The Royal Bolton Hospital has received nearly a dozen innovative "skin-to-skin" chairs that aim to support newborn babies.
The chairs have been delivered to the neonatal unit and work by ensuring new parents are able to sit comfortably as they bond with the newest members of the family.
They have been made possible thanks to a collection of generous donors and will allow then more time for "skin-to-skin" contact and to feed them, according to Bolton NHS Foundation Trust infant feeding coordinator and senior neonatal practitioner Lisa Hobbs.
She said: “The addition of these new chairs will make a huge difference to our families as we want them to feel as comfortable as possible whilst they stay with us.
“We see firsthand what it means for our parents to experience skin-to-skin and to connect with their precious baby after birth.
“We cannot thank our donors and fundraisers enough for their passion to support other families.”
According to Unicef’s Baby Friendly Initiative, skin-to-skin contact for newborn babies has several benefits.
It can prove to be calming and relaxing both the mother and baby, reducing stress, can help with regulating babies heart rates, breathing and temperature and can help reduce the amount of time babies need to spend hospital.
Our Bolton NHS Charity says that the new skin-to-skin chairs are just one example of the positive effect that £18,000 worth of investment provided from fundraisers all over the borough will have.
An estimated 650 babies and families will benefit each year, while the charity is also active in supporting patients and their loved ones of all ages groups at the hospital.
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Trust managers hope that examples like this will encourage people to go on giving and support similar innovations in the future.
Charity manager Sarah Skinner said: “Many of our supporters have spent time on the Neonatal Unit and tell us our wonderful staff were incredibly supportive and became like family.
“That’s why time after time we see people wanting to give back to the neonatal unit because they’ve seen first-hand the incredible work that takes place in Bolton to look after our special babies and their loving families.”
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