Congratulations on the birth of your baby! You have experienced one of life’s greatest miracles, but unfortunately things didn't go as planned. Your new baby has been born early or needs specialized NICU care. As neonatal nurses, we know that this can be an overwhelming and very stressful time for you and your family. The excitement you feel about the birth of your newborn can quickly change to fear about what may lie ahead. You may feel many emotions or have many questions about why your baby needs NICU care. You may feel anger, guilt, or sadness. Remember, whatever you are feeling is completely normal. It is not your fault that your baby is in the NICU.
Neonatal nurses are here to provide support and care to you and your newborn during his/her stay. You will notice lots of foreign equipment, wires, monitors, flashing lights, and sounds that can be scary and intimidating. You may wonder how you will be able to contribute to your baby’s care. As a parent, you are a very special and very important part of your baby’s care team. The comfort and love that you give to your baby is vital to his/her growth and development. We encourage you and welcome you to be present any time that you are able to be with your baby. When you cannot be at the bedside, please call us for updates!
We also encourage you to confide in others going through the same journey. Talk with and get to know other parents. There are so many support groups and resources that your hospital will have to offer. You are not alone! I know that you have a lot of questions and are concerned about your baby. This blog is designed to help answer some of those questions. Be encouraged by the smallest successes you and your baby have. Your baby has tiny feet and will make tiny steps along his/her journey. Celebrate all of their victories and milestones because although they might not seem like it, they are EXTREMELY important.
I encourage you to read through my blog posts and write to me so that I can help you in any way that I can!