NICU camera system helps parents stay connected with babies at Golisano Children's Hospital

At Golisano Children's Hospital, baby JJ is wiggling, yawning, and smiling, but behind his cheerful demeanor is a four-month stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). "I went into labor when I was 22 weeks," said Monica Sanchez-Alcala, JJ's mother. Born at just one pound and two ounces, JJ faced significant challenges from the start. "He was intubated for about a month. And, once they extubated him, he was on a bubble CPAP. So just kind of dealing with that. His frustrations, too, of having something on his face. Being away from him also, like, he's in a new environment and I'm away from my baby," Sanchez-Alcala said. For Monica and her husband, Jose Sanchez-Alcala, the joy of welcoming their baby was quickly overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. "That was definitely the hardest part was just not being able to hold him," Sanchez-Alcala said, becoming emotional. "Yeah, that was definitely the hardest part. Was just not being able to touch him. Not being able to hold him. Because he was just so little. And it was just. It was really scary." While JJ remained in the NICU, his parents had to manage their daily responsibilities. "It was hard just to go to work every day knowing that he would be here," said Jose Sanchez-Alcala. To support parents like Monica and Jose, Lee Health introduced Angel Eye, a camera system that allows parents to stay connected with their babies in the NICU. "It's got a crystal-clear picture, so parents can definitely see their baby. They can communicate with the nurse through the app," said Jillian Miller, a registered nurse at Lee Health. The system is hardwired to the internet to ensure a reliable connection. "We don't have to worry about the connection being, you know, intermittent, you know, during thunderstorms in the afternoon or like during hurricane season," Miller said. Parents can access the camera feed through a link on their phones and share it with others. "When I was at work, I would be able to just pull the app and, like, see how he's doing or, like, you know, just take a look at him," said Jose Sanchez-Alcala. "My family, they're able to see the cameras well, and they're in Idaho," Sanchez-Alcala said. The technology not only provides emotional comfort but also offers physical benefits. "It helps with mom's milk production. It helps with her healing, her peace of mind," Miller said. "I would wake up in the middle of the night to pump and, just with, like, hormones too, just helping to be able to see him," Sanchez-Alcala said. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.