Jargon Buster

  • Apnoea a short period of time when a baby stops breathing and may require gentle stimulation
  • Blood Gas blood is taken from your baby either from a heel prick or a tube inserted into your baby’s umbilicus to check oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. The purpose is to check how well the lungs and circulation are functioning
  • Blood Glucose blood is taken usually from a heel prick to measure the level of glucose  (sugar) in the baby’s blood
  • Bilirubin a yellow pigment in the blood which gives the skin a yellow colouring which is associated with jaundice.
  • Bradycardia when a baby’s heart rate slows to less than 100 beats per minute
  • Cares nappy changing and cleaning your baby. The nurse will explain what to do so you can do this for your baby
  • Containment Hold helps your baby settle, placing your hand gently on the baby’s head and cupping their bottom, ask the nurse to show you how to do this
  • Developmental Care babies are nursed in an environment that supports their development, lighting is reduced, noise levels are monitored, covers are placed over incubators, positioning the baby using nests and bumpers helps them maintain a proper position to support their limbs and enables them to get their hands to their mouth
  • Grunting a noise the baby makes when they are having difficulty breathing
  • Intra-venous into the vein
  • Jaundice yellowness colouring of the skin/whites of the eyes caused by too much bilirubin in the blood
  • Kangaroo Care something both you and the baby’s dad can do, the baby is undressed (wearing a nappy) against your chest. You need to make sure you have loose fitting clothes. Ask your nurse to help you
  • A Local neonatal unit (LNU) also referred to as a level 2 neonatal unit:  provides expert levels of care nearer to many family’s homes.
  • Meconiuma dark greenish substance which is produced in the baby’s digestive system before birth and usually starts being passed as bowel movements in the first 24 hours after birth
  • A Neonatal intensive Care Unit (NICU) also referred to as level 3 neonatal unit:  has the staff and equipment to offer care to the smallest and most vulnerable babies.
  • A Special Care Unit (SCU) also referred to as a level 1 neonatal unit: provides stabilisation for sick or preterm infants prior to transfer to the LNU or NICU and provides ongoing care nearer to many family’s homes.
  • Surfactant Deficiency Lung Disease (SDLD) a respiratory condition affecting some newborn babies in which the lungs are imperfectly expanded, surfactant is often used to treat the condition
  • Tachypnoea a fast breathing rate
  • Tachycardia a fast heart rate
  • Tube feeding a fine soft tube is passed through the nose or into the mouth to the stomach to feed your baby if they are not able to breast or bottle feed
  • Transient Tachypnoea of the Newborn  (TTN) a respiratory condition of the newborn caused by fluid from the womb remaining in the baby’s lungs following birth