Our Neonatal Unit at Antrim Area Hospital provides medical and nursing care to newborn babies, especially those who are premature, sick, or require specialised treatment.
The unit has three areas: a neonatal intensive care unit, a high dependency unit, and a special care baby unit.
We provide care for babies born over 27 weeks (28 weeks for twins) gestation and sick newborn babies who require additional support.
Antrim Neonatal Unit
Antrim Neonatal Unit is one of 7 neonatal units in Northern Ireland providing specialist neonatal care for premature babies and sick children.
Watch our video to learn more about the care we provide and the difference it makes to families.
Our unit has a team of specially trained nurses, doctors and advanced nurse practitioners who care for babies. We also have a neonatal educator who supports staff training. Other professionals work with us too, including a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietitian and speech and language therapist. A consultant paediatrician is available at all times, day and night. We can also offer psychological support to parents and siblings if needed.
We have a specialist infant feeding lead who supports families with breastfeeding, and all of our staff are trained to help parents feed their baby.
Baby Friendly
Our Neonatal Unit at Antrim Area Hospital was the first in Northern Ireland to receive the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Award. This recognises the high standard of care we provide for babies and their families.
Our team is committed to supporting parents to have close and loving relationships with their preterm or sick baby, enabling babies to receive breast milk, where possible, and, to value parents as partners in their baby’s care.
We have a philosophy of family integrated care – where parents are not seen as visitors, but as partners in their baby’s care.
Family-centred care
The Unit was also the first neonatal unit in Northern Ireland to receive the BLISS Baby Charter Gold Award, recognising its commitment to high-quality, family-centred care.
The BLISS Baby Charter supports neonatal units to involve parents as active partners in their baby’s care through shared decision-making, hands-on involvement and personalised support. This approach, known as Family Integrated Care (FICare), helps build strong partnerships between families and healthcare teams.
The Gold Award recognises excellence in communication, partnership working and creating a supportive environment where families feel informed, valued and empowered.
Neonatal Unit facilities
We provide a range of facilities to help make your stay as comfortable as possible while your baby is in our care.
- A bedroom for rooming-in, where a newborn infant stays in the same room as their mother, or for overnight stays, if your baby is unwell or receiving palliative care.
- A parent’s lounge, where tea and coffee are available and parents can make lunch and relax.
- Each cot space has a recliner chair to allow parents to nurse their baby and provide skin to skin. Privacy screens are available, if required.
- Car parking and meal vouchers for parents and carers.
Our service is part of the Northern Ireland Neonatal Network. Babies may be transferred between units to make a cot available for a preterm delivery in the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast, or to help families be closer to home.
Support after leaving the Neonatal Unit
As your baby prepares to leave the Neonatal Unit, support is available to help you continue their developmental progress at home.
TinyGym is a monthly developmental group delivered by Tinylife and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Sessions are led by a team that includes a physiotherapist, an Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and a TinyLife Family Support Practitioner. The group aims to give you the skills and support to help your child’s development.
Before you go home from the neonatal unit, the neonatal staff will identify if your baby meets the criteria. You will meet with the physiotherapist who will assess your baby and will chat to you about attending the group in a community setting.
You will receive a text message invitation including dates and locations from TinyLife.
What to expect at TinyGym?
Each session includes:
- Group movement session to support your baby’s development
- Information and discussion on developmental topics
- An individual physiotherapy assessment and advice
- Refreshments for parents and carers
- Opportunities to meet and connect with other families whose babies have received neonatal care
Developmental play routine
Watch our short video to learn some of the play activities used during TinyGym sessions. You can try these activities at home to support your baby’s development between visits.
If you require more information, please contact our Neonatal Unit.
Video transcript: TinyGym developmental play routine
Where to find us
Level C, Antrim Area Hospital, Bush Road, Antrim BT41 2RL
How to contact us
- Telephone: 028 9442 4170