Hello My Little One

Although it is by far one of the most joyous times of a parents life, the birth of a child can be stressful as well and nothing makes it worse than having a sick infant. Some infants, especially those born extremely prematurely or if they became ill immediately after being born, are sent to the neonatal intensive care unit, NICU, rather than a typical baby nursery. In the NICU, babies are given special care and medical attention based on their health. Only parents of infants in the NICU are allowed in because the babies are very susceptible to sicknesses. At the St. Jude Medical Center in California, the hospital has invested in cameras that can be attached to the baby's incubator so family members can constantly connect with them. By having the 24/7 view of their baby, parents are able to develop a connection instantly with their child. Although the camera is shut off during medical treatments or at the discretion of the doctor or nurse, parents are very grateful to know that they can connect with their infant even when they're physically not with them. 

Author Lisa O'Neill relied on pathos to show the benefits of the cameras in the NICU. She interviewed many families who had children in the NICU at one point in their life. The emotions brought out in the interviews truly brought out the stress parents go through and what a relief it was to know that they were able to connect with their little one through their laptops or phones. One mother, who delivered twin boys sadly lost one of her sons within a week but commented on the benefits of the camera system, "I think it would help encourage parents to take care of themselves because it's an emotionally and physically draining experience." The camera system helps connect parents in the initial stages of their baby's life. Speaking from personal experience, the NICU camera definitely seems to be a blessing. My youngest brother was in the NICU for two weeks after he was born and I, along with my other brothers, were not allowed to see him in person because we were not old enough. While we understood we were not allowed in because it was whats best for all of the infants in there, it was extremely hard not to see him. Having a camera to see the baby has been amazing for all parents with children in the NICU and hopefully the Nicview program will be able to spread out to more hospitals nation-wide. 


Parents Keep Watch on Newborns with Hospital Webcams by Lisa O'Neill
http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/12/health/webcams-nicu-hospital-infants/index.html