July 9, 2010

The birth of a child is one of life's greatest joys. But, it can also be stressful especially is your little one is having problems.

Now a new technique is being used to help infants in intensive care.

Lacy Lomax visits her newborn baby in Wesley's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Her daughter was born 2 and a half months early.

Lomax says it has to leave her little one in the hospital. She says, "Part of you feels like your being left behind at all times."

Now, Wesley Medical Center is using something new to help premature babies thrive. They are scent circles.

Life Education instructor Flecia Lane explains how the scent circle works, "The moms take them home and put them under their bra for 8 to 10 hours and it collects the scent." Lane says the circles are then places under the babies head.

The scent circles are made of fleece do they are soft, wont fray and absorb well.

New mom's are advised not to smoke, use perfume or scented detergent. They just want the baby to smell mom.

Lane says, "It does stimulate their sense of smell and sense of taste and it helps them breast feed when the time comes."

Each scent circle is placed with the baby for 8 hours. Moms will get several circles to take home.

Lacy Lomax says she is a firm believer and wont leave her little one without a scent circle nearby.