Guidelines: 8. Handling cot-occupancy
- Cot occupancy presents challenges on the NICU
- It is painful to be surrounded by other twins
- Parents struggle when a newly admitted baby goes into the cot space previously occupied by their baby who died
- Ask parents and then see if a surviving twin can be placed in a ward, room or bay where there are no other sets of twins
- Explain to parents what is, and is not, possible
Parents who have lost a twin often find it difficult being in a room with other twins.
It’s about being mindful of what is happening and what has happened in the room.