Hospital Uses iPads to Help Mom Bond With Baby

A lot of bonding takes place between a new mother and her newborn in the days immediately after birth. There's nothing quite as wonderful as the cooing sound of your newborn during a feeding or some cuddle time.

But that's not always possible for moms with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), especially those who aren't ambulatory due to cesarean section or other medical issues. One hospital is using technology to take the place of that long walk down the hall.

Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles has implemented a program called BabyTime to help mothers see their infants and even talk with the medical team by using an iPad via video chat. Think FaceTime for new mothers. The program runs over the hospital's secure Internet connection.

"BabyTime will help bridge communication with the family and the baby's medical team and is an excellent use of technology to help new mothers bond with their babies, even when they cannot be physically at their babies' bedside," says Charles F. Simmons Jr., MD, chair of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Pediatrics.

This merging of healthcare and technology is intended to put parents' minds at ease.

“The BabyTime program will reduce fear and stress in the new moms as they are able to see their babies and also communicate with the doctors and nurses,” says Selma Braziel, nurse manager for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in a statement.

Once a baby has been admitted to the NICU, an iPad is set near the incubator. Mom, somewhere else in the hospital, gets an iPad as well, that she can use to log onto BabyTime twice a day.

Patient Rachel Little used BabyTime after her daughter was born by C-section. She couldn't get to the NICU, but was able to see where her baby was being treated and get updates about her condition.

"Even though I couldn't hold her, she stopped crying when she heard me talk to her," said Little, adding she was comforted by being able to hear the physician explain her baby's condition. "While it’s not the same as being able to hold your baby, it was almost as good."

What do you think of this use of technology in hospitals? How would you like to see tech used to help ease patients' concerns?

Image courtesy of Cedars-Sinai