The first service center for parents of premature babies has opened in Montreal

On Monday, Prema-Québec opened the hospital's first placement service for parents of premature babies.

Located less than 10 minutes from Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, L'Escale Préma-Québec offers parents in need accommodation close to the neonatal unit, with priority given to those living more than 55 kilometers away.

Préma-Québec announced in a press release that L'Escale Préma-Québec will be able to host 85 families over the next 12 months.

L'Escale has three bedrooms and common areas. So it can accommodate three families for $10 a day. Parents can stay there for periods ranging from a few days to a few months, as their premature babies are treated at the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital.

It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of parents whose premature babies were admitted to Hospital Maisonneuve-Rosemont in the past three years could use a placement solution like L'Escale Préma-Québec to spend more time with their children.

Among other things, L'Escale Préma-Québec allows parents, particularly in the case of mothers who have given birth by caesarean section, to limit their expenses by limiting their travel expenses and providing them with the necessary equipment to prepare meals. .

This pilot project by Prema-Québec required an investment of $15,000 to set up, including sponsorship from the Tanguay Foundation for furniture and fixtures.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 15, 2024.