Parent Survival Guide: New camera called NICVIEW allows parents with babies in NICU to monitor their newborn

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) -New parents Crystal Eller and George Knight are head over heals for their newborn son Holcomb.

He was born 5 weeks early and has been spending his first days in the NICU at Summerville Medical Center.

“I was not prepared I was thinking oh we will have a baby and take him home in a few days and 2 weeks later we are still here", Eller says.

Thanks to 16 new Nicview web cameras placed at each NICU babies bedside at the hospital.

Holcomb's parents who live in Harleyville can keep up with his every move in real time.

“It’s great we look at it every 15 minutes all day his grandmother looks at it my sister looks at it,” Knight says.

According to Dr. Anye Iafolla the camera acts as a baby monitor and is seen through a secure app and code that only family members can use.

The code goes away once the baby is discharged.

“So at 3am in the morning when they are worried they can pull up their cell phone up or their computer and watch their baby,” Iafolla says.

From feedings to being changed or even just napping it all can be seen on the camera.

Dr. Iyafolla says the nicview is not only giving parents a piece of mind but it also helps mothers who are breast feeding mothers to see their babies produce more milk.

“So that’s another side benefit for them that they can watch their baby while collecting milk for them.”There are a number of studies that show if you can see your baby you can produce more milk," Iyafolla says.

The stay for a baby in the NICU can vary from days up to weeks.

For Crystal she says the cameras have made a stressful situation a more comforting one.

“If you wonder what’s going on you can go onto the cameras and say ok he’s sleeping or eating or getting a bath. You can zoom in so its the next best thing to being here,” Eller says.

We are happy to report that little Holcomb was recently released and he and his family are home and doing fine.