New Face Masks Help NICU Babies Engage With Parents

Doctors say the first few months, and even weeks, of a baby's life are critical in their development.

"There’s a lot of learning that happens with the human face. Babies take cues from their parents in situations, and there’s a lot of social interaction that happens. If you think about when you’re holding a baby and you make a face, and they kind of make a face back at you. There’s turn taking that takes place in those interactions, so it's just really, really important for them to see their face," said Sheri Kimmey, a NICU clinical nurse educator at Methodist Women's Hospital.

Barriers due to COVID-19, such as having to wear face masks while giving birth, have hindered those interactions. Babies now have to meet and interact while their parents wear masks.

Methodist Women's Hospital was able to come up with a way to keep everyone safe from COVID while allowing parents to engage with their babies.

KMTV: New face masks help NICU babies engage with parents

Omaha World-Herald: Thanks to clear masks, babies like Isaac and Camdem can see parents' smiles