Practical information

Parents

As a parent, you are always welcome. We can also be contacted by telephone day and night:
From 6.45am to 9.45pm: +32 (0)9 246 25 71
From 9.45pm to 6.45am: +32 (0)9 246 25 72
Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Entry to the unit is through the airlock entrance only. Here, you can store your personal belongings in a locker. Because babies are susceptible to infections, we regard hygiene as very important in the unit.
Germs that cause infections are often transmitted by hands.

• Wash and sanitise your hands upon arrival at the unit.
• Remove jewellery from hands and wrists.
• Use a cloth or blanket when holding the baby on your lap.
• If you have a cold or cold sores, wear a disposable mask.
• If you have an infection or wound on your hands, wear disposable gloves when touching the baby.
  Masks and gloves are available at the entrance to the unit.
• Postpone your visit if you have a serious, contagious condition.

Other visitors

In our arrangements for visits to our Neonatal Unit, we try to balance the wishes of visitors and the needs and vulnerability of the newborns. For the sake of their healthy development, a calm and safe environment is important for our little patients. Since their immunity system often has not fully matured yet, we also have to reduce the risk of infection to a minimum.

We would therefore like to draw your attention to the following:

• Visits are restricted to up to two persons, accompanied by a parent.
• Only immediate family will be admitted. Traditionally, that means grandparents or siblings.
• To avoid creating too much commotion, visitors are admitted during relatively low-care periods (between 2pm and 8pm) and visits are limited to a maximum of 20 minutes.
• No visits are allowed while the baby is fed or cared for.
• Visitors may not touch the baby.
• Siblings may not have a fever, diarrhoea, a cold or a rash.
• Siblings must wear a mask covering the nose and mouth and are supported by the midwife when washing and sanitising the hands to make sure this is done correctly.
• A professional photographer is admitted as a one-off, in consultation with the midwife. He or she is not allowed to touch the baby.
• The nurse may ask visitors to leave the Neonatal Unit at any time to allow for an admission, initiating care of a new baby, an examination or a technical procedure.
  

A few days before your baby is allowed home, we will try to involve you more closely in the care for your baby by inviting you to stay at the Maternity Unit together.

It is our intention that you will stay at the unit fulltime to get to know your baby as fully as possible and to become familiar with all aspects of their care. However, in contrast to when you are at home, you can still ask the neonatal nurse for support at any time. At first, the morning care procedures and all feeds will still be done at the Neonatal Unit so that we can still observe your baby regularly. Shortly before your discharge, we will switch to full rooming-in, where all care will be performed in the maternity room. You can, of course, ask for help at any time.

Staying in the mother and child room means that you are present during the day as well as at night, and therefore will not be sleeping at home. This is a service that we are happy to offer, but we depend of course on room availability at the Maternity Unit. If availability is tight, priority is naturally given to ladies who have just given birth or to pregnant ladies who have been admitted for observation. It may therefore happen that we are unable to offer you the rooming-in service or that we ask you to vacate the room. In that case, we unfortunately have no other option than to ask you to go home. We naturally do our utmost to avoid such situations.

Would your partner also like to stay overnight at the hospital? That is definitely possible, but please be aware that this hotel service carries a number of charges.

If your baby is gaining weight well, drinks without any issues and no more support or treatment is needed, you may go home. The paediatrician will have a discharge conversation with you where you have ample opportunity to ask questions. It is useful to make a note of your questions in advance.

The midwife will provide you with a nursing discharge form which contains all information relating to feeding and medication. If you wish, you can also book an appointment with a midwife for further support at home.

Should you still have questions or doubts upon returning home, please feel free to call us day or night.

We wish you a happy return home!

More information about our Neonatal Unit can be found in the leaflet below.

Only available in Dutch:

Neonatologie

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