Introduction
While a baby is in the womb,
oxygen passes from the mother’s blood through the placenta
and the umbilical cord to the baby. However once born oxygen
is obtain by breathing. This can be a problem, particularly
for very premature babies as their lungs are not fully developed
and furthermore they are sometimes very weak and have to make
huge efforts to breath.
Therefore a premature baby
may need respiratory support in order to help breathing and
in some cases a mechanical ventilator can take over the baby’s
breathing functions completely. For the very premature babies
ventilation maybe essential for survival and some babies may
spend a lot of time on ventilation.
Ventilation can however
be an uncomfortable treatment; babies can become agitated
and sometimes breathe against (out of time) the ventilator
thus making their condition worse. If this happens sedative
drugs are often given to help the baby’s breathing so
that they breathe in time with the ventilator and can sleep
better. These drugs can provide some relief from discomfort.
Neonatal staff will regularly clean the baby’s airways,
clearing them of mucus (that collects in the trachea whilst
the baby is on the ventilator) and making the baby more comfortable.
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