What is a Neonatal Doctor?

A neonatal doctor is a trained medical doctor who specializes in the care of newborn babies. They are usually only present for the care of very unwell infants, and they have highly specialized training in pediatric medicine and the care of sick babies in particular. Neonatal doctors or ‘neonatologists’ are consultant pediatric physicians who are called upon to oversee the care of babies born prematurely or with serious health problems from or shortly after birth. Where tests during the mother’s pregnancy have identified babies who are likely to have extra needs from birth, a neonatologist may be present at the birth and can arrange for specialist equipment to be ready for the baby immediately after birth. Where problems are identified in pregnancy the neonatologist may be involved in the care of the mother throughout her pregnancy, working alongside maternal-fetal medicine specialists and specialist midwives. Preparing a family for the birth of a sick child requires sensitivity, and experienced neonatal doctors develop special skills in communicating with anxious families.Babies who are born too early or who have health problems from birth can require very specialized equipment to help them with breathing, feeding, or anybody process that isn’t functioning properly in the unwell baby. Expertise in the highly technical medical equipment on a neonatal intensive care unit is essential for the neonatal special care team.There’s a wide range of problems that can present in the unwell neonate, and so neonatologists have a broad general expertise in all the body systems of the newborn.

What does a Neonatal Doctor do?

Neonatal doctors work in hospital settings in neonatal intensive care units. They oversee the care of extremely sick infants, and this includes caring for the family of sick children at probably the most difficult time in their lives. Not only does a neonatologist have to be a highly specialized practitioner of the intensive care of sick babies, but they also have to be an effective and sensitive communicator with the families of these babies.An unwell baby may be closely linked to the health of the mother, and so liaising with professionals specializing in maternal medicine and the care of the woman around the time of childbirth is an essential part of a neonatal doctor’s job. As the health of new babies in the care of a neonatal intensive treatment team can be extremely precarious, a neonatologist is on hand round the clock for any medical emergencies. Care of infants with complex health needs can require the skills of a large multidisciplinary team incorporating professionals from surgical and medical neonatologists and many other healthcare professionals.Neonatal care is a discipline with constant medical and technological updates based on a wealth of ongoing research. Very premature infants have an increasingly good likelihood of survival from earlier and earlier stages of development, and even babies born very early or who are very unwell have a good chance of positive outcomes with no or minimal lasting health or developmental concerns.