Baby Unit at HUDERF: a hospital ward dedicated to the very youngest patients
The “Baby Unit” cares for children aged 0 to 2, and young toddlers, in a highly specialised medical setting where parents play a central role.
Welcome to the Baby Unit
In this unit, babies admitted for acute, chronic or postoperative conditions receive highly specialised, multidisciplinary care. Each room is designed to accommodate a parent, allowing for continuous cohabitation, day and night. “The attachment bond is a cornerstone of development at this age. Hospitalisation should not put that on hold,” emphasises Dr Nathalie Genis, the paediatrician in charge of the unit.
The comforting environment includes a playroom, a family kitchenette, and both educational and psychological support. For longer hospital stays, teachers from the Robert Dubois School provide tailored learning programmes. Exhausted parents can be occasionally relieved by volunteers from the non-profit organisation Les Câlineuses de bébés.
The unit’s strength also lies in its close collaboration with other specialist departments across the hospital—from the operating theatre and neonatal unit to paediatric intensive care and child psychiatry. This coordination ensures continuity of care, even in the most complex situations, including extreme prematurity, paediatric palliative care, congenital malformations and developmental delays.
One of the unit’s main focuses is the management of early feeding disorders. In response to the rising number of cases of malnutrition and sucking difficulties, infants are assessed by a team of paediatricians, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, and psychologists. The goal: to identify underlying causes, support families, and, if necessary, introduce tube feeding while planning a return to autonomous eating.
Nursing expertise in acute care—especially during winter, when bronchiolitis is prevalent—completes this blend of technical excellence and compassionate care.
The unit is currently looking for new paediatric nurses to strengthen the team.
We are currently recruiting new nursing staff—preferably with a specialisation or experience in paediatrics—to join this dynamic team. The vacancy is available online: https://hub.talentfinder.be/fr/vacature/115036/huderf--infirmier-de-preference-avec-une-specialisation-en-pediatrie-ou-une-experience-en-pediatrie-pour-l-unite-68-h-f-x--cd/
At the HUDERF, every hospital stay is seen as an opportunity for holistic care—focused on the child… and their family.
