Kingston Hospital’s Maternity Unit can now deliver bedside neonatal care for newborn babies that need resuscitation, with the arrival of two LifeStart trollies. Kingston Hospital Charity provided the funding for their purchase, after receiving a generous donation from Lifetimes Charity to buy one, and from an individual supporter who provided the monies to buy the other in memory of his wife.

The trolley will allow newborns who need help breathing straight after birth, to be looked after at the bedside, close to their mothers. Previously they were taken away to a resuscitation unit and would need to have their umbilical cord cut early.

Keeping the umbilical cord in-tact is particularly beneficial to preterm and very small babies as it means they can receive their full circulating blood volume. 

Babies whose cords are cut early can lose up to a third of their circulating blood, which comes from the placenta in the minutes after birth. This can impact their cardiovascular transition - the series of physiological changes that take place when an infant takes its first breath - and affect its iron stores.

Labour Ward Team Leader, Chloe Du Parcq, said: “The new LifeStart trolley greatly improves the bedside care we can deliver to our tiny newborns and enables us to keep mum and baby together at this critical time immediately after birth. We are very grateful to Kingston Hospital Charity for supporting us in our mission to deliver excellent care.”

The trolley is small, mobile and adjustable, and the resuscitation surface enables the baby’s airway to be supported on a warm platform.