NICU Blog

75 Fantastic Books to Read Aloud to NICU Babies
Reading to a baby in the NICU is a very important bonding activity, and we've brought together a list of some of the very best out-loud reading books for preemies and any baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. These make the best gifts for NICU parents. Take to the NICU leave at the bedside read to your baby daily.
Best Baby Monitors for NICU Grads
Doctors would not be sending your baby home if they weren’t confident it was safe, so no monitors are absolutely necessary. But most parents today want to monitor their baby. So we share some simple ways to tell which monitor is best for your preemie NICU baby after graduating from the NICU.
Guest Post ·
My Typical Daily NICU Routine - A Day in the Life of a NICU Mom
One NICU mom shares the routines that kept her feeling in control and sane while staying healthy. "My son, who I will refer to as “W”, was born at 29 weeks after a sudden onset of PreEclampsia and HELLP syndrome. From the time I arrived at the Emergency Department, to the time W was delivered was less than 7 hours.
Guest Post ·
Mother's Day as a NICU Mom
Mother’s Day was the first holiday I spent outside the NICU once my son W, a former 29 weeker, was discharged following a 7 week stay. I remember waking early that morning to nurse, and sitting in the rocker in his nursery watching the sun rise and sipping a cup of hot coffee (a life saver, am I right?!) and just think
The Ultimate Gift Guide for Mother's Day in the NICU

It's hard to know the best gifts to buy for a new mother who has a baby in the NICU, because not every gift right for this delicate and overwhelming situation. We have put together a gift list that fits every budget and is sure to help you find exactly the best gift for a NICU mama this Mother's Day!
DIY Homemade Cloth Face Mask with Fitted Nose Bridge by NICU Nurse Trish Ringley

Since it’s becoming clear that cloth face masks are a good way to prevent the spread of viruses, I decided to dust off the sewing machine to make a few.

Because I’m a nurse and I’m used to wearing masks with a flexible fitted nose bridge, I really wanted to find something like that for my homemade masks.

I have modified a basic pleated face mask by adding my own touch - a little “tunnel” along the nose bridge where a soft, flexible pipe cleaner can be inserted when wearing the mask.
Guest Post ·
The hidden blessings of self isolation - a NICU mom's perspective
Today feels eerily similar to the first several weeks being home from the NICU. In this current pandemic from COVID-19, we are all being urged to practice social distancing, to stay home and only go out to the public if and when absolutely necessary...it feels familiar, like a case of deja vu with my preemie.
How to keep yourself and your NICU baby safe from respiratory viruses
With the entire world worrying about COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus), especially NICU moms and dads, it’s important to be sure everyone has a basic understanding of respiratory viruses and how they spread. Because if you don’t really understand how they get spread from one person to another, it is impossible for you to really do your best job keeping yourself and your baby safe from them.
Guest Post ·
Taking your Preemie Home - How to Overcome your Fears and Feel Prepared
While you’re experiencing the emotional high of bringing your preemie home, you can’t help but to feel panic-ridden as well. You are SO not alone. Your feelings and fears are common. It is important that you face those fears with the utmost of confidence, positivity, and strength.
What Everyone Needs to Know about RSV and Preemies
Have you heard of Respiratory Syncytial (sin-SISH-Shull) Virus? It’s easier just to call it by its common name, RSV. Chances are, you’ve probably had RSV before in your life. Actually, many times! And if you have a preemie baby in your life, you’ll need to learn about this important disease.
Favorite Parenting Books for NICU Graduates
The NICU is a journey in parenting, and as with most journeys, a little planning ahead makes for smoother sailing.   So while you wait patiently (or impatiently!) for your little one to come home, rather than fret and fuss...
How to Help a NICU Mom - Thoughtful, Beautiful Ways to Show You Care
So you have a friend or a loved one with a baby in the NICU? And you're wondering what you really can do to help?   You've come to the right place! Read on! The truth is - NICU moms...
Using Scent to Stay Connected to your Baby in the NICU
Here's a typical day in the NICU, with a beautiful twist:  A baby girl sleeps in the NICU in a dark, warm incubator. She can hear the bubbling of her oxygen, the beep of alarms, the sound of nurses and...
What Can I Do With My Baby in the NICU?
So your baby is in the NICU and you’re wondering… What can I do to feel more involved in my baby’s care? If you’re like many NICU parents, you might feel as if you’re more like visitors or bystanders than parents, and that’s no good. Here are 10 ideal ways to start getting involved in your preemies daily activities.
How Our NICU Journey Helped One Very Strong Preemie and her Parents
"Our NICU Journey - I bring that book with me to and from the hospital every day, I want it with me all the time! It is so nice having a structured journal to keep track of her weight, feedings, medications, nurses, etc.  We've used it to look back to answer: How old was she when she opened her eyes for the first time? ..."
NICU Moms You Deserve Some Self-Compassion - Here's How to Get Started
I can’t even begin to count the number of NICU mothers I’ve met who are so hard on themselves, with guilt, anger, jealousy and more. And I totally understand where these emotions come from! When I learned about the concept of Self-Compassion, I knew right away that it was a concept that might help NICU mamas everywhere.
Imagine - What It's Like to Give Birth Prematurely
Imagine, it’s an ordinary day, you’re 25 weeks pregnant. You’ve got 15 long weeks to go. You’ve been feeling your baby move for a few short weeks, according to your app the baby is the size of a rutabaga (what is that, anyway?). Months before your birthing classes, your baby shower.... now imagine you feel a sharp pain
How to Use NICU Milestone Cards
how to use nicu milestone photo cards Most families place their Milestone Card next to their baby and snap a photo!  On the back side, write the date and any notes you like to remember the moment.  You can also...
How to use "Our NICU Journey" Daily Notes Journal
Our NICU Journey is designed to help make it easier for you to keep track of all the information that most NICU parents like to keep track of.    This is how the daily tracking pages are designed to be...
How to Survive the NICU
From NICU Nurse author Trish Ringley - "I'm thrilled to announce my new partnership with VeryWell.com to publish NICU and preemie-related articles. The first article I've written is titled 10 Things your NICU Nurses Wish You Knew and you can link to the article here." Sept 25, 2015
Guest Post ·
Grief and Depression in the NICU - Finding the Help You Deserve
NICU Mom Guest Post about her experience as a trauma-informed therapist who had preemie twins in the NICU. She offers 7 clear and simple instructions for how to get started finding a therapist to help with NICU related trauma and depression. NICU parents have high rates of PTSD and need help knowing how to get help.