Lumbar puncture (LP) or Lumbar tap Meningitis is a very bad infection around the outside layers (called membranes) of their brain and spinal cord. If doctors are worried your baby might be getting this condition, they will take action quickly, as it can become serious. The doctor or nurse practitioner will put a small needle into one of the spaces low down in your baby's back, take some of the fluid and send it for testing. The team will offer your baby things like expressed breast milk to help ease any pain.

M

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans Scans that can give a very useful computer-generated picture of the organs inside a baby without harming them. If your baby has an MRI scan, they will be placed in a special incubator that keeps them safe and warm while inside the scanner. MRI images are very useful for checking for any brain damage, and can help see how a brain is maturing. In most hospitals, the MRI unit will be in a different part of the hospital, so the baby will need to be well enough to travel there.

Meconium (pronounced mew-co-knee-um) A dark greenish sticky solid that builds up in the baby's digestive system before they are born. It usually starts being passed as bowel movements within 24 hours after birth.

Meconium aspiration (pronounced mew-co-knee-um ass-pir-ray-shon) A baby who becomes distressed during labour and before they are born may pass meconium while they are still in the womb. If the baby then breathes the fluid which is surrounding them in, the sticky material can block part of the airways. This can cause inflammation in the lung, and mean the baby finds it hard to breathe soon after they are born.

Morphine (pronounced more-feen) A drug used to reduce the discomfort and stress that babies might experience from some of the treatments they need. It can reduce their own breathing, and so the drug is usually reduced or stopped when a baby is taken off a ventilator. If a baby has needed it for quite a long time, they might become jittery when it is stopped, due to not having the drug in their system anymore.

N

Nasal cannula (pronounced nase-al can-you-la) Small tube put into the nostrils to give a baby oxygen.

Nasogastric feeds (sometimes called NG feeds, and pronounced nase-oh-gas-trick) Nutrition fed using a fine, soft tube passed through the nose into the stomach.

Nasogastric tube (sometimes called an NG tube) A long, thin, soft plastic tube that is passed through a baby's nose into their stomach. This tube is used to give milk to a baby until they are strong enough to take milk from the breast or a bottle.

Neonate The first four weeks of a baby's life (up to 28 days).

Necrotising enterocolitis (sometimes called NEC, and pronounced neck-crot-tize-ing ent-er-co-light-is) A serious condition, where tissue in the bowel (small and large intestines) becomes inflamed. NEC can make a baby temporarily unable to take milk, and at its worst it can cause parts of the bowel to become so damaged that tissue within it dies. NEC can affect just a small part of the bowel, or sometimes the whole bowel can be affected. It is common

NICU This stands for the neonatal intensive care unit.

Nitric oxide This is normally made in the body to relax blood vessels. It means blood can flow to all parts of the body. When the blood vessels to the lungs stay narrow, nitric oxide is sometimes given in the air and oxygen given to a baby to cause them to relax and allow blood flow to the lungs.

NNU This stands for the neonatal unit.

O

Oedema (pronounced oh-deem-a) Swelling caused by too much fluid in the tissues under the skin.

Open cots When a baby can keep their own body temperature stable, they can be transferred from an incubator into a cot without a roof.

Orogastric tube A fine tube passed through the mouth and into the stomach. It is used to give milk to the baby. Sometimes this is done instead of passing the tube through the nose (see Nasogastric tube above)

Oxygen saturation This is measured by placing a special probe on the hand or foot of the baby. This can measure the amount of oxygen flowing through the baby's blood vessels. If the oxygen level drops, the alarm will alert the nurse. If the baby is moving around a lot, sometimes the reading is not lower than it actually is.

P

Parenteral nutrition Nutrition given directly into the bloodstream. It is often called total parenteral nutritionor TPN. The liquid contains sugars, proteins, fats and vitamins - everything the baby needs to grow. Parenteral feeding solutions are often given through a long line.

Patent ductus arteriosus (sometimes called PDA, and pronounced pa-tent duck-tuss art-ear-ree-oh-sis) Where the small connection between the vessels supplying the lungs with blood, and the vessels supplying blood to the body, stays open. This is a very common problem for very premature babies.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation An operation which mends a PDA (see above).

Peak Inspiratory Pressure (PIP) The pressure applied by the ventilator to inflate the lungs (breathing in).

PEEP (positive end expiratory pressure) Pressure applied during breathing out. This helps to stop the lungs from collapsing while the baby is on the ventilator (see hyaline membrane disease above).

Periodic breathing When a baby pauses breathing for up to 10 seconds.

Periventricular leukomalacia (sometimes called PVL, and pronounced perry-ven-trick-you-la luke-oh-mal-a-zee-a) This is where the brain doesn't get enough oxygen and blood flow when it is developing, and the brain cells may die and be replaced with fluid cysts. These can be seen in ultrasound scans of a baby's brain. Depending on the area affected, PVL may show possible future problems with development.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (sometimes called persistent fetal circulation, and pronounced pur-sis-tant pul-mon-air-ree high-per-ten-shon) Before birth, the blood vessels of the lungs are narrow. If the blood vessels do not relax after birth, lungs can't get enough blood flow. Oxygen, ventilation, and sometimes nitric oxide and drugs, are given to open the narrow vessels.

pH The acidity (low pH value) or alkalinity (raised pH value) of the blood. A value close to 7.3 is normal for a baby's arterial blood (blood which comes from the heart and to the rest of the body).

Phototherapy Using blue (not ultraviolet) light to reduce the bilirubin level in babies with jaundice (see above).

Physiotherapy Special treatment to help a baby's development in their movement and behaviour. This might include advice on positioning and stretching exercises, as well as treatments for their chest.

Platelets A part of the blood that helps with clotting. If levels are low, platelets can be given in a blood transfusion.

Pneumothorax (pronounced new-mo-thor-axe) When the lung has leaked air between the lung and chest wall (rib cage). This makes it hard for the lungs to expand and take in air. The air can be removed using a chest drain (see above).

Posset When the baby brings up a small amount of milk after feeding.

Pre-eclampsia This condition is quite common in pregnancies and can cause the baby to be born prematurely. It can be dangerous, particularly if it develops quickly. The main symptoms are headaches and swollen feet, which are linked to having high blood pressure. Bed-rest can help, but sometimes the only way to stop pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby early.

Preterm baby A word used by health professionals to describe a premature baby, born before reaching 37 in the womb.

Pulse oximeter This measures oxygen saturation levels (see above).

R

Resuscitate The help given to babies (usually at birth but sometimes during their stay in the neonatal unit) when they need urgent help with their breathing and circulation.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) Damage to the retina (back) area of the eye that is sensitive to light. Premature babies and those born with a very low birth weight are at a higher risk of this condition. It is linked to the amount of oxygen in the blood reaching the retina. It is most common in premature babies born before 32 week's gestation, or babies born weighing under 1500g at birth. These babies are regularly checked for retinopathy of prematurity by a specialist ophthalmologist (a doctor who is an expert in the eyes).

Respiratory syncytial virus (sometimes called RSV, and pronounced res-pir-a-tor-ree sink-ee-tal vi-russ) This virus causes cold-like symptoms, and affects a lot of babies. can make it harder to breathe if the lungs are affected. If your baby was born prematurely, gets a lot of lung infections, or was born with a congenital heart problem, they could become more poorly than other babies if they catch RSV. Very high risk babies might be given a vaccination against the virus.

S

Saturation monitor (prounounced sat-ture-a-shon) See 'Pulse oximeter'.

Scans (ultrasound) The ultrasound scan used on the neonatal unit is similar scans done on pregnant women. The most common scan is on the brain. This is done with a small probe on the fontanelle (see above). There can be lots of reasons for doing scans, but usually it will be to monitor a premature baby's brain, as they are at risk of bleeding into the brain. Other parts of the body that might need ultrasound scanning are the tummy or the heart. A scan of the heart is often called an echocardiograph, shortened to an 'echo'.

SCBU This stands for special care baby unit.

Small for gestational age (SGA) A baby whose birth weight is lower than that of 90% of babies of the same gestational age (see above).

Sleep study This is a test done on babies who have been on oxygen for a long time. It is often done a short time before the baby is due to go home. The test sees whether the baby can keep their own oxygen levels in a safe range. If the baby is to going to go home on oxygen, then the test is used to set the amount of oxygen that the baby will need. Usually the sleep study will happen over a period of 12 hours and must include a period when the baby is in quiet sleep, as this is the time that the body's oxygen levels are usually at their lowest.

Steroids Steroids (or corticosteriods) are used in several ways. They can be:

Given to mums before the baby is born, when the birth seems likely to happen early. The drug crosses the placenta and causes the baby's lungs to mature, ready for breathing.

Given in the first week or so after birth to babies getting intensive care, to improve the blood pressure in babies with very low blood pressure, where other medication is not working

Given to babies with chronic lung disease (see above), as it may be difficult for the baby to come off the breathing machine. Low doses of steroids can reduce any inflammation (swelling) in the lung.

Stridor A harsh noise made by a baby on breathing in, because of a blockage in the upper airway.

Surfactant (pronounced sir-fact-ant) A mixture of chemicals that stop the lungs from collapsing when the baby breathes out. The lungs start making this at about 24 weeks' gestation, but is not well developed before 36 weeks'. This can be the cause of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS - see above). Replacement surfactant can be given as a liquid into the lungs of the premature baby soon after birth.

Syringe driver See infusion pump above.

T

Tachycardia (pronounced tack-ee-card-ee-ya) A rapid heartbeat. Sometimes health professionals might say a baby is 'tachy' if they have a fast heart rate.

Tachypnoea (pronounced tack-ip-knee-a) Rapid breathing rate.

Temperature skin probe A small device that is put on the skin to measure the baby's temperature.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) See 'Parenteral Nutrition' above.

Transcutaneous monitors (pronounced trans-cue-tain-ee-uss) This is a monitoring device that is put on the skin to measure the blood oxygen or carbon dioxide levels.

Transient tachypnoea of the newborn (TTN).

This affects babies born at term. In the womb, babies have their lungs full of fluid (amniotic fluid) which is very important for lung growth. When they are born, the baby takes a few deep breaths and pushes the fluid out into their circulation. If the baby does not take enough deep breaths, the lungs keep some of the fluid.

Transport incubators This is a special incubator that is used if the baby needs to be transferred to another hospital or a different part of the hospital. to another hospital or a different part of the hospital.

Trophic feeds Very small volume tube feeds that are given to prepare the gut at the start of feeding.

Tube feeding When the baby is fed through a small, fine tube that runs from the nose or mouth straight into the stomach. It is mainly used when a baby is too unwell or premature to feed by themselves.

U

Ultrasound scan See 'Scans' above.

Umbilical catheter A plastic tube put through one an umbilical artery or vein. A catheter in the artery is used to take blood samples and to measure blood pressure. A catheter in the vein is used to give fluids and drugs.

V

Ventilation is mechanical support with breathing, so that the baby will be able to have normal levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in their blood when unable to achieve them for themselves. There are several different types of ventilation.

Ventricle (cardiac) - pronounced ven-trick-al

The pumping chamber of the heart.

Ventricle (brain) Space within the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid (see above). This is where bleeding most commonly occurs in premature babies (see intra-ventricular haemorrhage above).

Ventricular tap (pronounced ven-trick-you-la) After an intra-ventricular haemorrhage (see above) a quick build-up of cerebrospinal fluid may happen, causing the head to grow too quickly (hydrocephalus, see above). This can be temporarily treated by putting a needle through the fontanelle (see above) and taking out some of the excess cerebrospinal fluid.
Ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt (pronounced ven-trick-you-lo perry-ton-eel)
This is a tube with one end put into the ventricles in the brain, and the other into the abdominal cavity (in the tummy) to drain cerebrospinal fluid. This is used as a treatment for hydrocephalus (see above).

Very low birth weight (VLBW) A baby born that is less than 1500g.

Vital signs monitor A monitor that measures important signs like blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation levels.

Vitamin K A naturally-occurring vitamin that is important for the clotting of blood. Newborn babies often don't have enough vitamin K and are given it to stop them from bleeding too much.

The information in this section is due for review November 2025

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Words you might hear on the neonatal unit | Bliss

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This page contains a guide to help you understand some of the common words and terms you might hear while on a neonatal unit.

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Winston's Wish is the UK's childhood bereavement charity. We support children and their families after the death of someone important.

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Oscar's Wish Foundation (OWF) offers comfort and support to parents, family, friends and siblings who have experienced the devastating loss of a precious baby before, during or shortly after birth.

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Whether you have a faith, or identify with none, the chaplaincy team is available to all on the unit at any time to provide spiritual support or just lend a listening ear.

The team are also able to contact the various local religious leaders appropriate to your faith tradition if you would prefer. Please speak to your nurse about your spiritual needs or contact the chaplaincy team on 01273 696955 Ext. 64122 for Brighton or 01444 441881 ext 68232 for PRH.

You may wish to have your baby baptised and blessed or have another religious ceremony while on the unit. Please speak to the nurse looking after your baby, or the chaplaincy team if you would like to arrange this.

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Support and advice to twin loss

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We wanted to use our knowledge to try and improve care for parents in the future, by improving staff knowledge, understanding and practice. During our workshops, one of the parents suggested that we use a Butterfly cot card to signify the twin status for the surviving baby and we first started using this in 2015.

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How can health professionals support my family to get involved?

The nurses, doctors and other health professionals on a neonatal unit can support you to feel more confident in caring for your baby.

They can help by talking through anything that might be stopping you being more involved.

You might like to ask a nurse of other health professional on the unit to support you by:

Showing you how to do your baby's daily cares, like changing nappies, washing them, and dressing them

Giving you clear information about your baby's care, in a way that you understand

Understanding your emotional needs and how staff can support you

Making sure you understand and agree to the treatment your baby needs - this is called consent

Giving you practical information about how the unit works and the policies they have

Giving you any financial help that's available for car parking, hospital food, or other expenses

Showing you where to find further financial support if needed

Showing you where to find support if you are having to travel a long way from home to see your baby

Supporting you to help them, by letting you be a part of life on the unit. For example, many units let parents be there for the health professionals' ward rounds

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Getting involved in your baby's care | Bliss

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Find out how you can be involved in caring for your baby during their stay on a neonatal unit.

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Find below a range of useful resources for parents on infant feeding and relationship building, as well as information on overcoming common breastfeeding challenges.

There are various mother support groups which offer infant feeding support:

Find more useful organisations.

Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby. If you decide not to breastfeed or to stop breastfeeding, it is possible to restart. Giving infant formula to a breastfed baby will reduce your milk supply. You do not need to eat any special foods while breastfeeding, but it is a good idea for you, just like everyone else, to eat a healthy diet.

Resources to support you

Below is a selection of resources to support you with feeding, caring, and building a close and loving relationship with your baby.

Overcoming breastfeeding problems

You may find whilst trying to establish breastfeeding that you run into problems. Whilst these can be debilitating and painful, thankfully the most common ones can be solved relatively quickly and easily - given the right support.

Unfortunately, support is often not available or, what is worse, mothers are told that problems such as engorgement and sore nipples are a normal part of breastfeeding. This is not true.

Below you can read about how different problems develop, how to spot them at a early stage, and how to solve them by yourself or with the support of a health professional.

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Support for parents - Baby Friendly Initiative

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Resources and information for parents to support with feeding and developing close and loving relationships with their baby.

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Onsite there are several food facilities. The League of Friends café can be found in the main entrance, and is open weekdays 07:00-17:00 and Saturdays 09:00-16:00. Opposite this is a WRVS shop, please see their signs for opening hours. Bluebells Restaurant is located on the second floor of the main building, and is open weekdays 08:00 – 15:30 and weekends 08:30-14:00. Hot food is available from Bluebells 08:00-10:30 and 12:00-14:00.

Haywards Heath town centre is a 5 minute drive away (20 minute walk) where you will find numerous restaurants and retail facilities. There are several pay and display car parks in the area. Larger Waitrose and Sainsbury’s can be found further along close to the train station, however there are smaller ‘local’ and ‘express’ shops closer to the hospital.

There are several recreational grounds within walking distance of the hospital including Victoria Park where you can find a children’s play area and café.

For transportation needs, both Metrobus and Compass Travel buses stop at the hospital. The number 271 and 272 bus services run between The Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Sussex County Hospital.

The closest train station is Haywards Heath. It is approximately a 30 minute walk to the hospital. The following bus numbers can be caught from outside the station to the hospital.

If you require a taxi, there is a wide selection of local taxi companies which can be contacted. Please ask a nurse on the unit or a member of staff at the main entrance desk for further details.

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The safest cot is a clear cot

The safest cot for a baby is a clear cot. That means removing anything that isn't essential. Babies need just two items in their cot:

It's important to remove anything that isn't essential because items such as toys, blankets and bumpers could cover their face and obstruct their breathing.

When preparing your baby's sleep space, remember:

No pillows or duvets

No cot bumpers

No soft toys or comforters

No weighted or bulky bedding

No products designed to keep your baby in one sleeping position, such as wedges or straps

No pods or nests, rolled up towels or anything soft placed on top of the mattress.

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Safer sleep overview - The Lullaby Trust

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An easy guide to practicing safer sleep for your baby and reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS, or cot death).

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Special care baby unit (SCBU, SCU or low dependency) - Level 1

This is for babies who do not need intensive care. Often, this will be for babies born after 32 weeks' gestation.

Care can include:

Monitoring their breathing or heart rate

Giving them more oxygen

Treating low body temperature

Treating low blood sugar

Helping them feed, sometimes by using a tube

Helping babies who become unwell soon after birth

Sometimes, a baby might be admitted to a special care baby unit for phototherapy to treat jaundice. But sometimes, this condition is treated in transitional or postnatal care (see above).

Local neonatal unit (LNU) - Level 2

This is for babies who need a higher level of medical and nursing support. If your baby was, or will be, born between 27 and 31 weeks' gestation, you may be transferred to an LNU.

Care on an LNU might include:

Short-term intensive care (usually up to 48 hours)

Short-term ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure (called CPAP) or high flow therapy, for breathing support

Care during periods where their breathing pauses briefly, called 'apnoea' (pronounced ap-knee-ya)

Feeding through a drip in their vein (called parenteral nutrition)

Cooling treatment for babies who have had difficult births or are unwell soon after birth (before being transferred to a neonatal intensive care unit - see below)

Helping babies who become unwell soon after birth

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) - Level 3

This is for babies with the highest need for support lasting more than 48 hours. Often these babies will have been born before 28 weeks' gestation, or be very unwell after birth.

You might have been transferred to a different hospital which has a neonatal intensive care unit before your baby was born. This is usually because the staff feel your baby would benefit from this level of care, but that it is safer to transfer your baby before they are born.

Some of the reasons babies are cared for here are when they:

Need help with their breathing (called ventilation)

Need help with their heartbeat and blood pressure

Have a moderate to severe condition affecting their breathing (called respiratory distress)

Need longer-term feeding support through an intravenous (intra-venus) tube or general nutritional support

Need or have just had surgery - including cooling treatment for brain injuries

At a neonatal intensive care unit, all levels of care may also be given to babies from the local area.

Our friends at the Cambridge University Hospitals Trust and Rosie Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership have made a video about NICU, especially aimed at big brothers and sisters that helps to explain what NICU is.

I'm confused by the different levels of neonatal care

It can be confusing to understand your baby's level of care.

Sometimes babies might be treated in different types of units because their condition has changed. It might not be clear straight away what type of care your baby is getting.

For example, your baby could be in a neonatal intensive care unit, but getting special care. You can always ask the staff if you want more information about the level of care your baby is getting.

You might hear staff on the unit call the different levels of care by different names than we've used here. Have a look through our neonatal words for some other ways people talk about levels of care.

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It can be confusing to understand your baby's level of care. Here, we talk about the different levels of care neonatal units provide.

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Government support with travel

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If you’re referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

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A short questionnaire to find out if you found this padlet useful and how we can improve the information we are providing families

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Easily create surveys and polls to collect customer feedback, measure employee satisfaction, and organize team events.

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University Hospitals Sussex Infant Feeding Padlet

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University Hospitals Sussex Infant Feeding Padlet

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Get in touch with the UHSussex infant feeding team

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Get in touch with the UHSussex infant feeding team

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To ensure confidentiality, we are unable to give any information about your baby to your visitors and they must be accompanied by you at all times whilst on the neonatal unit. Information regarding your baby will also not be given to relatives over the telephone.

We ask you to respect the privacy of other families by not looking at, approaching, or ask questions about other babies on the unit (unless talking directly to their parents).

When taking photographs of your baby to please be careful not to include staff, other patients or visitors in them.

As with ward rounds, we urge you to appreciate and respect the need for confidentiality and privacy of each family on the neonatal unit.

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TMBU is divided into three areas: Intensive Care (Nursery 1), High Dependency (Nursery 2) and Special Care (Nursery 3). As your baby grows and/or progresses they will require less medical support, and this will be reflected in their transition through the nurseries and towards home. Each nursery has its own named consultant for the week and the medical team working specifically in that room.
PRH SCBU is divided into two areas: Nursery 1 where your baby will be admitted in to, and Nursery 2 where babies move to once stable or are feeding and growing getting ready to go home.

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How getting involved in your baby's care helps

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How getting involved in your baby's care helps

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What the research shows

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Research shows that parents being involved in their baby's care on the neonatal unit can have positive effects on them and their baby.

Being involved in your baby's care

Some research shows that being more involved can mean that:

Babies spend less time in hospital

Parents feel less stressed

Babies are more likely to gain weight

Parents feel happier with the care their baby is getting

Parents have more success with breastfeeding

Parents are more comfortable and confident when their baby goes home

Babies are less likely to be re-admitted to hospital after they go home

You might not be able to get as involved as you'd like straight away. This might be because you are recovering from the birth, or if you have to return to work.

Whatever your situation, the staff on the unit will work with you to get involved when you can, and in a way that is right for you and your family.

Some parents find that starting with one thing, and building up to take on more care can be a good way to begin.

Skin-to-skin

Research shows that doing skin-to-skin care can help to create connections between you and your baby. Being physically close can help you to feel emotionally close too.

Skin-to-skin care can also help:

Start breastmilk production and breastfeeding, if you've chosen to feed this way

Your baby to sleep better

For you to learn each other's smell, which can help with feeding and creating an emotional connection

For dads and partners to feel physically close to your baby too

There is also some evidence to show that doing skin-to-skin can help to calm your baby, and can reduce any stress or anxiety you feel as a parent, too. It can especially help to soothe them if your baby is having any painful or distressing procedures.

Some evidence also shows that in premature babies, those who had skin-to-skin care had better longer-term outcomes.

Staff on the neonatal unit are likely to ask if you'd like to try skin-to-skin care with your baby, if your baby is well enough. They will also help you to find the best way to do this, for you and your baby.

This means making sure you feel confident and comfortable, and that you take things at your own pace.

Speaking to your baby

Talking to your baby can help them, as well as help you feel more connected to them. Some research shows that parents speaking to their baby in hospital can increase how much oxygen is in your baby's blood, something which is very important to their overall health.

Some research also shows that your baby's heart rate can increase when hearing their mother's voice. You might like to try reading or singing softly to your baby. This is something that wider members of your family can get involved with too.

It is also something which is easy to do even if you aren't able to hold your baby. You might feel a bit self-conscious to begin with, but your baby knows your voice, and hearing it will let them know you are there.

Being physically and emotionally close

Researchers have looked into the differences between being physically close with your baby, and being emotionally close with them.

If you are able to be with them physically, and do things like skin-to-skin, this can help you feel more emotionally connected with your baby too. But the two might not always go hand in hand.

You might be physically close to your baby but find it hard to feel connected with them. Or, you might not be able to spend much time on the unit, but feel connected with them emotionally through photos or videos you've taken, or through clothing that smells of your baby.

It can be really hard to feel connected with your baby in both ways. Some parents feel a lot of pressure to bond, and can feel that their baby's stay in neonatal care is getting in the way of being able to do this.

You're not alone, and there is support for you. You might find it helpful to chat with the staff on the unit and tell them how you're feeling and what you're worried about.

They will be able to suggest ways you can feel closer with your baby, both physically and emotionally.

Getting used to holding your baby

Research looking at the experiences of first time parents whose baby was in hospital found that parents were often nervous or unsure when it came to holding their baby, because they were scared of hurting them.

But the research also showed that once parents in neonatal care did connect physically with their baby, the emotional connection really grew.

If you're unsure of how to hold your baby, or you're worried you might hurt them, you can speak to the neonatal staff. They will explain how best to handle your baby, and what is the safest and best way to do this.

Staff are also very used to these worries from parents, and will be able to reassure you.

We surveyed over 1,200 parents to find out more about how they felt when they arrived on the unit, how they got involved in their baby's care, and how this affected them and their baby.

The most empowering part of getting involved

The parents we surveyed told us that the most empowering parts of getting involved in their baby's care were:

Skin-to-skin

Holding them

Feeding them

Bathing them

Touching them

Clothing them

Talking to them

Reading to them

Singing to them

Watching them

Changing their nappy

Expressing milk

Being involved in ward rounds

There might be other things you would like to do with your baby. Staff on the unit will be able to talk through all the options with you, to help you be as involved as you'd like to be.

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How getting involved on the neonatal unit helps | Bliss

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We often hear that parents find it hard to know how to look after their baby on the neonatal unit. But what are the benefits of being involved? And what do other parents say?

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You will meet the neonatal outreach team when your baby has moved into Nursery 3 and are getting ready for discharge. As a service they offer a continuation of care between TMBU/SCBU and home. They work alongside your health visitor to help smooth the transition of being at home with your baby. Not all families will require the outreach team service when they are discharged but this will be discussed as your are nearing home.

Some of the things they can help with include:
• Feeding support
• Arrange discharge planning meetings (if appropriate)
• Carry out referrals (e.g., dietician, mental health support)
• Work with other community team members (e.g., GP, HV, stoma nurses, community nurses)
• Support you and your baby if they need to go home on oxygen
• Carry out blood tests at home.
It is a short-term service so eventually the care of supporting you and your baby at home will be with your health visitor alongside other community support. 24 If your baby is discharged home on oxygen or they have other care needs, then they will be referred to the Children’s Community Nursing Team for continued medical care and support.

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Infant milk information for parents and carers

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Infant milk information for parents and carers

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Infant milk information for parents and carers from First Steps Nutrition.

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Infant milks for parents & carers — First Steps Nutrition Trust

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First Steps Nutrition Trust is a charity which provides clear, evidence-based and independent information and support for good nutrition from pre-conception to five years of age.

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Medicines information for parents and carers taking babies home with medicines.

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Skip to content

Giving medicines to babies

The Medicines for Children team are delighted to share a series of resources for parents and carers. They provide information to support safe use of medicines for babies at home.

These resources were developed by parents and a collaboration of five hospitals across the UK and Ireland. The 'PADDINGToN Study' (Parent co-Designed Drug Information for parents and Guardians Taking Neonates home) was led by Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Contact and NHS helplines

If your child is seriously ill, telephone 999 (UK only) or 112 for emergency help.

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Medicines information for parents and carers taking babies home with medicines

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Skip to content The Medicines for Children team are delighted to share a series of resources for parents and carers. They provide information to support safe use of medicines for babies at home. These resources were developed by parents and a collaboration of five hospitals across the UK and Ireland.

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Donating breast milk after loss

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© 2023 The Milk Bank at Chester - Registered Charity No. 1050015

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Getting involved in your babies care (Bliss)

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Getting involved in your babies care (Bliss)

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Some parents feed their premature or sick baby expressed milk or formula in a bottle. Some babies will transition to bottle feeding after being tube fed.

You may prefer to feed your baby expressed milk and/or formula in a bottle alongside breastfeeding. This is called mixed or combination feeding. If you are thinking about mixed or combination feeding, talk to your neonatal team, feeding specialist, midwife, health visitor or GP.

Like other types of feeding, it is important to recognise the signs that your baby is hungry (feeding cues) before bottle feeding. Your baby may demonstrate early feeding cues by putting their fingers into their mouth, making sucking motions (rooting) and becoming restless.

Your baby will want to be close to you while being bottle fed, so this is a great time to have skin-to-skin. When possible, it is best for you or your partner to give bottle feeds so that your baby can learn with you. Doing the following while bottle feeding your baby can help them to feed successfully and be more comfortable:

Make sure you are close to your baby and hold them in the best position suited to your baby, with their head supported. This may be upright or elevated on their side. Some units may advise you to try different positions.

Offer the bottle when your baby shows feeding cues.

Gently invite your baby to take the teat.

Avoid forcing your baby to take the teat or finish the feed.

If the milk comes too quickly, it can be difficult for your baby to coordinate their sucking, swallowing and breathing. A nurse or feeding specialist on the unit will show you teats, bottles and positions that can help your baby to do this more effectively.

Some babies have periods of low oxygen (desaturations) and/or low heart rate (bradycardia) when they are starting to bottle feed or breastfeed. This is normal in some cases and will improve with time, but can be a sign that your baby is not ready for feeding yet. If this happens, it may need to be looked at by a doctor or a speech and language therapist who specialises in swallowing.

Low oxygen and heart rate while feeding can also be a sign of reflux. Reflux happens when some of the partly digested milk or food in the stomach comes back up the tube from the mouth to the stomach (oesophagus). This is common in all babies, but is more common in babies born premature or sick. We have more information about reflux.

Staff on the neonatal unit should support you and show you how to make feeds and clean and sterilise your baby's bottles (see below). They could also encourage you to bring bottles in from home so that your baby can get used to them. For more help and support with bottle feeding, speak to your neonatal team, feeding specialist, midwife, health visitor or GP.

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Find out how to feed your premature or sick baby expressed milk or formula in a bottle.

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Daily medical ward round: We encourage you to be present and participate during ward rounds as much as your feel comfortable to. The medical team will discuss your baby’s care and treatment plan. These usually start around 9:30am each morning. Depending on the nursery there may be more health professionals present, including Consultants, Registrars (senior doctors), and Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (ANNP).
Family led ward round: Our unit runs family led ward rounds on Thursday mornings from 9:30am in nursery 2 and 3. The ward rounds are an opportunity for you as parents to present your baby to us. We have designed a sheet to guide you through this process which you will be given in the nursery. This sheet can then be used each week and become part of recording your baby’s journey. We hope it will help you to see how far your baby has come and have a better understanding of what happens with your baby every step of the way. These ward rounds include other multidisciplinary staff, including Speech and Language Therapist [SALT], Physiotherapist, Dietician and Infant Feeding Lead.
Taking part is not compulsory so if you do not wish to take part please do not feel you have to. If you would like to know more or have any questions or concerns please speak to the nurse caring for your baby.

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You maybe entitled to a sure start grant

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Sure Start Maternity Grant is a £500 payment to help with the costs of a new baby: what you’ll get, eligibility and how to apply (claim form SF100).

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We do not consider parents as visitors. You are an integral part of your baby’s care and the neonatal team. We welcome you to be with your baby whenever you wish, day or night, 24/7. If you wish to have visitors the unit does have some restrictions.

- Visiting times for friends and family are between 1pm-3pm and 5pm-7pm
- Three people to a cot side, one of which must be a parent
- No children under the age of 16 unless they are the sibling of       your baby

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Infection prevention is very important for your baby’s well-being because they are at a higher risk of infection. This is why we ask you to wash your hands thoroughly at the sink every time you enter and leave the nursery. We also ask you to be ‘bare below the elbow’, which means that you roll up your sleeves and remove all jewellery (a plain wedding ring is okay to keep on). Please remember to keep your valuables with you at all times.
These infection prevention measures are also expected to be followed by any visitors you may have during your baby’s stay. Visitors are not allowed to touch or hold your baby because of the risk of infection.

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Offers lots of support and advice for the whole family and onnline counselling support

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We offer confidential bereavement support to anyone affected by the sudden and unexpected death of a baby or young child.

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This leaflet is designed to give parents comfort and confidence in the care of their sick or premature baby.

This leaflet covers a wide range of issues and provides a useful tool to help conversations with parents on the neonatal unit.

Printed copies are available for £15 per pack (1-9 packs) or £11 per pack (10 or more packs). There are 50 leaflets per pack and this price includes P&P within UK. Order using the Baby Friendly Resources order form, which you can download from our Resources page.

Public Health Wales have produced a version of the You and Your Baby neonatal leaflet in Welsh, which is free to download.
Orders for UK delivery only, and include postage and packaging costs. Orders may take up to 7 working days to process. The Baby Friendly Initiative reserve the right to re-print items at any time. If you are looking to order audit tools or e-learning, please use our digital resources order form.

You and Your Baby: Supporting Love and Nurture on the Neonatal Unit leaflet

More neonatal resources to support you

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You and your baby leaflet - Baby Friendly Initiative

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This leaflet covers a wide range of issues and provides a useful tool to help conversations with parents on the neonatal unit.

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Every baby is offered newborn blood spot screening, also known as the heel prick test, ideally when they're 5 days old.

What is the blood spot test?

Newborn blood spot screening involves taking a blood sample to find out if your baby has 1 of 9 rare but serious health conditions.

Most babies won't have any of these conditions but, for the few who do, the benefits of screening are enormous.

Early treatment can improve their health, and prevent severe disability or even death.

What does the blood spot test involve?

When your baby is 5 days old, a healthcare professional will prick their heel and collect 4 drops of blood on a special card.

You can ease any distress for your baby by cuddling and feeding them, and making sure they're warm and comfortable.

Occasionally, the sample may need to be taken when your baby is 6, 7 or 8 days old.

Sometimes a second blood spot sample is needed. The reason for this will be explained to you. It doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with your baby.

The test doesn't carry any known risks for your baby.

Which conditions is the blood spot test for?

The blood spot test screens for the following 9 rare but serious conditions.

If you, your partner or a family member already has one of these conditions (or a family history of it), tell your healthcare professional straight away.

Sickle cell disease

About 270 babies are born with sickle cell disease in the UK each year. This is a serious inherited blood disease.

Sickle cell disease affects haemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.

Babies who have this condition will need specialist care throughout their lives.

People with sickle cell disease can have attacks of severe pain and get serious, life-threatening infections. They're usually anaemic because their blood cells have difficulty carrying oxygen.

The blood spot screening test means that babies with sickle cell disease can receive early treatment to help them live healthier lives. This may include vaccinations and antibiotics to prevent serious illnesses.

Pregnant women are also routinely tested for sickle cell disease early in pregnancy.

Read more about sickle cell disease.
GOV.UK also has a factsheet about sickle cell disease
Cystic fibrosis

About 1 in 2,500 babies born in the UK has cystic fibrosis. This inherited condition affects the digestion and lungs.

Babies with cystic fibrosis may not gain weight well and are prone to chest infections.

Babies with the condition can be treated early with a high-energy diet, medicines and physiotherapy.

Although children with cystic fibrosis may still become very ill, early treatment can help them live longer, healthier lives.

Read more about cystic fibrosis.
GOV.UK also has a leaflet for parents whose baby has suspected cystic fibrosis
Congenital hypothyroidism

About 1 in every 2,000 to 3,000 babies born in the UK has congenital hypothyroidism. Babies with congenital hypothyroidism don't have enough of the hormone thyroxine.

Without thyroxine, babies don't grow properly and can develop learning disabilities.

Babies who have the condition can be treated early with thyroxine tablets, and this allows them to develop normally.
The British Thyroid Foundation has more information about congenital hypothyroidism
Inherited metabolic diseases

It's important to let your healthcare professional know if you have a family history of a metabolic disease (a disease that affects your metabolism).

Babies are screened for 6 inherited metabolic diseases. These are:

About 1 in 10,000 babies born in the UK has PKU or MCADD. The other conditions are rarer, occurring in 1 in 100,000 to 150,000 babies.

Without treatment, babies with inherited metabolic diseases can become suddenly and seriously ill. The diseases all have different symptoms.

Depending on which one affects your baby, the condition may be life threatening or cause severe developmental problems.

They can all be treated with a carefully managed diet and, in some cases, medicines as well.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)

In some areas of England, screening for a condition called severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is also being offered as part of the newborn blood spot test. This is to help the NHS decide if screening for SCID should be offered to all babies in England.

SCID causes problems with the immune system. It makes it very hard for a baby to fight off infections like meningitis and pneumonia, which can be life-threatening. About 14 babies born each year in England have SCID.

Ask your midwife if screening for SCID is being offered in your area.
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children has more information on severe combined immunodeficiency

Does my baby have to have the blood spot test?

The blood spot test is not compulsory, but it's recommended because it could save your baby's life.

You can choose to have screening for sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis or congenital hypothyroidism individually, but you can only choose to have screening for all 6 inherited metabolic diseases or none at all.

If you don't want your baby to be screened for any of these conditions, discuss it with your midwife.

You should be given information about the blood spot test and the diseases it screens for in advance so you can make an informed decision for your baby.

If you change your mind, babies can be screened up to the age of 12 months for all the conditions except cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis can only be screened for up to 8 weeks of age.

If you have any concerns about the tests, speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP.

When will we get the results?

You should receive the results either by letter or from a healthcare professional by the time your baby is 6 to 8 weeks old.

The results should be recorded in your baby's personal child health record (red book). It's important to keep this safe and take it with you to all your baby's appointments.

If you haven't received your baby's results, speak to your health visitor or GP.

You'll be contacted sooner if your baby screens positive. This means they're more likely to have one of the conditions tested for.

You'll be contacted:

the day the result is available, or the next working day, if your baby is thought to have congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) - you'll be given an appointment to see a specialist

before your baby's 4 weeks old if they're thought to have cystic fibrosis

before your baby's 6 weeks old if they're thought to have sickle cell disease

Screening for cystic fibrosis finds some babies who may be genetic carriers of the condition. These babies may need further testing.

Screening for sickle cell disease also finds babies who are carriers of this or other red blood cell diseases.

Carriers are healthy, although they can experience problems in situations where their bodies aren't getting much oxygen - for example, if they're having an anaesthetic.

Parents of babies who are found to be carriers should be told by the time they're 6 to 8 weeks old.

What do the results mean?

Most babies will have a normal result, which means it's unlikely that they have any of the conditions.

A small number of babies will screen positive for one of the conditions. This doesn't mean they have the condition, but they're more likely to have it. They'll be referred to a specialist for more tests.

It's important to know that screening isn't 100% certain. A baby with a negative screening result may later turn out to have the disease screened for. This is known as a false negative.

Babies with a positive result sometimes turn out not to have the disease - what's known as a false positive.

Occasionally, other medical conditions are picked up by blood spot test screening. For example, babies with beta thalassaemia major, a serious blood disease, will usually be detected. These babies also need to be referred for early treatment.

More information

Take our survey

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Your guide to the newborn blood spot (heel prick) test, including which diseases it screens for and when to expect the results

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You are entitled to a free parking permit to be used in the Trust car park for up to two car registrations throughout your stay. You will be given a form to complete in your Welcome Pack and this must be taken to the parking office in order to receive your permit.
The car park and parking around the hospital can be very busy and difficult at certain times of the day, we suggest you allow extra time to find a parking space.

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Some infants may be due their immunisations while an inpatient. You will find the immunisation schedule in your baby's red book. The link above will take you to the NHS leaflet explaining the schedule and what each immunisation is for.

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NHS leaflet explaining the immunisation schedule for premature babies.

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Read about how newborn hearing screening is carried out, what is screened for, and when you can expect to get the results.

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Quiet time is daily from 3pm-5pm. Only parents/support persons are allowed in the nursery at this time, visitors should not be on the unit.

Quiet time is allocated to help your baby rest and grow whilst they are on the unit. During this time, we try to keep noise and light levels down to help with your baby’s ongoing development. We also try to minimise the amount of invasive procedures or investigations being carried out. However, emergency care or procedures will continue at the medics’ discretion.

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Screening for retinopathy of prematurity - information for parents and carers

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You have been given this leaflet because your baby was born at less than 31 weeks of pregnancy (very premature birth) or had a birthweight under 1501 grams and is at risk of developing ROP. It will give you more information about ROP, clarify what happens during screening and how you can support your baby and explain what happens after screening.

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St George's Hospital

Address:
Blackshaw Road
Tooting
London SW17 0QT

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St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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On this page:

At St George's we provide specialist care for the smallest and sickest babies, including those that are born prematurely and those that require surgery. We are the regional centre for the South West London Neonatal Network. Our network has 5 hospitals providing maternity and newborn services. St George's has a large specialist fetal medicine unit, and many women with complex pregnancies are referred to us for expert care. We provide the majority of intensive care for newborn babies in south west London as well as providing some specialist services for neighbouring networks, covering a large geographical area extending down to the south coast. Once babies no longer require specialist care at St George's, we move them to a neonatal unit at one of our network hospitals so that families can be closer to home, and to allow us to take new babies that require our specialist services.

What we offer:

An integrated neonatal unit where babies receive specialist medical and surgical intensive care.

43 cots (12 intensive care, 13 high dependency care, and 18 special care).

4 parent bedrooms where parents can stay on the unit - these are allocated depending on need, and are also used for parents to stay with their baby for 1 or 2 nights before going home.

Facilities in the hospital grounds where parents who live far away can stay (Ronald McDonald House).

Specialist multi-professional paediatric surgical services - including general surgery, ENT, neurosurgery, urology, and a specialist spina bifida service.

Highly trained nurses, including a surgical nurse specialist and a team of Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. We have one of the lowest rates of agency staff use in London.

Paediatric infectious diseases service - we are one of 3 centres in the UK designated to look after children with HIV.

Close links with the Royal Brompton Hospital for the management of babies with heart problems, including weekly visits from a fetal cardiologist.

Weekly eye-checks for babies at risk of retinopathy of prematurity by doctors from Moorfields Eye Hospital, and facilities for laser therapy.

Weekly neonatal follow-up clinic.

Specialist neonatal developmental clinic for babies born before 30 weeks gestation.

Community neonatal nursing team to support babies in the community discharged to Wandsworth from our unit.

Antenatal (before birth) counselling of prospective parents by appropriate healthcare professionals if problems are expected; this may include neonatologist, cardiologist, geneticist or surgeon alongside our fetal medicine colleagues.

monthly neonatal respiratory clinic for infants with chronic lung disease and congenital lung lesions

Specialist neonatal developmental clinic for babies born before 30 weeks gestation.

Community neonatal nursing team to support babies in the community discharged to Wandsworth.

Our clinics are designed to allow follow-up of babies discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit, and we are unable to accommodate direct referrals to outpatients.

Quality Measures

The survival rates for babies in the SW London Network are better than national averages.

The most recent national parent survey (Picker Institute, 2010) was favourable, and highlighted good communication with families and excellent communication and practice relating to infection control.

We have weekly team meetings where key people involved with the care of babies on the neonatal unit meet. These include fetal medicine, surgical, perinatal, X-ray, and microbiology/infectious diseases meetings.

Grand Round - our consultant neonatologists do a joint weekly ward round to ensure that care is consistent and quality is maintained.

We regularly audit the quality of our care locally, and have 100% participation in the National Neonatal Audits to ensure quality standards are maintained.

We monitor and comply with relevant national standards.

We are on the same site as St George's University, and have close links allowing us to provide excellent teaching and training of students and staff.

We have a specialist Breastfeeding Advisor and Discharge coordinator

An active program of simulation training involving nurses, midwives and doctors from different teams to help prepare staff for emergencies and unexpected events.

Support services for families, including a trained counsellor, and a family-centred care co-ordinator funded by First Touch.

Every year we produce a Unit Report (including mortality and morbidity figures for the unit) and a Governance Report.

Key staff
Consultant neonatologists

Dr Laura DeRooy

Dr Nigel Kennea

Dr Justin Richards

Dr Charlotte Huddy

Dr Nasreen Aziz

Dr Sijo Francis (Care Group Lead)

Dr Donovan Duffy

Dr Anay Kulkarni

Dr Sandeep Shetty

Dr Amy Reid

Head of nursing Matrons

Laura James/Mariella Tonzanu
Neonatal community nursing team Family centered care coordinator Discharge planning coordinator Neonatal counsellor
Referrals

Please note that we do not take direct referrals from GPs to our neonatal clinics, which are designed for following up patients discharged from the neonatal unit.

Contact Details

Reception
020 8725 1936

Secretaries
Sandra McLennon
020 8725 3528

Neonatal sisters office
020 8725 1934

Family Care Coordinator
020 8725 6045

Neonatal Counsellor
020 8725 0033

Key links

Related pages

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Newborn services - neonatal unit - St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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At St George's we provide specialist care for the smallest and sickest babies, including those that are born prematurely and those that require surgery. We are the regional centre for the South West London Neonatal Network. Our network has 5 hospitals providing maternity and newborn services. St George's has a ...

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ICON - Babies cry you can cope - Advice and Support | ICON

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ICON - Advice and support for parents when babies are crying

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Babies cry, you can cope When babies cry it can be stressful and overwhelming. Help is out there and all you need to do is ask. Latest news Testimonials

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How to find St Thomas' Neonatal unit and local information

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Coronavirus (COVID-19)- updated information for visitors

We have some visiting restrictions at this time.

Parents and siblings can be present on the unit at any time. Parents can nominate four other people (family or friend) to visit the neonatal unit with them. Ask the ward clerk or nursing team for a visiting form. Family and friends must visit with a parent, weekdays between 3pm-6.30pm and at weekends 12.30pm-6.30pm. Only 2 people can be at the bedside at anytime and one must be a parent. This will help us to minimise the number of people in the hospital and reduce the risk of spreading infection to keep you and your family safe.

There may be exceptional circumstances to this, which we will discuss with you on an individual basis. Speak to the team or refer to the admission pack for more information about visiting.

Read our latest information on coronavirus.

Location

Sixth floor, North Wing, St Thomas' Hospital.

Directions: turn right at St Thomas' main reception, walk past the toilets and shop and turn left into the North Wing lift A lobby. Take any lift up to the sixth floor.

Family Integrated Care

On the NNU, we believe that parents and staff are equal partners in the care of your baby. We will encourage you to be involved with caring for your baby as quickly as you feel able to after their birth. On our unit we follow a model of care called Family Integrated Care (FICare).

We will help to guide and support you to carry out parenting roles (like changing, cleaning, feeding and holding your baby), as soon as you are ready. Tasks that are more medical remain the responsibility of the doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. We see you as equal, essential members of the team looking after your baby, and pride ourselves on working together to get your baby home as soon as possible. We will support you to feel connected with your baby.

Facilities for parents

After birth, new mothers are cared for on the postnatal ward located opposite the Neonatal Unit.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide accommodation on the unit itself. For information about places to stay, see accommodation.

There is a parents' room on the unit where you can take a break to make something to eat or drink. This room is not for visitors and if you bring your children with you, you must supervise them at all times.

There are lockers for you to store your belongings when you come to spend time with your baby. Please hang outside coats in the designated coat hook area and bring only small essential items to the bedside.

Your nurse

At the start of each shift, your baby's care will be allocated to a nurse who will work with you to care for your baby that shift. Your bedside nurse is the best person to ask if you need help, but please don't hesitate to ask another member of staff for assistance.

Your doctor

The doctors involved in your baby's care do a ward round every morning. This is a good time to ask questions and share in decision making about your baby's care.

Psychology service

Having your baby admitted to the neonatal unit may not have been something you expected. Our psychology team are here to support you. Ask the team for a referral or for more information.

Neonatal Network

If your baby has been transferred to our unit from another hospital, or you do not live locally to St Thomas' Hospital, we will assess him/her on a daily basis. When well enough, your baby will be transferred back to your local hospital. More information can be found on the London ODN website.

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The Neonatal Unit is based at St Thomas' Hospital. It provides specialist care for premature and sick babies and includes an intensive care unit (NICU), high dependency unit (HDU) and a special care baby unit (SCBU).

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Nestled in the heart of Chelsea and a stone's throw away from London's infamous King's Road, Royal Brompton Hospital is at the forefront of advancing heart and lung care.

Founded in the 1840s, initially to treat people suffering from tuberculosis, our hospital has a long-standing history of treating adults and children with heart and lung conditions.

We established Europe's first adult cystic fibrosis clinic in 1964 and our hospital has grown into the largest treatment centre for the condition in Europe.

Also, our adult congenital heart disease unit was the first of its kind in Europe and remains the largest.

Services and facilities

Our services and facilities include:

Sir Reginald Wilson Ward - our private inpatients ward with 28 spacious single-occupancy, en-suite rooms

five operating theatres, a hybrid theatre, four catheter laboratories and over 2,200 staff

a full range of imaging services, including ultrasound, echocardiography, nuclear medicine, CT, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and fluoroscopy

non-invasive cardiology monitoring and lung function

dedicated high-dependency units and intensive therapy units staffed by our expert medical team 24 -hours a day.

A brand-new imaging centre opened in January 2022 providing the very latest in imaging technology. This includes some of the most advanced MRI scanners, CT, ultrasound, echocardiography, interventional radiology and bronchoscopy all in one building.

This helps to reduce scanning times and improve the overall patient experience.

Directions and opening times

Opening times

Our Royal Brompton Private Consulting Rooms, located at the Old Fire Station building on South Parade, is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

Getting here

The private facilities at Royal Brompton Hospital are based across three buildings:

Our Sydney and Chelsea wings are located within the same site, accessible via the main reception on Sydney Street, SW3 6NP.

For Royal Brompton Private Consulting Rooms, go to the Old Fire Station building on South Parade, Chelsea. We are located on the ground floor - look for signage that says, 'Private consulting rooms'.

For private inpatients, ask at the main reception in Sydney Wing to be directed to the private inpatients' reception.

Travelling by public transport

To see bus and train times, you can check Citymapper, or Transport for London's Journey Planner.

London Underground

The nearest tube station is South Kensington (0.4 miles away) which is on the Circle, District and Piccadilly lines.

From there, the hospital is a 10 minutes' walk away. Alternatively, you can take bus number 49 from stop D and get off two stops later at 'Cale Street/Royal Brompton Hospital'.

Walking from South Kensington

Go up the stairs and turn left out of the tube station.

Cross the road towards Pret a Manger and turn left onto Old Brompton Road.

Walk down the road, then turn right onto Fulham Road.

Cross the road and turn left into Sydney Street.

Continue down the street until you see the hospital on your right, opposite St Luke's Church.

Walking from South Kensington to Royal Brompton Private Consulting Rooms

Go up the stairs and turn right out of the tube station.

Cross the road towards Pret a Manger and turn left onto Old Brompton Road.

Walk down the road, then turn right onto Fulham Road.

Cross the road and turn left into Dovehouse Street.

Cross over the road and continue until the road bends to your right.

Follow the road to the right onto South Parade. Continue down the street until you see the Royal Brompton Private Consulting Rooms on your right-hand side.

Bus

Several bus routes serve the hospital:

Bus numbers 14, 211, 345 and 414 stop outside the Fulham Wing on Fulham Road.

Bus numbers 49 and 211 stop on Sydney Street for our main reception.

Bus numbers 11, 19, 22, 211, 49 and 319 serve the King's Road.

Transport for London has a PDF bus route map for the area, which can be found here.

Travelling by car

Check your route using a route planner such as Google Maps. For Sat Navs, our postcode is: SW3 6NP.

Parking for patients and visitors

There is no patient or public parking at Royal Brompton Hospital other than a very limited pickup and drop off area at Sydney Street. There is metered, on-street parking, but in central London, street parking is very limited and not guaranteed. This is worth noting if you have an appointment.

There is a small public car park a few minutes' walk away on Sydney Street, near King's Road and managed by CP Plus Parking:

Sydney Street Car Park
125 Sydney St
Chelsea, London
SW3 6NR

For visitors seeing inpatients, it's easier to park your car at the weekend. Nearby roads are pay-and-display on Saturdays and free on Sundays.

Reserved parking for outpatients

We have five car parking spaces near the hospital, in Dudmaston Mews, available to reserve free of charge. Reservations can be made in the two weeks before your outpatient appointment and are subject to availability.

Please do not use these spaces unless you have a reservation. To book, call +44 (0)20 7351 8012 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Subject to availability, these five car parking spaces in Dudmaston Mews can be used by visitors after 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Parking for disabled badge holders

A small number of disabled parking spaces, owned by the council, are available near the hospital in:

Remember to always display your disabled badge. Please check on-street signage to see the maximum stay.

Congestion Charge and ULEZ zones

Royal Brompton Hospital is situated inside London's Congestion Charge/ULEZ zone. Please check the TFL website for further details on charges and times they apply, including exemptions from charges.

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Royal Brompton Hospital | RB&HH Specialist Care

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Nestled in the heart of Chelsea and a stone's throw away from London's infamous King's Road, Royal Brompton Hospital is at the forefront of advancing heart and lung care.

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vCreate is an NHS Trusted Secure Video Messaging service that enables the team to send you short videos and photos of your baby, during those times when you are unable to be on the unit. The photos and video clips will be general updates only and will not contain sensitive or clinical information. The clips will be taken on a unit-approved device.

This photo/video diary builds up over time and is accessible on demand 24/7. You will then be able to download the content to a computer upon discharge.

If you are transferred to another hospital the account can also be transferred if the receiving unit uses the same system. Once you have been discharged the system administrator will permanently remove the videos and associated data record.

To register for an account please follow the link provided above. You will be required to sign a consent form on the unit prior to the account being activated by staff.

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On admission all infants are screened for MRSA. The results of the swab will be available within a week. Unless there is a positive result you will not hear about the results. Every Monday all infants on the unit are screened for MRSA until discharge.

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Sterilising your expressing kit using a steri-sac

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Sterilising your expressing kit using a steri-sac

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Wash and rinse the items for sterilising, place them in the Steri-Sac™ with 60ml of tap water as directed, seal the bag, then microwave (typically for 3 minutes depending on microwave power, the timings of which can be found on the side of the bag), allow to cool before tipping out water from labelled spout, items are now sterilised. Pat items dry with a paper towel and store.
For more help please see the above 'how-to-use' youtube link.

In the kitchenette located in the family area you will find a microwave labelled solely for sterilisation use. Please use the sterisacs provided in the provided pumping kit to sterilise and store in the box provided.

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You will need to register your baby’s birth within six weeks, and within the area your baby was born. If you are unable to register the birth in the area they were born due to being transferred to another hospital, you can go to another registry office who can send your details to the correct office. When contacting the registry office please make them aware that your baby was born out of area. If you are married, either parent can register the birth. If you are not married and want the baby to be registered in the father’s name, both parents must attend. The following are the local county offices details, you can book an appointment online or over the phone. If your baby was born at Brighton, you can register the birth at either Brighton or Lewes office.

Brighton and Hove Register Office

Brighton Town Hall

Bartholomew’s Square, Brighton, BN1 1JA

01273 292016

Eastbourne Register Office

Town Hall

Grove Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4UG

01323 464780

Hastings Register Office

The register Office

Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1EX

01424 726530

Haywards Heath Register Office

County Offices
Oaklands, Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1SU

01243 642122

Lewes Register Office
Southover Grange

Southover Road, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1TP

01273 475589

Worthing Register Office

Portland House,

Richmond Road, Worthing, BN11 1HS

01243 642122

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An advanced clinical massage therapist visits TMBU twice a month to offer massages to parents. They take place on the unit in the quiet room where a calm and tranquil atmosphere has been created. Each massage time slot is 20 minutes and a sign up sheet is available by the water fountain. You can ask your nurse for more information and to sign up.

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FREE 1-1 & group, online & face-to-face peer support to local East Sussex Parents. You can refer yourself or ask one of the team on the unit to refer you.

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A support service for families and their networks who may be suffering with perinatal mental illness, including prenatal (antenatal) and postnatal depression.

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Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday 10am - 12pm at the Tarners Childrens centre, BN2 9QE And Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday 2pm -4pm at the old boat community centre, BN1 8GN

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The IAPT service covers the whole of Sussex and offers free, confidential talking therapy for people who have symptoms of anxiety or depression. IAPT stands for ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapy’.

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Brighton PIP is a charity offering intensive support to expectant parents and those with newborn babies up until the age of three. Through individual therapy or group sessions, they help parents fulfil their child’s needs by understanding the world through their eyes and by tuning into the signals they send out. Their work strengthens the parent-infant relationship, helping to form a loving bond which is crucial for a child’s future well-being.

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Changing the future, one baby at a time... Having a baby is supposed to be one of the happiest and most rewarding experiences of your life. The reality is often quite different. Expecting or caring for a baby can stir up powerful emotions such as anxiety, depression, anger and even hostility. Experiencing these emotions, in addition to sleep deprivation, may leave you struggling to cope or finding it hard to respond to your infant's needs. When such extreme emotions persist over time, you know that you are not just "having a bad day" - it is okay to ask for help.

Brighton PIP is a charity (Registered Charity Number 1177084) offering intensive support to expectant parents and those with newborn babies up until the age of three. Through individual therapy or group sessions, we help parents fulfil their child's needs by understanding the world through their eyes and by tuning into the signals they send out. Our work strengthens the parent-infant relationship, helping to form a loving bond which is crucial for a child's future well-being.

'As a Local MP I am proud to support BrightPIP and the amazing work they do providing support for parents and vulnerable babies in Brighton & Hove. With a misson of ensuring parent-infant psychological therapy (PIP) is freely available to all families in Brighton and Hove who need it, charities like BrightPIP are working towards a future where every baby in our community grows up feeling safe, secure and loved. BrightPIP have seen a 450% increase in referrals over the last few years and, due to their dedication and commitment to help, have been able to meet that demand. I'm so grateful to have lifeline services like this providing care and support for families in my constituency.' Caroline Lucas MP
SUPPORT FOR PARENTS HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
We are proud to be associated with the following organisations

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Brighton Parent Infant Psychological Therapy

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Changing the future, one baby at a time... Having a baby is supposed to be one of the happiest and most rewarding experiences of your life. The reality is often quite different. Expecting or caring for a baby can stir up powerful emotions such as anxiety, depression, anger and even hostility.

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West Sussex Talking Therapies is a free self referral service that can help you feel better. You can sing up for this service if you are registered with a GP surgery in West Sussex or are an out-of-area student and you are over 18. They offer guided self help, cognitive behaviour therapy, and counselling.

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NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression

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Search our A-Z listing of our clinical services

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Perinatal mental health issues can happen in pregnancy and in the first years of being a parent (antenatal and postnatal). Problems can affect new mums as well as dads, people with no history of mental health problems as well as those who have. The word perinatal simply means the time around (peri) childbirth (natal). 

Perinatal Positivity uses the real voices and experiences of women and men who have had mental wellbeing difficulties around the time of pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. We hope it will help you emotionally prepare and find support, if needed, at this time.

ForMed films would like to especially thank the women and men who agreed to be interviewed, to tell their stories and share their experiences to help others. These eight hours of interviews have formed the six minute film.

The film and a number of translations and versions are available to download or embed for free from www.perinatalpositivity.org

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Postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby.
It's a common problem, affecting more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth. It can also affect fathers and partners.

It's important to get help as soon as possible if you think you might be depressed, as your symptoms could last for months or get worse and have a significant impact on you, your baby and your family.

With the right support most people make a full recovery.

Depression during pregnancy

Depression in pregnancy (antenatal depression) is also common, affecting more than 1 in 10 women.

Other mental health symptoms that can occur during or after your pregnancy include anxiety, panic attacks and psychosis.
Read more about mental health in pregnancy

Symptoms of postnatal depression

Many women feel a bit down, tearful or anxious in the first week after giving birth.

This is often called the " baby blues" and is so common that it's considered normal.

The "baby blues" do not last for more than 2 weeks after giving birth.

If your symptoms last longer or start later, you could have postnatal depression.

Postnatal depression can start any time in the first year after giving birth.

Signs that you or someone you know might be depressed include:

a persistent feeling of sadness and low mood

lack of enjoyment and loss of interest in the wider world

lack of energy and feeling tired all the time

trouble sleeping at night and feeling sleepy during the day

finding it difficult to look after yourself and your baby

withdrawing from contact with other people

problems concentrating and making decisions

frightening thoughts - for example, about hurting your baby

Many women do not realise they have postnatal depression because it can develop gradually.

Speak to a GP, midwife or health visitor as soon as possible if:

you think you may be depressed

Many midwives and health visitors have been trained to recognise postnatal depression and have techniques that can help.

Remember that:

a range of help and support is available, including talking therapy

depression is an illness like any other

it's not your fault you're depressed - it can happen to anyone

being depressed does not mean you're a bad parent

it does not mean you're going mad

your baby will not be taken away from you - babies are only taken into care in very exceptional circumstances

Treatments for postnatal depression

Postnatal depression can be lonely, distressing and frightening, but support and effective treatments are available.

These include:

self-help - things you can try yourself include talking to your family and friends about your feelings and what they can do to help, making time for yourself to do things you enjoy, resting whenever you get the chance, getting as much sleep as you can at night, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet

talking therapy - a GP may be able to recommend a self-help course or may refer you for a course of therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

antidepressants - these may be recommended if your depression is more severe or other treatments have not helped; your doctor can prescribe a medicine that's safe to take while breastfeeding

Local and national organisations, such as the Association for Post Natal Illness (APNI) and Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support (PANDAS), can also be useful sources of help and advice.

Causes of postnatal depression

The cause of postnatal depression is not completely clear.

There are a number of things that may make you more likely to have postnatal depression. These include:

a history of mental health problems, particularly depression, earlier in life

a history of mental health problems during pregnancy

having no close family or friends to support you

a difficult relationship with your partner

recent stressful life events, such as a bereavement

physical or psychological trauma, such as domestic violence

Even if you do not have any of these, having a baby is a life-changing event that can sometimes trigger depression.

It often takes time to adapt to becoming a new parent. Looking after a baby can be stressful and exhausting.

Preventing postnatal depression

There are things you can do during pregnancy to help you keep well, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle and having someone you can talk to and turn to for support.

Going to antenatal classes and making friends with other pregnant women or new parents can also be helpful.

If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, talk to a GP or your mental health team if:

you have a history of depression or mental health problems

someone in your family has had mental health problems after childbirth (for example, your mother or sister)

This is so they can offer you appropriate treatment.

You can also talk to a midwife, who can support you or refer you to specialist mental health services if needed. If you have had a mental health problem while pregnant, your doctor should arrange for you to be seen regularly in the first few weeks after birth.

The mental health team, maternity team and GP will work closely with you during your pregnancy and after you have given birth.

Myths about postnatal depression

Postnatal depression is often misunderstood and there are many myths surrounding it.

These include:

postnatal depression is less severe than other types of depression - in fact, it's as serious as other types of depression

postnatal depression is entirely caused by hormonal changes - it's actually caused by many different factors

postnatal depression will soon pass - unlike the "baby blues", postnatal depression can persist for months if left untreated and in a minority of cases it can become a long-term problem

postnatal depression only affects women - research has actually found that up to 1 in 10 new fathers become depressed after having a baby

These factors are equally true of antenatal depression.

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Postnatal depression is a type of depression that many parents experience after having a baby. It's a common problem. Depression in pregnancy (antenatal depression) is also common.

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NHS South East Clinical Delivery and Networks

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Being the parent of a premature baby; interview for the #ReadyforParenthood campaign

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The experiences you might face on the neonatal unit can affect your emotional well-being and mental health, which can sometimes stay with you beyond your time in hospital.

Bliss is here to support and empower you to be involved in your baby's care, and you are best able to do this when you are supported to look after yourself too.

This information is for mums, dads and all parents to help you find the support that's right for you. Find out more about how being in neonatal care can affect your mental health and where to get support, how to support someone you know, and how other parents have coped and handled their challenges.

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Information about parents' mental health | Bliss

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The experiences you might face on the neonatal unit can affect your emotional well-being and mental health, which can sometimes stay with you beyond your time in hospital. Bliss is here to support and empower you to be involved in your baby's care, and you are best able to do this when you are supported to look after yourself too.

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Supporting your mental health for you and your baby

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Supporting your mental health for you and your baby

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The Hub of Hope brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place to help guide people to the right service.

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Hear the experiences of parents talking openly about their mental health on the unit, how they faced challenges, and how you can get more support from health professionals

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Listen to Your stories on Spotify. We're Bliss, the UK's leading charity for babies born premature or sick. Our podcast presents the voices of parents who have been through a neonatal experience. It's their their thoughts, feelings and advice for other parents, in their own words.

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It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much.
Paying more attention to the present moment - to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you - can improve your mental wellbeing.

Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help us enjoy life more and understand ourselves better. You can take steps to develop it in your own life.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.

It's easy to stop noticing the world around us. It's also easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living "in our heads" - caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour.

An important part of mindfulness is reconnecting with our bodies and the sensations they experience. This means paying attention to the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the present moment. That might be something as simple as the feel of a banister as we walk upstairs.

Another important part of mindfulness is an awareness of our thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment.

How mindfulness helps mental wellbeing

Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.

When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted.

Mindfulness also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience, and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful.

This lets us stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns. Gradually, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply "mental events" that do not have to control us.

Mindfulness can help us deal with issues more productively. We can ask: "Is trying to solve this by brooding about it helpful, or am I just getting caught up in my thoughts?"

Awareness of this kind may also help us notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier and deal with them better.

Mindfulness-based therapies are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a way to treat less severe depression.

NICE also recommends that employers make mindfulness available to all employees, to support mental wellbeing at work.

How to be more mindful

Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness.

Notice the everyday

As we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk.

Keep it regular

It can be helpful to pick a regular time, such as a morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime, during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.

Try something new

Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch, can also help you notice the world in a new way.

Watch your thoughts

Some people find it very difficult to practise mindfulness. As soon as they stop what they're doing, lots of thoughts and worries crowd in.

It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events that come and go. This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.

Some people find that it is easier to cope with an over-busy mind if they are doing gentle yoga or walking.

Name thoughts and feelings

To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: "Here's the thought that I might fail that exam" or: "This is anxiety".

Free yourself from the past and future

You can practise mindfulness anywhere, but it can be especially helpful to take a mindful approach if you realise that, for several minutes, you have been trapped in reliving past problems or pre-living future worries.

Different mindfulness practices

As well as practising mindfulness in daily life, it can be helpful to set aside time for a more formal mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body, bringing your attention back whenever the mind starts to wander.

Yoga and tai-chi can also help with developing awareness of your breathing.

Is mindfulness helpful for everyone?

Studies show that mindfulness can help with stress, anxiety and depression. More research is needed to show whether it helps with other mental health conditions.

Many people find mindfulness helpful, but it's not right for everyone. Some people find that it does not help them, or that it can make them feel worse.

More tips for wellbeing

There are other steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. Learn more about the 5 steps to mental wellbeing.

You can also get your free Mind Plan on the Every Mind Matters website for personalised mental wellbeing tips and advice to your email inbox.

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Awareness of ourselves and the world around us - sometimes called mindfulness - can improve our mental wellbeing.

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