Promoting Natural Healing for Newborns with Giraffe Beds

Creating the optimal environment for premature babies

Babies needing additional care in a neonatal intensive care unit are often supported using specialized equipment, including a Giraffe Bed. Lindsay Ochs, RN, NICU Nurse, Sierra Medical Center, An Extension of Northern Nevada Medical Center, explains how the beds work and how they benefit newborns who need care in the NICU.

What is a giraffe bed?  

A giraffe bed, or isolette, is a bed that helps to foster a healing environment for newborns who need intensive care. The bed features a built-in heater that can function with the top open or closed, and it has a phototherapy setting to manage jaundice.

Other features include a built-in scale, to minimize having to move the baby, exam lights for easy care, screens to view the baby’s temperature, and port holes that allow the team to care for the baby without having to open the bed and release warmed air.

Every bedside in Sierra Medical Center’s NICU is equipped with cameras that allow parents to view their child when they are unable to be bedside. This is a great benefit, as moms are often discharged prior to their NICU babies.

Why is a giraffe bed beneficial for NICU patients?

The beds help to create an optimal environment for premature babies or newborns who are experiencing health issues. NICU babies often have a harder time maintaining their temperature than full-term babies, and the bed helps with that. Another benefit is that they provide a quiet environment for the baby. Due to the enclosed design of the giraffe bed, the babies can remain in a quiet, healing environment as they develop to be strong enough to finally go home with their families.