Specialist Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby and provides ongoing protection for both mother and baby. Maternal breastmilk also provides additional protection to infants born preterm or unwell, which cannot be replicated with any other milk or medication. Find out more about specialist breastfeeding support here.
Transport (transferring between units both in-utero and ex-utero)
It is an aim of the Neonatal Network Northern Ireland (NNNI) that all infants are cared for in the right place, at the right time by the right people with the right skills. In order to achieve this, access to a specialised neonatal transport service, with adequate training and equipment, is essential.
The NISTAR (Northern Ireland Specialist Transport and Retrieval) Service will accept referrals from clinicians in referring neonatal units for babies requiring uplift in care, specialist care (including end of life care with transfer to home/hospice), repatriation to their local unit and requests to help with capacity issues.
Neonatal transfers are performed by a dedicated transport service, with the ability to:
- Operate 24 hour per day, 365 days a year
- Staff all transfers appropriately according to the clinical condition of the baby
- Prioritise transfers according to clinical need
- Transfer at least 95% of neonates requiring an uplift of care transfer. Any exceptions should be documented and reviewed at a network level
- Operate in an integrated and supportive way with regional referring units
- Operate in an integrated and supportive way with other transport services
- Collaborate with providers of aeromedical transport services where required
- Demonstrate performance against specified response time standards
- Ensure appropriate governance arrangements, including data collection and audit
The loss of your baby
If your baby dies during pregnancy or shortly after birth, you will need both information and support. Find out more about specialist bereavement support.