Below is a list of some equipment used in caring for your baby
and their functions.
Transport incubator
This is a special incubator used to transport babies and can be
used in an ambulance. It has all the equipment has everything a
baby may need when on the move.
Head Box
If your baby needs oxygen, it may be given via a headbox. This
is another small perspex box placed over the baby's head to
concentrate the oxygen on the face, and to prevent loss of oxygen
when we open the 'portholes' on the incubator.
Humidifiers
A circular, heated chamber filled with water, which is placed
outside the incubator and warms and moistens the oxygen a baby, is
receiving
Heart Rate & Breathing Monitors
There are various kinds of monitors but all of them allow us to
record the heart and breathing rate without having to disturb the
baby. You will notice a box outside the incubator with leads
attached to three paper discs on the baby. The machine 'bleeps'
with each breath or heart beat and shows the rate on the screen. A
noise will sound if the baby's condition changes and gives an early
warning that we might need to give extra treatment.
Thermometer
A special thermometer is used to record your baby's temperature
accurately. This is often taken with a probe under your baby's
arm.
Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP)
Some babies need help with their breathing but do not need the
support of a ventilator. NCPAP provides this by giving breathing
support via soft prongs that are placed in the nose. Air or oxygen
is then delivered through these prongs to provide pressure to help
your baby breath.
Nasal cannulae
Babies can also receive extra oxygen by nasal cannula which can
be a fine plastic tube inserted a small way into the baby's nostril
or a dual nasal prong where soft plastic tubes are placed into the
nostrils and connected to a ventilator or CPAP machine.
Infusion pump
If your baby is not well enough to have milk feeds, he/she will
need to be fed by inserting a small needle into a vein (a drip). A
dextrose (sugar) solution, possible with other fluids is given. To
make sure that the fluid is given at a constant and regular rate, a
pump is used.
Phototherapy Light
Small babies often get a yellow colour to their skin in the
first few days. We call this jaundice and it occurs because at
first the baby cannot easily get rid of a substance, which forms
naturally in the blood and gives a yellow colour. Until the baby
can get rid of this substance we may have to treat the jaundice
with a fluorescent light. This is phototherapy. The baby, warm in
the incubator with no clothes on, is bathed in this light. Because
the light is quite intense, pads are placed over the baby's eyes.
The light though quite cool does give some extra warmth to the baby
and we have to give some extra water for this reason. Phototherapy
treatment usually lasts for 2 - 3 days.
Ventilator
If your baby has a breathing problem, we may need the help of a
ventilator (a breathing machine). The doctor passes a tube through
the mouth into the windpipe (trachea). The other end is attached to
the breathing machine, which puffs air and oxygen in and out the
baby's lungs. To keep the tube in position, the baby will wear a
special bonnet. Sometimes the instrument will take over the
breathing completely but is often used to help if the baby's own
breathing efforts are at all weak.