The Vital Role of Neonatal Nurses in Supporting New Mothers

There is little more precious and universally agreed upon as something valuable to protect and provide for as a newborn. Every day, an estimated 385,000 babies are born around the world— that’s about 140 million per year. While the vast majority of those cases will be favorable in health for both mother and child, there is a strangely consistent percentage of early term pregnancies worldwide.

In 2020 alone it was estimated that about 13.4 million babies were born prematurely, or nearly 1 out of every 10 children. According to the World Health Organization, though there are regions and a few specific countries in the world with statistically higher mortality and preterm birth rates— about 65% of all preterm births in 2020 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa or southern Asia— preterm birth complications is not just a problem in low or middle class income countries. Unexpectedly, some high-income countries such as Greece, Austria, South Korea, Bahrain, and the United States have some of the higher preterm birth rates. 

A report published in 2022 by the March for Dimes noted that the premature birth rate is climbing in the United States— up 4% from 2020 to a 15 year high since the organization started keeping track of these statistics. An informative map laid out which states across the country showed percentages for each state and while most of the states with the highest rates were in the south (such as Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia to name a few). 

Demographics do play a significant part of preterm birth rates with Black, American Indian, or Native Alaskan groups being consistently higher than other people groups. Disconcertingly however, the average premature birth rate in the US is still around 10.4%.

The bottom line is that, no matter where one may find themselves in the world, there is, has been, and will likely be for a long time, a strong need for neonatal nurse practitioners. Here are some of the ways that neonatal nurses play a vital role in the health of newborns and mothers. 

The Important role of Neonatal Nurses in Postpartum Care

The postpartum period is just as critical as the pregnancy itself, especially when it comes to the care of the newborn. This is where neonatal nurses play a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of both the baby and the mother.

Neonatal nurses are healthcare professionals who specialize in caring for newborn infants, particularly those who are born prematurely or have medical issues that require specialized attention. These nurses work closely with the newborns, providing round-the-clock care, monitoring their vital signs, administering medications, and offering support to the parents.

Expertise in Neonatal Care

Neonatal nurses are specially trained so that they might be able to handle the unique needs of newborns, which includes any premature babies or those with a variety of other medical conditions. Their specialized knowledge and skills are crucial in ensuring the well-being of these vulnerable infants, the mothers, and the families which will (hopefully) be able to bring that little one home at a later date in good health

Feeding Support

Neonatal nurses also play a crucial role in supporting new mothers with a list of other motherly skills such as general care, breastfeeding, and feeding techniques. By giving guidance and assistance to ensure that newborns are getting the nutrition they need for healthy growth and development babies under their supervision have higher chances of living a full, healthy life

Educating Parents

Another important aspect of the neonatal nurse’s role is to educate parents on newborn care. These nurses have spent time especially focusing on the host of ways to better care not just for healthy infants but monitoring and encouraging the speedy recovery of prenatal cases. Things such as safe sleep practices, good bathing techniques, regular monitoring for recognizing signs of illness, and timely checkups. Such education is a key component and essential in empowering parents to care for their newborns effectively.

Emotional Support

Pregnancy, childcare, and maintaining one’s own health is a challenge to all parents. Nurses recognize this and as such also can take on the role of providing emotional support.  Postpartum periods can be an especially scary and challenging time for anyone, but new parents might have it the hardest. This matters both physically and emotionally.

Neonatal nurses provide emotional support and guidance to parents, helping them navigate the ups and downs of caring for a newborn not only through their calm, knowledgeable presence, but their human touch

Collaborative Approach with the Healthcare Team

In order to provide the best possible care for newborns and their families, neonatal nurses work closely with a multidisciplinary healthcare team that may include pediatricians, family nurse practitioners, obstetricians, lactation consultants, social workers, and other healthcare professionals. This collaborative approach ensures that all aspects of postpartum care are addressed comprehensively throughout the trying process of prenatal care.

Members of every team contribute their unique expertise in order to better support the neonatal department, the families and infants under their care. This is accomplished by working together to develop individualized care plans that meet the unique needs of each newborn and family. This integrated approach not only enhances the quality of care and increases the chances of a successful recovery, but also promotes a greater understanding of an anxiety filled situation through solid communication and unity of care interdepartmentally during the postpartum period.