Parents and carers with babies receiving care in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Lister Hospital can now benefit from two new digital tools designed to reduce anxiety, provide vital information, and help families stay connected.
The Little Journey app, originally developed to support children preparing for surgery, has been specially adapted to meet the needs of families with babies in neonatal care.
Now tailored for NICU patients, the free app features immersive 360-degree virtual tours of the unit, helping parents (and young siblings) familiarise themselves with the environment before and during their baby’s stay. It also offers easy-to-understand clinical information on neonatal care, common conditions and treatments, as well as guidance on transfers between neonatal units.
To support emotional wellbeing, Little Journey includes relaxation techniques, bite-sized educational articles, and fun distraction games aimed at reducing stress during what can be an overwhelming time.
Michelle Garwood, neonatal sister at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust said:
“Having your baby admitted to the neonatal unit can be a very stressful and worrying time for parents and carers. We hope the introduction of this app will help reduce some of the families’ stress and anxiety by providing easily accessible information and visual guides relevant to their babies’ care.”
The app is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. In addition, our NICU has iPads – kindly donated by a former NICU parent – pre-loaded with the app and available for families to use whilst on the unit.
In addition to the app, NICU has also launched BadgerNet Diaries – a secure digital system that sends parents real-time updates and photos of their baby while in care.
This service ensures that even when parents can’t be at the bedside, they can stay closely connected to their baby’s progress through their smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Alex Pinson, neonatal nursery nurse at East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust said:
“The diaries will hopefully help relieve parents’ worries when having to leave their baby in NICU. With photos and updates from our neonatal team, parents will feel connected to their baby at all times.”
These new tools represent a significant step forward in family-centred neonatal care, offering reassurance, improved communication, and emotional support for families during what is often a very challenging time.
The app is also available in some of our other paediatrics (children’s) service areas including Day Surgery and is a great way to relieve anxious patients ahead of surgeries, jabs, blood tests and other appointments.
For more information about the app, visit the Little Journey Website.
