Uniting maternity care with neonatal intensive care: Analysis advancing hospital experiences for families of newborns through design

The landscape of childbirth has changed immensely over the last century. Medical intervention has surpassed the needs of mother and infant to be together when either requires medical attention. By bringing medical equipment for both into a single hospital room, separation between the two will be decreased. For this study, mothers of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care were questioned with a mix-methods survey to discover what challenges they faced in order to amend the built environment to increase their satisfaction with their hospital and post-birth experience. Mothers showed less ability to interact with their infants when medical needs were more severe. They also wanted more amenities with lighting, technology, furniture, views, and privacy. The room must function as a home setting with the capabilities of a hospital. Advancements in technology and design can bring babies and mothers together once again