New Camera Technology Connects Mothers With Newborns In NICU

BOSTON (CBS) - South Shore Hospital is using new technology to keep the connection between its tiniest patients and their worried parents.

New cameras in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are keeping families in touch 24/7.

The system is providing comfort and peace of mind for loved ones who can't always be with their newborns.

The emotional bond between a mother and her newborn is immeasurable.

The bond can be threatened when a baby is born prematurely and is in intensive care, but the mother is discharged from the hospital and has to leave her baby.

"Especially when you have to leave your baby behind in a hospital, it's an environment that they're not familiar with and you want to take your baby home. You want to be able to cuddle them and spend time with them as much as you can," said Neonatal Nurse Lynn D'Angelo.

South Shore Hospital has now installed a video monitoring system so parents can check on their newborns whenever they want while the baby is still in intensive care.

Lynn Earl can even watch her baby Avia on her phone.

Avia was born 15 weeks prematurely and is in the Neonatal ICU at South Shore Hospital, and although miles apart, the emotional attachment between mother and child is not broken.

"Just any of her little facial movements it's just great to watch her. It makes me feel better knowing that I can still keep an eye on her when I can't be there," new mother Lynn Earl said.

The camera system is called "Angel Eye" and it's secure so only nurses and parents can access it.

It allows nurses to care for the baby while allowing moms to go back to work, saving their maternity leave.

This is the most advanced technology available in the country and it will only improve in the coming months as audio will soon be added to the system.