Neonatal unit
We offer specialist care to babies born too early or who are sick and require further support after birth. Most of our admissions are from the Trust’s Maternity Service.
About us
Welcome to the Neonatal unit. We are a 22 bed unit offering specialist support to sick and premature babies.
The Neonatal services consists of our Neonatal and Transitional Care Unit.
We provide care for preterm and sick babies. Most of the babies admitted to the neonatal service come direct from the delivery suite or postnatal ward.
The Neonatal inpatient ward is provided at Pinderfields Hospital and is a specialist center dedicated to supporting very complex births and caring for very premature or very poorly new-born babies who need very high levels of care.
The babies on the ward receive care 24 hours a day from specialist staff. These staff are dedicated to working with babies with specific needs on a daily basis.
The Neonatal Unit consists of:
- 3 Intensive care beds
- 4 High Dependency Beds
- 15 Special Care cots
- 5 Transitional Care beds
We also have 2 flats for parents to stay over at a time of need or when preparing for home. However these are given as a priority to families in need.
Useful patient resources for neonatal care:
- Parent passport - this booklet will be given to you on our baby's admission and will guide on the journey through the Neonatal unit from Birth to going home.
Transitional Care Unit (TCU)
Welcome to the Transitional Care Unit (TCU). We are a 5 bedded unit, located on our postnatal ward on Ward 18. It includes 4 beds and a side room. This is where parents who meet the criteria can be resident to provide all cares for their babies. Here at MYHT we see it as vitally important in the development of babies to keep mother and baby close. The TCU enables this to happen with the support of skilled staff.
Outreach Team
Welcome to the Outreach Team. As your baby is getting ready for discharge, we know it can be an anxious time for parents. The aim of the outreach team is to facilitate an early and seamless discharge for the baby to the home environment.
The Outreach team, are based on the Neonatal Unit and offer a 7 day service (9-5pm) in the community.
It consists of 3 Neonatal Sisters and 1 Health Care Assistant. They offer care to babies discharged from the NNU within the criteria:
- All babies born under 36 weeks gestation
- All babies with a low birth weight
- Babies with slow weight gain or feeding issues
- Babies with Home Oxygen, Home Nasogastric feeding and ongoing medication requirements
- Complex health needs
This list is not exhaustive.
Key stats
The Neonatal Unit has Stage 1 Accreditation for UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative and is currently working towards Stage 2.
We are currently working towards Family Integrated Care (FIC) to help improve the services to our families.
We are at Stage 1 for the Bliss Baby Charter.
Useful patient resources for transitional care:
What to expect at the neonatal unit
An introduction to the neonatal unit
This video will introduce you to life on a neonatal unit. It's designed to show you some of the things you might come across on the unit, how you can get involved with your baby's care and what support is available for families both on the unit and at home.
Conditions we treat
- Prematurity or low birth weight
- Babies born and struggling with how they were made, generally known as a congenital anomaly.
- Babies born with an infection or requiring support at birth
- Genetic conditions requiring support
- Other conditions requiring support
What our patients say
What our patients say about our Transitional Care Unit
All the staff were lovely and took very good care of my son and I, including understanding the emotional side of having a premature baby and having other children at home.
All staff gave very good care during day and night. Always answered for all my worried question and showed how to work after my babies.
What our patients say about our Neonatal Unit
Amazing staff so caring felt safe leaving my baby, fast acting, good communication.
From the moment of been admitted onto the ward everyone was welcoming, reassuring in such a scary time for us nothing was ever too much to ask, there no silly questions. All the staff were encountered were all amazing.
Everyone is lovely, for any questions I had and if they weren’t sure they found the information out for me. They also took into consideration about my situation and put me into the flat so I was able to stay close to my baby boy.
Useful links and information
- Bliss for supporting families with premature babies: https://www.bliss.org.uk
- SANDS – Supporting families through loss. https://www.sands.org.uk/
- Lullaby trust for safer sleep advice https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/
- Babies cry you can cope ICON https://iconcope.org/
- Breastfeeding network https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/
- Twins https://twinstrust.org/let-us-help/support.html
- Breastfeeding Friend on Amazon Alexa and Google: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079RM2JF7/
- Baby Buddy App – Endorsed by the NHS: https://www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/baby-buddy
- UNICEF https://www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/
Further information - Kangaroo Care
Kangaroo Care
It is highly evidenced on the importance of Skin to skin or Kangaroo care for premature babies.
As part of UNICEF accreditation it is recommended that all babies receive skin to skin at birth.
Here we highlight the additional benefits for babies in the neonatal unit of having kangaroo care.
- Improves oxygen saturation
- Reduces cortisol (stress) levels particularly following painful procedures
- Encourages pre-feeding behaviour
- Assists with growth
- May reduce hospital stay
- If the mother expresses following a period of skin-to-skin contact, her milk volume will improve and the milk expressed will contain the most up-to-date antibodies
Further information - Infant Feeding and Premature babies
Infant Feeding and Premature babies
At the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals we have a dedicated Infant Feeding specialist and team that will support you from your transition to breastfeeding.
Mother’s Own Milk is vital to the development and protection of your baby even if your intention was not to breastfeed. Ask your nurse for further information of the benefits of Expressed breastmilk on your premature or sick baby.
World Prematurity Day
Further information - Bliss Baby Charter & Integrated family care
Bliss Baby Charter
Bliss Baby Charter gives the Neonatal Unit clear focus that is based on and supports national standards and puts families at the centre of care. There are 7 principles and these are:
- Social, development and emotional needs
- Decision making
- Specialist services and staff
- Benchmarking
- Unit information and Support for families
- Feeding
- Discharge
Integrated family care
On the Neonatal Unit, babies are physically separated from their parents and this often has an impact on the physical, psychological, emotional health of both the parents and their babies. Family Centred Care is an approach to planning and delivery of health care that encourages greater parent involvement in their babies care.