NEW mums whose babies require specialist care are being connected to them through a new piece of technology.

York Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit is now using BabyView to give parents the chance to keep an eye on their newborns if they need to be transferred into the ward.

Mums and dads can see close-up images and sounds of their neonatal babies through a screen, a tablet or smartphone wherever they are.

A screen in the incubator gives parents a close-up view of their baby just by linking to the web address on their internet browser or by downloading an app.

When York mum Becky Jamieson gave birth to her son Leo at just 25 weeks at York Hospital last November, he weighed 1lb 2oz and needed specialist neonatal care. He was transferred to Bradford Hospital where a team were waiting for him.

Becky was struggling with pre-eclampsia and was unable to go with Leo and remained in York Hospital for a further nine days before joining her son.

In the time they were separated, Becky had first-hand experience of the equipment.

She said: “I was so unwell that I had little idea of what was happening for a few days.

“When I spoke to the team at Bradford about Leo they also gave me the information for the Baby View video link.

“I was unsure what to expect, but when I dialled in, I was live with Leo and he was being tended to by the nurses.

“They explained what they were doing and how Leo was getting on which was just wonderful; it made me feel at ease.

“One day I dialled in and there was my husband Mark which was a nice surprise for the both of us.”

Sister Vikki Smith, who works in the Special Care Baby Unit, said: “Having a baby in our care whose mum is unable to be with them due to their own illness is very hard for the family.

“Having this amazing piece of equipment will bring families closer together and allow mums to feel part of their baby’s care.”