Families can virtually see their premature babies 24/7 at Richmond Hospital

Richmond Hospital has launched an initiative to help families connect with their premature infants around the clock.

Parents can now monitor their infants after the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) through a live stream, with installed cameras at their bedsides. Families can access the livestream through a private and secure connection.

Jill Shulmeister, Richmond Hospital’s Women’s and Children’s Program Manager says no parents expect to leave the hospital without their babies but there are those who need specialized care after birth.

“Seeing the emotional toll this separation has on parents, the NICU team wanted to find a way to keep families and babies connected, even when they are not physically together,” Shulmeister said.

According to the hospital, the average stay at NICU is two weeks, with many families not being able to continuously stay with their infants.

Cameras connect families to their premature infant at Richmond Hospital (Photo courtesy: Vancouver Coastal Health)

Schulmeister says the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed them to explore different ways to help connect families remotely.

“At various stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to the NICU were limited to immediate family, as these infants are very vulnerable to diseases,” she said.

“A simple camera system has brought so much joy and has reduced anxiety among parents who now have peace of mind that their infant is being cared for while they are away from the hospital.”

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Preethi Krishnan monitored her twin babies while they were being cared for at the NICU unit for almost three weeks. She says being able to see her babies gave her family significant comfort and reassurance while they were away from the twins.

“As I look back on this challenging time for our family, I am so grateful that this option was available to us and will be an option for other families with premature babies,” Krishnan said.

Since the program’s launch, the hospital’s NICU has connected over 40 babies with their families, including visits from Columbia, the Philippines, and Ireland.