Once Upon a Time in the NICU: ‘Babies with Books’ initiative in Children’s Health Ireland
Once upon a time, in a very special part of CHI at Crumlin and CHI at Temple Street children’s hospitals, there were tiny babies who needed a lot of extra care.
Sept. 11, 2024
CHI at Temple Street
News
Baby Eamon - Babies with Books
These babies were so brave and strong, but they were also very small and sometimes needed to stay in the hospital. The doctors and nurses in the NICU were very kind and took great care of the babies, but they knew there was something else that could help the little ones grow big and strong: the sound of their parents’ voices.
So, every year in September, they join other babies in NICUs across the world, as they take part in a wonderful idea filled with stories, rhymes, and lullabies: The Babies with Books read-a-thon.
In this magical week, families are invited to sit by their baby’s side and read them beautiful stories. Every time a parent opens a book and begins to read, the NICU fills with warmth and love. The babies, even though they are tiny, can hear their parents’ voices and feel safe and happy. It is not just the babies who feel better, though. The mammies and daddies, who sometimes feel worried or scared, find that reading makes their hearts feel a little lighter. Even though their babies can’t yet understand the words, they know their parents are right there with them, reading stories of faraway lands, friendly animals, and sweet lullabies.
And so, with the help of caring doctors, nurses, and parents, the babies in the NICU continued to grow, dream, and listen to stories. And soon, the NICU became a place where love and stories worked together to help the tiniest patients grow stronger each day.
Ella and Eamon’s Story:
“Eamon has been in hospital since his birth over 3 months ago. He was born prematurely at 29 weeks, has Down Syndrome and had to have surgery. So, there has been a lot of medical terms to get used to and a lot of tubes and beeps! It can be easy to get caught up in the medical side of things or in worrying, so reading has been a really helpful way for me to stay present and to stay focused on my main job - being his mammy. “There is a lovely little library on the ward with books to choose from. Also, Eamon has two big sisters who have just met him once. They are very interested in him and were disappointed to learn he's not yet ready to go on the swings. They've used books as a different way to bond with him. Each morning, they pick out a book they think he would like and I take pictures of him reading it. Then, when I get home, I tell them what he thought of the story. Eamon is hopefully going home soon and he has picked up a few books for his sisters to thank them for all the tales that have kept him entertained these past few months.”
Dr Claire Crowe and Dr Anne-Marie Casey’s Story
“Did you know that a baby’s heartrate slows down when they hear their parent’s voice? These tiny little people know “their people”, and that’s the sound they most want to hear. From 36 weeks old, infants will open their eyes and stay quiet and alert for longer periods of time. This is a great time for ‘talking’ together. Parents sometimes will tell us they feel awkward or uncomfortable as they don’t know what to say to this tiny baby surrounded by wires in their incubator. We always suggest reading to their new-born, as stories offer a lovely way to bridge that discomfort and communicate with their baby. There are long term gains too. Research shows that reading improves language and builds attention, which promotes and stimulates brain development. At CHI, the neonatal teams are caring for these babies right now and safeguarding them into the future.”
The NICU babies-with-books readathon runs from Sept 9th-19th this year.
The neonatal wards at CHI at Temple Street and CHI at Crumlin have baby libraries, so parents can come choose a story to read to their baby.
CHI would like to offer a special thank you to Blanchardstown Library, CHI’s Arts in Health Programme, Children's Books Ireland, and Children's Health Foundation, who generously donated books for the Read-a-Thon.