Questions for neonatal care
If your baby is in neonatal care, you are still your baby’s parent. You are allowed to ask who is responsible, what the plan is, how decisions will be shared with you and how to be close to your baby.
It is okay to ask the same question more than once. You are trying to understand something frightening and unfamiliar.
You could say
“Please can someone talk us through what is happening with our baby, who is responsible for their care, what happens next and when we will be updated?”
Questions to ask
- · Who is the consultant or senior clinician responsible for my baby?
- · Who is the nurse looking after my baby today?
- · What is the plan for the next 24 hours?
- · What are the next steps and what would change them?
- · How will decisions be communicated to us?
- · When can we be with our baby, and is there anything stopping us being there?
- · How is feeding going, and how can we be involved?
- · Can we be there for ward rounds or updates?
- · Who do we contact at night if we are worried?
- · Can the plan and updates be written down for us?
Hear Her First does not replace the neonatal team. It helps you find the words to ask, understand the plan and be part of decisions about your baby.