Digital supports for parents of babies born prematurely

The free healthcare app provides easily accessible information and real-life content during and after their hospital stay.
The Neonatal Care and Me app helps parents and carers by complementing the high-quality care, help and support they receive in Neonatal Intensive Care Units and Special Care Nurseries.
Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital delivers more than 2,200 babies a year, which is supported by a 10-bed special care nursery.
South Western Sydney Local Health District Chief Executive Amanda Larkin said the app was designed by experts to give parents the additional skills and peace of mind at their fingertips so they could learn at their own pace and support their baby.
“It can be used from any location and at any time of the day or night – providing the right information to parents and carers at the right time and to further support families during this special time in their child’s growth and development,” Ms Larkin said.
The helpful tool can be used by parents and carers during and after their hospital stay. It shares real-life content to help people to care for their early bundle of joy including taking baby’s temperature, tube feeding, changing an oxygen probe and tracking age and weight on the growth chart.
Paediatric Occupational Therapy Team Leader Sarah Deeth helped design the app and said it contained easily accessible information to assist families to care for their baby in a developmentally sensitive way.
“Access to consistent and high-quality, neuro-developmental care is essential to the baby’s immediate and long-term development,’’ Ms Deeth said.
Neonatal Care and Me can be downloaded from the App Stores for both Android and iOS devices.