"THESE babies are not meant to be here, so we like to leave them in peace," smiled senior staff nurse Helen Hutchinson.

It's remarkably peaceful in Dorset County Hospital's special care baby unit (SCBU) at Dorchester.

The hush is broken only by the occasional hiss and sigh of ventilators, beeping of monitors and rustling of uniforms as nurses bustle about their fragile charges.

Premature babies spend all their time sleeping and growing because they are simply not old enough to feed or breathe by themselves.

Nurses closely observe each baby for signs of change, because they are extremely susceptible to infections.

'Preemies' receive nourishment through a drip tube and are put in an incubator if they can't maintain their body temperature.

They may also need oxygen, as the lungs are not fully developed.

All the babies have an individual care plan and normally stay in hospital until the day they were supposed to be born.

Twenty-six staff look after the occupants of three intensive care beds and nine cots.

'Feeders' and 'growers' have their own nursery - these are the largest babies who are nearly ready to go home.

There is a side room to isolate ill babies and a mini-laboratory to conduct blood tests for conditions such as jaundice, which is very common.

And the linen cupboard is full of romper suits so tiny they look like they were made for a doll.

Parents can even stay overnight in prettily furnished accommodation, and there is a family play room for older children to use while visiting their siblings.

Nurse Hutchinson said: "It can be a very traumatic time for mums and dads, so we try to keep the atmosphere as light as possible."

The walls are lined with photographs of babies who went home and grew up fit and healthy, accompanied by thank-you cards from grateful parents.

Nurse Hutchinson said: "We are very lucky to get so much support from the public, the staff feel very privileged.

"The cheapest piece of equipment costs us £5,000 so it is marvellous to get help over and above our health authority funding.

"Even the quilts are made for us by friends of Pauline's Patchwork." FULL FEATURE AND PICTURES IN TODAY'S DORSET ECHO.