Our unit is open to parents at all times.

Other visitors are welcome from 3-7pm, only one visitor and a parent is allowed at the cot at any one time, but visitors may swap over.  

Additionally, grandparents can have one visit on the day of delivery if accompanied by a parent. (out with normal visiting times).

Due to the risk of infection no children under the age of 16 are allowed to visit the unit unless they are siblings.

Visitors are asked to stay away if they are unwell. You are welcome to call the unit and check prior to your visit if you are unsure.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a secure area for which there is a buzzer entry system. Parents will be able to gain entry to the unit using finger print recognition for the period of time their baby is being cared for in the unit.

Please ensure the door closes securely after you enter and don’t let others enter the unit with you.

Ward rounds take place daily between 09:30am and 12:30pm but timings can vary. 

We encourage you to be present and be involved in the decision making about your baby.

After your baby or babies are admitted to one of our units, we want to encourage and support you to care for them.  We understand that it is extremely important to you and your baby’s development to establish a bond.  Here are some tips we think will help.

• Ask your baby’s nurse about skin to skin. Spend time cuddling your baby, let your baby get use to your scent.
• Try not to wear perfume, so your baby can learn your scent, this helps with development and bonding
• Read to your baby, we will provide books– your baby already knows your voice – so hearing it often will help soothe them.
• Make memories with your baby – take pictures and video’s so you can look back and see how well you are all doing. Watching video’s and looking at pictures of your baby can help with expressing.
• We will provide a baby diary for you to write in and keep pictures in. The midwives/nurses will also write in this from time to time.
• We know going home at night without your baby can be difficult – you are welcome to call the unit anytime.
• You can bring clothes in for your baby – We will ask you to take them home and wash them.
• Speak to your baby’s nurse or Charge Nurse if there is anything you are worried about.

The following film from the Small Wonders DVD provides a look into the first hours and days in the neonatal unit and shows you how you, as a parent, can play a very important role in your baby’s care:

• https://vimeo.com/46020108

The following film film from the Small Wonders DVD shows how skin-to-skin contact (also known as ‘kangaroo care’) can help both you and your baby. You will see families move from being nervous to being able to hold their babies with confidence.

• https://vimeo.com/46081748

• There is a sitting room and kitchen available for parents on the unit (no visitors allowed). This contains, microwave and facilities to make tea and coffee. A fridge is also available to store food and juice etc. Please date and label all items. 
• There is a restaurant located on level 0 or a coffee shop at the main entrance on level 1. We do not allow food or juice into the rooms with babies. 
• There is a water cooler located in the main corridor of our unit.  You may take water in with you.
• The hospital also has a Sanctuary which is located on the first floor.

We have a family flat located in the hospital grounds which is available for parents that wish to stay.  We will try and accommodate any parent who wishes to stay in the hospital whilst your baby is in our unit.

In some cases, your baby may be transferred to another hospital for further investigation, surgery or continuing care depending on the situation. You may experience mixed feelings about this move. This is perfectly natural, but the staff at the new hospital will be well qualified to give your baby the necessary care.

On a rare occasion, we may need to transfer your baby to another unit in order to make space for the care of sicker babies. If this occurs, we will make every effort to ensure your baby is moved to the nearest hospital.

All the transfers will be performed by highly specialised and dedicated “Neonatal Transport Team” who are part of the Scottish Perinatal Network.

See links below for information on neonatal units that you may be moved to:

• Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
• Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow (RHCG)
• Edinburgh Simpsons Centre for Reproductive Health
• The Simpson Neonatal Unit – Virtual Tour

We are very lucky that our onsite nursery is able to offer free sessions for brothers and sisters of babies in the neonatal unit. These are offered subject to availability but so far we have been able to offer a wide range of available sessions.

If this is something that would help you with childcare and give you more time to spend with your baby, please speak to any member of staff and they will happily call the nursery and check what sessions are available.

Our Philosophy of Care & Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the highest quality, research & evidence based, family-focused neonatal medical care to our patients with the aim that every child should live the healthiest and most fulfilling life possible.

Our Values

• Empathy for patients & their families is deep-rooted in our history and inspires our future. We practice family-centered care as the cornerstone of our practice and believe that by working in partnership, we can compassionately support and encourage parents and families to participate in, and deliver all aspects of their babies care.
• We provide individualised care plans for each baby and their family to ensure the highest quality medical treatment and patient satisfaction. A multidisciplinary team work collaboratively from admission to discharge to ensure that every baby gets the highest quality neonatal care available.
• It is our belief that every baby should be treated with respect, dignity & professionalism throughout their unique journey, maintaining confidentiality at all times. Their families, our team members and wider community will be treated with the same respect, dignity and professionalism. We are committed to delivering health care in a manner that respects diversity and inclusivity with the full intent of achieving better outcomes for all.
• We believe strongly in helping mothers to accomplish their breastfeeding goals and rigorously support lactation in the NICU. Our nursing and medical staff, and our infant feeding team help mothers with all aspects of breast feeding, the use of electric pumps and milk storage. We facilitate the use of donor EBM and ensure that we are doing everything possible to guarantee that every baby has the opportunity to receive breast milk.
• We boast a well-established, onsite Research Team who ensure we are on board with recent and pertinent research studies in order to continually improve our practice and maintain a research based approach to Neonatal Care. We support and facilitate personal and professional development of all our staff, via our dedicated Practice Education Team.
• Research suggests that touch is at the very foundation of infant experience and a major factor in formation of an infant – parent bond; we therefore actively promote and encourage the deliberate use of ’positive touch’ on the neonatal unit with an aim to give babies the positive experience of touch, that is not for a clinical purpose, but given tenderly, lovingly and gently, in response to their own behaviour.
• We ensure equality, diversity and inclusion is reflected in all our values and embedded in our practises and individual behaviours.