At Great Western Hospital approximately 450 babies each year need additional support in the first few days and weeks of their life. These include babies who are born prematurely, have difficulty being delivered or have concerns following birth. 

The unit has 10 incubators, which are now 15 years old. Whilst they are still functioning, the team have to replace parts frequently and are now looking to replace their incubators with a newer model.   

More recently incubator manufacturers have developed newer incubator models, which have some really useful benefits. Newer features include special controls on noise and light (these aspects of ‘developmental care’ are key to optimising brain development in premature babies).  Several models offer special adaptations such that the incubator can be lowered to the height of a parent’s lap, with a special tray that can pull out such that parents can almost have their baby on their lap. 

Babies on the neonatal unit are sometimes too sick or too small and vulnerable to be cuddled and held like a ‘normal’ healthy baby, but we know parental contact and touch is really important.  The benefits being:

- Premature baby health – studies show when babies are held by their parents, their heart beat and breathing often stabilise 

- Brain development and sensory development 

- Important parent-baby bonding

- Parental well-being (at a time that is often extremely traumatic and stressful for parents –  supporting special times with their baby, such as cuddles.)

- Breastfeeding and breast milk production (breast milk is life-saving important for premature babies, and the more contact a mother can have with her baby, the more likely she is to be able to initiate and sustain milk for her baby.)   

A donation today to Brighter Futures would help fund 10 new incubators and  help give that extra special level of care to those born too soon. 

Thank you!