The American Hospital Dubai, which delivers around 2,000 babies every year and has one of the largest private obstetric units in Dubai, has formalised into a new policy and procedure its commitment to ensure that all newborns continue to get the best start in life as they leave the Hospital.
Under the new policy, all newborns must now be transported securely in a car baby seat when they leave the hospital. Twins born at the Hospital (the American Hospital Dubai delivers 23 sets of twins every year, on average) will be provided with car baby seats free of charge.
Premature babies, when discharged from the Hospital, will be placed in the parent's car baby seat for 30 minutes, under the observation of a nurse, to ensure that the baby is comfortable and strong enough for the journey home.
Eimear Whelan, Head Nurse Maternal & New Born at the American Hospital Dubai comments: "This new policy and procedure we have introduced formalises a standard to encourage parents to use car seats as per worldwide regulations; it will help ensure that all parents – and expecting parents - are educated in the vital importance of car baby seats and know how to use them correctly.
"We have produced new educational material for parents on this issue and will ensure that parents understand their responsibility to transport their newborns safely and appropriately for the baby's condition. In our experience, the vast majority of parents understand the issue but we want to make sure the message gets across to all our new and expecting parents and so we are taking these extra steps to ensure the safety of the babies at discharge and even after."
Car baby seats should be positioned in the rear seat of the vehicle, facing backwards, and with the baby held snugly in place by the harnesses, with the head well supported.
Dr George Michailidis, Head of the new Fetal & Maternal Medicine Unit at the American Hospital Dubai, adds: "This is a wonderful initiative that will further increase the parents' awareness of really simple things that make a huge difference to the wellbeing of their newly born child. More than 50 children are lost each year in car traffic accidents in the UAE. These cases are just the tip of the iceberg if we were to consider all those that are seriously hurt or injured. Many would have been saved if car-seats were used appropriately. It ensures a much needed contribution to improving the safety of the little miracles we help bring to life, each day."
