Photo: metinkiyak/Getty
Having a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be an anxiety-inducing and exhausting experience for families, but there are things parents can do to help navigate the experience and ease some of the stress of the situation. Families should familiarize themselves with the policies and procedures of the hospital, including visitation rules and safety measures.
Talking with The Bump, Pradeep N. Mally, MD, director of the Division of Neonatology at Hassenfeld Childrens Hospital at 做厙TV Langone and associate professor in the , recommends that families participate in patient rounds. It really helps parents emotionally so they dont feel helpless.
Another pro tip? Depending on your babys condition, you can still partake in skin-to-skin care, which has benefits for your childs health and wellness. As soon as we think the patient is stable enougheven if theyre on a ventilatorwe encourage skin-to-skin care, for both Mom and Dad, Dr. Mally says.
Parents should also make sure to take advantage of hospital resources to learn about their babys condition, receive support with breastfeeding, or access parent support groups.
Read more from .
