Neonatal care is the type of care a baby born premature or sick receives in a neonatal unit.
Units are a part of hospitals which provide care for babies who are born prematurely (before 37 weeks’ gestation), with a medical condition which needs treatment, or at a low birthweight. The word ‘neonatal’ means newborn, or the first 28 days of life. Over 100,000 babies are born premature or sick and needing neonatal care. That is one in seven babies, or around 300 babies every day.
We know that having a baby in neonatal care is likely to bring up a whole range of emotions, and some of these can be hard to face. It may be that you feel anxious about why your baby has been born prematurely or sick, or about the treatment they are receiving. The team of health professionals can give you more information about your baby’s condition and the needs they have.