These wards look after babies who are very ill or who have had major operations. Many of the babies are small and may have been born prematurely. Initially, the ward can be intimidating and frightening, and may seem unfriendly. However, parents will soon find that they are welcome. Monitoring Immediately after the operation, the baby needs close monitoring and frequent care.
Most babies have their heart rate, temperature and blood oxygen saturation level monitored.
All these tubes and wires will be explained by the nurse responsible for the baby's care. To keep the upper oesophagus clear of saliva, suction may occasionally be applied at a measured distance from the mouth. In this situation, it is likely that the baby will still need to be ventilated for a period after surgery, however many babies who were not ventilated before the operation will be ventilated afterwards for anything from a few hours to a few days. Ventilated babies usually have an 'arterial line' which allows the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in arterial blood to be measured. Blood samples taken in this way are painless and the results allow the ventilator to be adjusted appropriately.