Parents welcome neonatal unit's £2.5m refurbishment

Kara and Daniel's daughter Evelyn was born six weeks before her due date

Baby Evelyn took her parents by surprise when she arrived six weeks before her due date.

Now, at two weeks old, she is among the newborns being cared for at the transformed neonatal unit at Queen's Hospital in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire.

The unit, which reopened as the special care baby unit in October after a £2.5m refurbishment, cares for babies who were born prematurely or who require immediate care after birth and now has facilities for up to 12 families to stay overnight.

Evelyn's mum Kara, who is a teacher, said this meant she had been able to stay with her daughter every night.

"It's meant the world to me, and to us both as parents, just to know that we can be here next to Evelyn 24/7 and really give her the best start we possibly can," she explained.

Her husband Daniel, a welder, said it had given the families a "nice" and "relaxed" environment while their children were being cared for.

Evelyn was being treated at newly revamped Queen's Hospital's special care baby unit

Evelyn was making good progress, Kara said, and was able to regulate her own temperature better and was feeding "really well".

"She's gaining weight as well, so those three things are what we want to see in order to bring her home," Kara added.

"Being in this environment helps, even though we don't 100% know how long it will be for, but she is doing really well."

Alberto's daughter Martina was born two weeks early

Alberto's daughter Martina was born two weeks early and was being treated at the unit for a mild infection.

The Lichfield-based vet said he had been able to stay on the unit overnight with his partner and new daughter.

"As a new dad, everything is very, very new," he said. "There are a lot of doubts and fears, so being able to go through them here with your partner, it's much better."

Lynn Slade, lead nurse for neonatal services, said the refurbished unit was an improvement

Lynn Slade, lead nurse for neonatal services for University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, sad the old unit was "dark" and "a lot smaller".

"There were a lot of small rooms which meant that families couldn't stay with their babies very easily, certainly not within the unit," she said.

"They'd have to go off to a separate area to sleep or get some rest."

The unit cares for babies who were born prematurely after 32 weeks of pregnancy, as well as those needing immediate care.

Louise Wardle, a senior sister at the hospital, said those born at less than 32 weeks or who needed specialist care were transferred to other hospitals, depending on what support they required.