Sion Néonatologie
in the neonatal unit, premature babies are cared for from the 32nd week onwards. The unit has seven hospital beds and is recognised as a Level II B care centre. We work closely with the CHUV.
Upon arrival at the unit, parents are welcomed by a member of the team, who provides them with all the necessary information about their child's care.
Parental presence
Babies have a great need for their parents to be present, and parents are encouraged to visit as often as they wish. Visiting hours are flexible and parents can check on their child by telephone on 027 603 41 75.
Before returning home, a welcome for the mother and baby is organised in the Kangaroo room, depending on the department's availability, to ensure a smooth transition before going home.
Medical visits
Doctors regularly inform parents of their child's progress during daily medical visits (between 9.30am and 10.30am). Regular consultations are also scheduled as needed.
Visits from family and friends
People who are important to the child are allowed to visit the baby: however, only two people are allowed to visit at the same time, and one of them must be the father or mother.
Health and safety rules
The children in this unit are fragile. Before entering the unit, please follow these instructions:
- Close each of the airlock doors: both doors must never be open at the same time.
- Remove your coats and hang them on the hooks in the neonatal unit airlock.
- Remove your jewellery and wash your hands. (Lockers are available for valuables.)
- Rub your hands with the hydroalcoholic solution.
- Visitors other than parents must wear a blue gown.
For the safety of the child, we ask that you:
- Check that visitors have not been in contact with anyone who has contracted chickenpox, measles or any other childhood illness.
- Check that these people do not have any other infectious diseases at the time of their visit to the unit (cold, flu, etc.). If in doubt, the nurse caring for your child can provide you with information.
When leaving the unit
- Ensure that the incubator doors are closed and that your child is properly positioned in their bed.
- Notify the nurse of your departure and your next visit.
- In the airlock, rub your hands with the hydroalcoholic solution.
- Remember to close both doors of the airlock.
En savoir plus
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If you wish to breastfeed, your midwife and neonatal nurses will help you to latch your baby onto the breast and explain how to express your milk.
While you are in the maternity ward, you can express your milk in our department or in the maternity ward. Your milk will be stored in the neonatal department refrigerator, where it can be kept for 24 hours. If you wish to store it for longer than 24 hours, your milk will be frozen in the neonatal department. We will provide you with bottles for collecting your milk.
When you return home, your gynaecologist will prescribe a breast pump that you can hire from a pharmacy: you will bring your milk to the neonatal nurses every day and they will take care of it. If you have a lot of milk, we will ask you to freeze it at home.
Remember to eat a sufficient and balanced diet, drink plenty of fluids, and avoid tobacco, alcoholic beverages and stimulants. Please inform us of any medication you are taking.
If you do not wish to breastfeed, the paediatrician will prescribe formula milk suitable for your child's situation. Please inform us if there are any allergies in your family.
If your baby is less than 34 weeks gestational age, they will not be able to feed themselves. They will therefore be fed via a tube inserted into their stomach.
Babies often calm down with a dummy. If you are opposed to this practice, please inform the nurse.
Depending on their age, your child will be fed every 2, 3 or 4 hours. When you leave the hospital, your baby will be able to feed themselves and will eat around 6 times a day.
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When your child is ready to leave the ward, monitoring is gradually stopped and they are able to feed without additional milk via a tube.
The discharge date is discussed with the parents based on their baby's progress. Parents are notified well in advance so that they can organise their return home.
On the day of discharge, you will be given:
- The health record.
- Discharge prescriptions with any necessary treatments and prescriptions.
- A feeding plan.
- A programme for follow-up care (appointments with your GP, specialist consultations, etc.).
The medical-social centre (CMS) in your area and any independent midwives will be informed of your child's discharge. Even after your child has been discharged, our team will remain available to answer any questions on 027 603 41 41.
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Incubator: a closed crib that allows the baby to be monitored and kept warm in a humidified atmosphere.Giraffe: a padded table equipped with a heat lamp positioned above the undressed baby. It allows the baby to maintain its temperature and facilitates monitoring. Used primarily for full-term babies.
Heated bed: open crib with a heated mattress: keeps a child who has difficulty maintaining their temperature warm.
Infanette: simple crib with storage space for the child's personal belongings.
Catheter: small plastic tube inserted into a vein to administer an infusion or intravenous treatment.
Syringe pump: an electric pump that allows the following to be administered at specific, regular times without waking the baby:
- milk via a syringe connected to a gastric tube
- intravenous medication
Infusion pump: an electric pump used to administer an infusion and medication to your baby.
Oxygen glasses: tube with two tips for the nostrils used to administer oxygen.
CPAP: a device that maintains positive pressure in the baby's lungs to treat respiratory distress in newborns.
Monitoring: device used to monitor your baby's heart and breathing. The monitor is connected to electrodes placed on the chest, a sensor with a small red light attached to the foot or wrist, and a blood pressure cuff attached to the child's arm or leg.
Oximeter: a device that continuously measures your baby's oxygen saturation. It is connected to a sensor attached to the patient's foot, hand or wrist.
Phototherapy lamps: lamps attached above the incubator that emit white or blue light to reduce the level of bilirubin responsible for the yellow colouring of the child (jaundice). The baby's eyes are protected by small foam glasses and their nappy is as small as possible. They are regularly repositioned so that their entire body surface is exposed to the light.
Naso- or oro-gastric tube: a tube inserted through the mouth or nose and into the stomach. This allows feeding of children who are unable to feed independently or to remove air from their stomach when ventilated using CPAP.
