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The need for newborn babies to be near their Moms as much as possible has proven to be beneficial.

For babies who are born prematurely or with other complications which require them to be cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), this sadly means that they are often separated from their Moms as soon as they are born.

But now there’s some good news. The BC Children’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada, are solving that problem.

On October 29th, the hospitals will be opening an innovative NICU located in their new Teck Acute Care Centre.

What’s different about this NICU, is that moms and their babies will be cared for in the same space, and  the parents will be allowed to stay with their infants around the clock.

The revolutionary NICU has 70 private rooms – six of which can accommodate parents with twins. Babies are able to remain in these rooms for the duration of their stays in the NICU. The rooms have all the necessary equipment to care for sick or premature babies, and they have been designed to be as comfortable as possible.

A new program allows moms to stay with their babies as they’re being cared for. 

 @PHSAofBC http://go.redirectingat.com/?id=88890X1542043&url=https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FVq6L7ld4Oj

— POPSUGAR Moms (@POPSUGARMoms) October 25, 2017

“The extensive use of gardens and natural light add to the sense of well-being for staff and families,” Julie de Salaberry, director of Neonatal Intensive Care at BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, told Babble.

Each room also has a special chair for “kangaroo care” (skin-to-skin holding) as well as a breast pump.

This great idea for the new NICU came from a NICU mom, de Salaberry said. At a hospital design workshop, a mom whose baby had been cared for in the NICU asked, “Why can’t I have my postpartum care in the room with my baby?”

The concept is also backed by science.

“In conventional models, mother and babies needing NICU care are separated soon after birth,” de Salaberry said. “There is substantive literature that reports the single most stressful event for mothers with babies in the NICU is separation, regardless of the severity of illness.”

Here’s to hoping that other NICUs across Canada and the USA follow suit.

10 Eerily Simple Ways To Keep Children Safe on Halloween

10 Eerily Simple Halloween Safety Tips For Parents

Thankfully, there are a few ways parents can keep kids safe while still embracing this holiday. With increased awareness and a little help from modern technology, we can adapt basic methods and Halloween safety tips and precautions to make sure everyone gets to enjoy Halloween- all you need is a cell phone.

Listed below, are 10 simple Halloween safety tips that you can keep in mind

1. Pick bright, proper fitting, and reflective costumes.

Large costumes, dark clothing, bulging masks, or large shoes are just a few possible ways a costume can trip up children on Halloween. Before buying a costume, look for some creative alternatives on Pinterest or the web.

2. Stay on well lit sidewalks and streets.

We all know part of the draw of trick-or-treating is walking in the dark and experiencing the thrill of unknown shadows. Reduce the risk of accident by helping children cross streets at crosswalks and use sidewalks as much as possible. For older children, track or use cell phones for up-to-the-minute location updates.

3. Sort through candy or treats before allowing kids to dive in.

A majority of us grew up with the urban legends, some based completely in reality, of candy laced with needles, razor blades, and more. Today, we also need to be on the lookout for drugs that closely resemble candies that have been circulating on the Internet. It’s not worth endangering your child’s health for a 50 cent piece of chocolate.

4. For added safety, snap a photo of the kids on a cell phone before heading out.

This will allow you to access a current picture if you would happen to get separated.

5. Go trick-or-treating with your kids.

Use this holiday as the perfect guise for getting the whole family to do an activity together. Experts recommend that we supervise children under the age of 12 and the lure of chocolaty goodness might damper our children’s objections to our watchful presence. Plus, going door-to-door and crossing the streets will be safer with a mature set of eyes to monitor the situation. If going around to neighborhoods bothers you, consider visiting a community Trunk-or-Treat event or party. Many organizations will promote their events on social media or local news outlets.

6. Only wear costumes and masks that fit properly.

The extra walking and party activities require kids to be able to walk or run without hinderance.

7. Search for teal pumpkins!

This holiday is a nightmare for kids who have food allergies or special diets. Thankfully, a movement is springing up around the country called the Teal Project. Houses that display a blue pumpkin are offering non-food items for our little goblins so everyone can enjoy Halloween. For more information or to find if your area participates, do an easy search.

8. Dowse the flames.

We love candles at Halloween, however open flames can easily cause a house fire or a costume to go up in smoke. Look for flame free options or use a cell phone’s flashlight to light the way.

9. Limit trick-or-treating during the recommended hours for your community.

Many towns and cities use curfews. Look on the city website or browse the local paper for the times.

10. Put down the devices.

Technology is great, but it can be distracting and results in accidents. For older teens, we need to be aware how social media can broadcast their locations or plans and we should suggest they avoid documenting questionable activity on social media sites like Instagram or Snapchat to protect them from bullying, extortion, and legal prosecution.