Useful information - SCBU

• Access to the unit - the unit has an intercom system to enter the unit.   Parents and visitors will be asked to confirm your identity by a member of staff, and visitors will be asked who they have come to see.   Please do not allow others to follow you through the door.
• Parents and visitors will be asked to wash their hands and apply hand gel on entering the nursery.
• All outside clothing should be removed and there is a clothes rail to hang these on located in the sitting area, this is to help protect our vulnerable patients from infection.
  
  
• We advocate family integrated care on the special care baby unit, and you will be supported by the nursing staff to perform daily cares and tasks for your baby.
  
  
• We ask that you can bring in water wipes, cotton wool, nappies and nappy sacks for your baby/babies, but don’t worry if you run out we have plentiful supplies on the unit that can be used.

• Parents have open access to their baby/babies 24hrs a day, however you may be asked to vacate the nursery if a procedure needs to take place in the room.
• The Doctors ward rounds usually take place in the morning, and you are encouraged to be present during your own baby’s review.
• On admission to the unit, you will be given a folder with more information on what investigations you can expect whilst your baby is resident on the special care baby unit.
  
  
• Feeding your baby - we are working toward UNIFCEF Neonatal Baby Friendly standards, mothers will be encouraged and supported to express their breast milk.   We have breast pumps available at the cot side and we have small portable breast pumps that you can loan, so that you can continue to express at home whilst your baby remains an inpatient on the unit.  
• We have safe milk storage boxes which you can store your fresh breast milk in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.  You will be provided with labels to put on the milk which will have your babies name and date of birth on, you will need to label it with the date and time of expression.
• After 48 hours your fresh expressed breast milk will need to be frozen, we have a small freezer on the unit where we can store small amounts of frozen expressed breast milk, but we may ask you at times to freeze your milk at home.  Your milk can be frozen for up to 3 months if stored on the unit and 6 months if stored at home.
  
  
• Car parking - concessionary car parking is available, please ask the nurse for further details.