A neonate is a newborn in his or her first 28 days of life. He or she can be born full term or prematurely (before 37 weeks of gestation).
Neonatal care is a specialised field with trained health professionals managing newborns. Our neonatologists receive additional training in newborn care.
Established in 1990, the Department of Neonatology provides a full range of specialist care: pre-delivery counselling for parents with high-risk pregnancies, attendance at high-risk deliveries, resuscitation of a sick newborn, neonatal intensive care, well-baby nursery care, post-discharge follow-up and continuity of care. We have been a Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)-certified hospital since 1 August 2013.
We are equipped with intensive care and special care beds, equipment for mechanical ventilation, high frequency oscillatory ventilation, and inhaled nitric oxide. We also have capabilities for continuous brain wave monitoring (aEEG) and cooling equipment (therapeutic hypothermia) for brain-injured newborns. We provide bedside ultrasound monitoring of the brain and heart.
We have two well-baby nurseries in two postnatal wards. Newborns with jaundice undergo phototherapy and well babies receive their vaccinations and physical checks here.
We strongly encourage mothers to keep their newborns at the bedside to facilitate breastfeeding and bonding. We have lactation consultants to answer your breastfeeding enquiries.
Our doctors perform physical screening of newborns, then communicate and help parents adjust to their new roles. We provide continuing care in the outpatient setting through our neonatal specialist clinics for the newborns who may require specialist care, as well as babies who choose to continue their vaccinations and follow up with us.