How livestreaming technology is helping connect North Queensland families to their newborn babies

A father 900km away is able to watch live footage of his premature daughter resting in Townsville University Hospital. Here’s how the new technology is chaning lives.

Jane Schwartz with her daughter Amara, who was born on the 12th of February, just under 12 weeks early, using the new Baby Cam technology at Townsville University Hospital. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Karumba mother Jane Schwartz was terrified when being flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Townsville to give birth to her firstborn daughter.

Amara was born premature at 28 weeks and two days in the Townsville University Hospital, and for the first 24 hours after the birth Ms Schwartz was not able to be with her.

The hospital stay is also difficult for Amara’s father Ethan, who is a council worker working more than 900km in The Gulf country and missing his newborn daughter.

But the Townsville University Hospital has installed baby cameras in its neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and their livestreaming will make a significant difference for not only parents of premature and sick children, but for the regional and isolated families spread across The Gulf and North West communities.

“It’s very good for dad, he loves it and just misses her so much,” Ms Schwartz said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman visits the neonatal intensive care unit at the Townsville University Hospital. While she was there to formally announce the start of the $530 million Townsville University Hospital expansion, Ms Fentiman did emphasise the importance of the cameras being used to livestream babies to their families. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“He (Ethan) was only here for two weeks and then had to go back to work.

“She makes me proud every day and it’s so good to see her develop and grow and to be there watching her.

“I’m feeling really good and proud every day of my baby, she makes me proud every day and it’s so good to see her develop and grow and to be there watching her.

“Now I guess the goal is to get her home and settled in and not be at hospital every day.”

Senior neonatal pediatrician Yoga Kandasamy said he had the idea to livestream baby footage in NICU from a family that stayed at the hospital for six months.

“We did a trial first to find out what the parents’ wishes are and also the staff, and the studies were encouraging,” Dr Kandasamy said.

The trial was completed in 2018 and since the installation of the cameras in December last year there has been more than 800 hours of live-streaming to more than 130 families.

“800 babies are admitted per year, 30 per cent from first nations families, 40 per cent are from outside Townsville,” he said.

“Some of them stay here for up to four months.

“Now the families can continue to see their baby, immediate families and also the extended families can be part of the baby’s journey while they’re here, but also, importantly, for the siblings, the brothers and sisters.”

The baby cameras required funding which has come from the health service and also from mining company Glencore.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said it was “extremely stressful” for families to be separated from their babies.

“Being able to check in on their bubs in real time, no matter where they are, is proving to be a game changer for parents, especially for families in rural and remote areas,” she said.

“It’s fantastic to see the TUH is the first public hospital in Queensland to offer this innovative technology and it is also the only tertiary neonatal unit for Northern Australia.

“This means the babycams are helping families from across the northern region, including the Torres Strait and communities to the Northern Territory border, to stay connected with their babies.”

Originally published as How livestreaming technology is helping connect North Queensland families to their newborn babies