Neonatal care
The Neonatal care service at Watford General Hospital cares for around 800 babies each year.
Our service consists of neonatal intensive care, high dependency and special care cots. We also have a dedicated six-bedded transitional care facility within the postnatal ward where babies who need additional help are cared for beside their mothers.
Our team of doctors, nurses and support staff provides 24/7 care of a wide range of neonatal problems:
- prematurity
- breathing problems
- congenital heart defects
- low birth weight
- nutritional support with nasogastric tube feeding etc.
Ward rounds
There is usually one Consultant led ward round a day that takes place from 09:30 every morning. The ward round usually begins in Bumblebee (ITU) and progresses around the unit.
Parents are encouraged to attend ward rounds every morning if they are able to.
If you are unable to attend the ward round, then the nurse looking after your baby or a doctor will provide you with an update when you arrive or call. You will only be allowed to stay for the duration of the ward round that focuses on your baby.
Feeding your baby
We strongly encourage breast feeding and practise individualised developmentally supportive care.
Our unit’s outcome data is one of the best in the country as benchmarked by National Neonatal Audit Programme.
We aim to support you in your choice of feeding. To breastfeed successfully, it is vitally important to express breast milk regularly and, once your baby can breastfeed, to visit regularly to establish breastfeeding. You may wish to bring your own pillow. If you wish to bottle feed your baby, please supply your own bottle and a bottle brush.
The nurse looking after your baby will be able to offer breastfeeding advice and our specialist breastfeeding support nurse and health care assistants are available to offer practical support and guidance. An expressing room is available on the unit.
For further support there is a breastfeeding and discharge support group meeting each Friday; please see the notice in our parents' area for details.
Further support
The parents' forum meeting is on Wednesdays at 12:00. We welcome all your comments as they help us to measure the standards and quality of our service. A suggestion box is also available on top of the drinking foundation next to Hedgehog ward. The trust's Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is available to patients who wish to raise any issues or concerns regarding their stay in the hospital.
For more details on how to contact PALS please click here.
Routine screening tests
During the first few weeks of life, your baby will have newborn screening tests. Your consent for these test will be sought; further information and leaflets are available from the nurse looking after your baby.
Discharge home
We begin to prepare for discharge from the time of admission, with your involvement at all stages. Our dedicated neonatal community team will also be involved in facilitating the discharge of your baby and will provide continued support once you have taken your baby home.
