Naperville hospital's newborn unit expands to help babies grow

Having the right space is always an important element when working toward a goal - especially when the worker is a premature baby and the goal is to grow.

Edward Hospital in Naperville recently created a new space for some of its smallest patients to begin their growth, as the hospital opened the expansion of its newborn intensive care unit.

The new unit on the main hospital's first floor offers 13 private, quiet rooms for newborns in bassinets to be monitored as they overcome early health challenges, said Diane Long, director of the newborn intensive care unit.

"Babies have always been in an open nursery environment," Long said. "And now they have privacy like any other patient."

Added to 22 private rooms the hospital has had in its second-story newborn intensive care unit since 2012, the new space gives the hospital room for 35 tiny babies and 35 sets of hopeful parents.

Katie Sweeney, whose first child, Sloane Sweeney, was born 10 weeks early on June 12, said she appreciates the fresh, colorful space that's all her daughter's own. But what she appreciates more is the care that has helped Sloane grow from 2 pounds, 4 ounces at birth to 5 pounds 15 ounces about 10 weeks later.

"She's progressed like a rock star," said Sweeney, of Aurora. "We're just happy she's healthy."

Sometimes oxygen machines, suction tubes, surgeries or medications help premature babies deal with health problems and grow, Long said. But what all preemies need is nurturing, something the new environment helps provide.

"Research has shown that babies grow better when they're in a calm, soothing environment like the mother's womb," Long said.

The new unit uses sound-absorbing materials for its ceilings and floors. Dimmer switches control the lighting in each room and many don't have windows, but softly lit panels meant to mimic a window effect. Many lights in the hallway are kept off.

The space still beeps with heart monitors and alerts nurses receive from machines hooked up to each of their patients. But workers try to keep quiet and let the babies rest or practice vital skills like eating and breathing at the same time - something little Sloane at first struggled to master, her mother said.

When the new unit opened Aug. 14, the hospital moved eight babies down from the second floor to the first, Sloane among them.

"They just seemed to be really prepared for this move," Sweeney said.

Sloane was, too. Seven days after moving to a different hospital room, the youngster was set to go home.