One of the most important jobs you have as a parent is making sure your child is safe when riding in a vehicle. Learn how to install a car seat into your car and make sure your child is safe.
Learn how you can help when your baby is choking, how to respond to breathing or heart emergencies and how to childproof your home. Techniques are based on the American Heart Association Family & Friends guidance.
Spending any amount of time in the NICU can be a stressful experience, even for a few hours. This can be a difficult and emotional time for families. It’s normal to experience a range of emotions and changes in behavior while your baby is in the NICU.
Some emotions and symptoms you could experience in this moment include:
Any of these symptoms, and many more, could indicate you have a form of perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, such as postpartum depression (also called PPD). While many women experience mild mood changes during or after the birth of a child, PPD affects up to one in eight women (about 12.5 percent). Symptoms can appear at any time during pregnancy and in the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options to help you recover. Please know that with informed care you can fully recover and prevent worsening of these symptoms.
• You think it may help you feel better
• Your ability to cope with the situation is not improving and you feel stuck
• You continue to find no joy in other parts of your life
• You have trouble with your relationship with your partner or others close to you
• You feel a parent support group isn’t “quite enough”
• You feel prolonged numbness or detachment
• You continue to feel detached from your baby
• You have trouble getting out of bed or starting your day
• You feel unable to cope or manage other responsibilities
• You think about harming yourself or others
Your provider, a hospital social worker or a psychologist can refer you to a counselor who understands the trauma of having a baby in the NICU. Even just a couple of visits might give you the reassurance and support you need.
If you’re considering suicide, this is a medical emergency. Have your partner, friend or family member take you to the emergency room or call 911.
Remember that help is just a call away. Reach out to your local suicide hotline now – a compassionate voice is ready to listen, support and guide you through the darkness. You don’t have to face this alone. Make the call because your life matters.
Dial 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Available 24 hours a day / seven days a week.
For more information, you can visit Postpartum Support International (PSI) or call the PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773 (#1 En Español or #2 English). You deserve to get the help you need.
Looking for more resources for NICU parents? You’re in the right place! Reliable online resources can be valuable for you and your family. Here are some trusted recommendations on various topics:
Breastfeeding and pumping support
Free smartphone apps
Baby Connect: Newborn Tracker App
General information
Graham’s Foundation — Preemie Parent Support
Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Month
Postpartum Support International
Salem Health Family Birth Center
Infant development
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development