Tips for Parents

One Step at a Time offers parents a wide range of tips and hints from nurses, parents and other health care professionals.

Here are just a few tips found in the book:

• Designate one person to send your information to all your friends and extended family. E-mail is a great tool for this. Ask your designated person to give your child’s hospital address and room number to the school, church, family and friends for sending cards and other greetings.
• Designate another person to organize your support system. For example, who will bring meals to the hospital? When? Who will take care of your other children?
• Make an ‘all about me’ poster of your child. Include things like photographs, favorite books, friends, color, toy, favorite things to do, music and so forth. Display it in your hospital room or just outside. Your health care team loves to know these ‘vitals.’
• Your baby will love "Kangaroo Care!" Obtain some privacy and hold your baby against your bare chest with a blanket covering you. Ask your nurse to help you with this.
• Always have staff members introduce themselves to you and your child and explain their role in his/her care.
• Ask questions about what all the tubes, wires and machines do.
• For younger children and babies, give liquid medicine in the tip of a nipple and mix the medicine with a small amount of formula.
• Show your healthy sibling a photo of his sister or brother in the hospital before visiting so he can ask questions and become more familiar with the surroundings.
• Make your child’s room as homey as possible. Throw a decorating party and hang up posters and other friendly items. These will provide comfort for you and your child and will put visitors at ease.

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