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Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

As the parent of a premature baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), you'll interact, on an ongoing basis, with many care providers for your baby. Members of the NICU team caring for your infant may include:

  • Neonatal nurse — A registered nurse who has special training in caring for premature and high-risk newborns
  • Pediatrician — A doctor who specializes in treating children from birth through adolescence
  • Neonatologista — A pediatrician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of newborn health problems
  • Pediatric resident — A doctor who is receiving specialized training in treating children
  • Respiratory therapist — A respiratory care practitioner who assesses respiratory problems in newborns and manages respiratory equipment
  • Pediatric surgeon — A surgeon who specializes in performing surgery for newborns and children

Besides these health professionals, you are also an important part of the care provided for your baby. Ideally, you'll work in collaboration with your baby's care providers, eventually learning how to hold, feed and care for your baby.

What you can do
During your baby's time in the NICU, don't hesitate to ask the NICU staff how you can become more involved in your baby's care. Being hands-on with your baby can give you confidence as a new parent, as well as make the transition home a little easier when your child is ready to leave the hospital.

Uncertainty can be frightening — as can seeing monitors, respirators and other types of equipment in the NICU. Ask questions about your baby's condition or write them down and seek answers when you're ready. For instance, you may want to ask:

  • How is my baby's condition? Has anything changed?
  • How does this equipment help my baby?
  • Why are you giving my baby medication?
  • What types of tests does my baby need?
  • When can I hold my baby? Will you show me how?
  • How long will my baby have to continue tube feedings?
  • When can I try to breast- or bottle-feed my baby?
  • When will my baby be able to focus his or her eyes?
  • Who should I contact if I have questions about my baby's care?
  • Can I bring in a blanket or family photos to personalize my baby's incubator?
  • What can I do to help care for my baby while he or she is in the NICU?
  • When will my baby be able to come home?
  • What do I need to know about caring for my baby once we're home?
  • How often do we need to come back for follow-up visits?
Tests and diagnosis Complications
References
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  3. Robinson JN, et al. Risk factors for preterm labor and delivery. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 7, 2011.
  4. Preterm labor. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/188_1080.asp. Accessed Nov. 9, 2011.
  5. Mandy GT. Short-term complications of the premature infant. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 29, 2011.
  6. Preterm labor. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/faq/faq087.cfm. Accessed Nov. 9, 2011.
  7. Torpy JM, et al. Premature infants. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2009;301:2290.
  8. Preterm birth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/MaternalInfantHealth/PretermBirth.htm. Accessed Nov. 23, 2011.
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  10. Stephens BE, et al. Neurodevelopmental outcome of the premature infant. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2009;56:631.
  11. Barfield WD, et al. Late preterm infants. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 18, 2011.
  12. Rotteveel J, et al. Infant and childhood growth patterns, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure in prematurely born young adults. Pediatrics. 2008;122:313.
  13. Kingma PS. Care of the high-risk neonate. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed Nov. 10, 2011.
  14. Matevosyan NR. Periodontal disease and perinatal outcomes. Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2011;283:675.
  15. Long CM, et al. Discharge planning for the high-risk newborn requiring intensive care. In: McInerny T, et al. American Academy of Pediatrics Textbook of Pediatric Care. Elk Grove Village, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2009:709.
  16. In the NICU: Becoming an informed parent. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/inthenicu_informed.html. Accessed Nov. 14, 2011.
  17. In the NICU: Becoming a parent in the NICU. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/inthenicu_confidence.html. Accessed Nov. 14, 2011.
  18. Zaichkin J, et al. A different beginning. In: Zaichkin J. Newborn Intensive Care: What Every Parent Needs to Know. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Sheridan Books; 2009:25.
  19. Martin JA, et al. Births: Final data for 2006. National Vital Statistics Reports. 2009;57:1.
  20. Fenton TR. A new growth chart for preterm babies: Babson and Benda's chart updated with recent data and a new format. BMC Pediatrics. 2003;3:13. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2431/3/13. Accessed Dec. 5, 2011.
  21. Stewart J. Care of the neonatal intensive care unit graduate. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 30, 2011.
  22. Weiner GM. Problems associated with premature birth. Working with the team. In: Zaichkin J. Newborn Intensive Care: What Every Parent Needs to Know. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Sheridan Books; 2009:223.
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  24. Mandy GT. Long-term complications of the premature infant. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 30, 2011.
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  29. Schanler RJ. Nutritional composition of human milk and preterm formula for the premature infant. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 5, 2011.
DS00137 Dec. 29, 2011

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