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Early years

20th Mar 2018

These cameras are making it easier for NICU parents to see their babies

Jade Hayden

angel eye

Such a good initiative.

The worst thing about being a NICU parent, it not being able to spend time with your baby.

As well as all of the worry and anxiety about your baby’s health and well-being, NICU parents can also feel as if they’re missing out on the first few days, weeks, or even months of their child’s life.

It’s a tough time for any parent, only made bearable by the promise that your baby will get to go home soon.

Still though, if there was a way that you could be with your newborn 24/7, it would be ideal. As of yet, there isn’t but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a way you could at least check in on your baby whenever you got the chance.

Introducing the Angel Eye – a camera developed by doctors in the States that helps to ease the pain of separation.

Created by a team of doctors in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the Angel Eye allows parents to check in on their baby with the touch of a button.

The cameras attach to the baby’s bed in the hospital, also allowing the infant to see whoever is on the other end of the screen.

Parents are even permitted to chat to their baby, so the bonding process shouldn’t be delayed too much while the child is in the NICU.

The camera can be accessed through the user’s smartphone or tablet, and also allows parents to talk to doctors and nurses, and even view more than one baby if they need to.

Speaking to KATV, NICU mum Rachael Swaty said that the Angel Eye eased a lot of fears she had about leaving her baby in the hospital.

She said:

“Sometimes I didn’t want to call, sometimes I wasn’t ready for the next medical information and I needed my husband’s hand for that,

“It was just a way to check on her without getting into all the fears, and test results, and the stress.”

Angel Eyes are currently installed in over 40 hospitals around America.

We’re really hoping that they can make the journey closer to home sometime soon too.