Can I hold my baby in the NICU?

Whether or not parents can hold their baby in the NICU depends on the baby’s condition. Extremely sick babies often require treatment with multiple monitors, a ventilator, umbilical lines, special heating devices and other equipment that make moving the baby difficult. However, even the sickest babies benefit from human touch, such as holding their little hands or touching their head, and from hearing their parents’ voices. Then, once the baby’s condition improves the nurses will assist the parents to hold the baby. Many NICU’s encourage parents to use a kangaroo hold or skin to skin contact when holding infants in the NICU.

It depends on your baby's health overall. Some newborn intensive care units (NICUs) will encourage you to hold your baby from birth onward. Other NICUs will want you to wait until your baby's health is stable. Ask your NICU staff about its policy on kangaroo care (holding your baby on your bare chest). Kangaroo care has benefits for both you and your baby. The skin-to-skin contact is a precious way to be close to your baby. You may be afraid you'll hurt him by holding him. But you won't. Your baby knows your scent, touch and the rhythms of your speech and breathing, and he’ll enjoy feeling that closeness with you.