neonatal

Definition

Medical-speak for anything involving newborns in their first 28 days of life, when they're simultaneously adorable and terrifyingly fragile. It's the period when specialists watch babies like hawks for developmental issues, infections, and signs of distress. Neonatal units are where premature infants get intensive care and parents age ten years per day.

Example Usage

The neonatal intensive care unit kept her premature twins alive with technology that cost more per day than most people's mortgages.

Source: Medical terminology via pediatrics

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