Birthday cuddle introduced by Medway Maritime Hospital to help premature babies survive and bond with their family

Premature babies are being given the best chance of survival and to bond with their family from the moment they are born thanks to a new initiative introduced by the Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Traditionally babies born early or small are taken to the neonatal unit as soon as they arrive, meaning the first time the parents get to touch or hold their child is usually once they are in an incubator on the unit. But thanks to the introduction of the Birthday Cuddle, babies who are stable and well enough can now be held by their mum, if they are well, or birthing partner before they are moved to the neonatal unit.

Zainab Yunus and her partner Olabode Sheu were the first family to benefit from the initiative when their son Akorede Aman Sheu was born at 24 weeks on 7 February weighing just 770g.

The Birthday Cuddle meant that Oladode was able to hold his son Akorede on his bare chest straight after he was born.

Research by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that skin-to-skin care, also known as Kangaroo Care, improves chances of survival for preterm or low-weight babies when started immediately after birth as opposed to it being introduced once the baby is on the neonatal unit, a practice that has been in place at Medway for a number of years. It also helps parents to bond with their baby, reduces stress and anxiety, and helps parents feel more confident about looking after their premature baby.

Zainab Yunus with her son Akorede Aman Sheu who was born at 24 weeks on 7 February weighing just 770g.

Zainab, 30, from Chatham, said: “Olabode held Akorede first. I’ll never forget him looking at our son and saying, ‘He’s beautiful. He looks just like you. Our baby is strong; he’s here to stay.’ In that moment, I felt a wave of relief. Watching them together gave me a small but powerful reassurance that our baby was safe and that he was here, fighting. It’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.

“It took 24 hours before I could see him again. I’d never seen a premature baby before. He was so tiny, surrounded by machines. For 17 long days, I could only watch him, unable to hold him, praying that one day, I’d bring him home.”

As a baby born 14 weeks early, Akorede’s journey was filled with battles. He needed constant oxygen support and underwent surgery for a hernia and a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), when a blood vessel in the heart does not close by itself after birth. He also had Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), an eye disease that affects the tissue at the back of the eye called the retina. But after four and a half months, Akorede finally went home with his parents on 11 June.

The mum of one added: “Carrying him out of the hospital was one of the happiest moments of my life. He came home on oxygen support, which he still needs 24/7, and has ongoing appointments for his eyes, hernia surgery follow-up, and physiotherapy. While his journey continues we are just grateful to be taking every step with him.

“The neonatal unit really is a place of miracles, resilience, and unconditional support. The staff are not just caregivers; they become family. They were our angels in our darkest hours.

“Our neonatal unit journey has been our hardest journey and it has changed us in ways we never imagined. It’s shown us the strength within our family and the power of hope, even when life feels impossible, and it’s filled us with a gratitude that words can’t capture.”

Although the Birthday Cuddle is offered to all premature infants, the focus is on babies delivered before 28 weeks. Since its implementation, over 60 new borns delivered before 32 weeks have benefited from a Birthday Cuddle.

Dr Helen Gbinigie, Consultant Neonatologist on the Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Unit.

Dr Helen Gbinigie, Consultant Neonatologist on the unit, said: “Introducing cuddling in the Delivery Room ensures families begin their journey as partners in caring for their infant right from the start.

“Before implementing the Birthday Cuddle some families had to wait weeks to cuddle their babies for the first time due to their prematurity. Unfortunately, for some of the unit’s sickest babies, the first cuddle occurred during their baby’s last moments.

“To successfully implement this practice, we developed a comprehensive guideline and delivered specialised training to both maternity and neonatal staff. Most importantly, we involved parents on the unit in the implementation process, incorporating their feedback to ensure the changes were truly fit for purpose.

“Buying additional specialist equipment to support babies’ breathing while being held by their parents was also critical to ensuring the infant’s medical demands are met without disrupting the bonding process.”

Sunday 17 November marked World Prematurity Day. As part of the unit’s celebrations, 16 babies, who were born at less than 30 weeks and cared for on the unit between 1 January and 31 December 2023, attended a special graduation ceremony at the hospital, along with their family members.

During the event, each family was presented with a special graduation certificate presented by Dr Gbingie. It was also an opportunity for people to meet and thank the staff who cared for them and their baby and to speak to other parents about their experiences.

The hospital’s iconic clock tower was illuminated in purple in the evening to help raise awareness of the day which focuses on premature birth and the impact it can have on families.

A 3D virtual tour of the Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit is available so families can see where their baby is being admitted to, or transferred, to help alleviate anxiety if their baby requires neonatal care.

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