Resources
Discover a wealth of guides, articles, and tools to support NICU parents.
Downloadable Resources
Explore valuable resources for parents in the NICU
Things you may need if you're planning to pump
If you're planning to pump milk whilst your baby is in NICU and cannot feed for themselves, this list of things you may need could be worth taking a look at. Collated from responses from our community of NICU parents, the list is made up of things people who have been in your shoes have used and found important.
NICU Stay Packing List
If you know you're going to need a NICU stay in advance, this packing list collates responses from our community who have been there of what they would pack if they were going to NICU. If you're already in NICU you may still find it useful to know what you might need further into your stay.
Supporting Friends & Family During their NICU Journey
When your friend or loved one has their baby, it is meant to be a happy occasion, where you wrap them up in love and cuddles and celebrate their little one coming into the world. It may not be that way when their baby ends up requiring a NICU stay. Know that there is a lot that you can do, but the person likely can’t tell you what they need because they probably don't quite know themselves.
What's on the blog
Read article and stories from experts and fellow NICU families
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A couple’s experience of NICU and how it made their relationship stronger
This week on the podcast we talked to the wonderful Danielle and Tyler Morris, a couple who had their son at 24 weeks and 4 days, which makes him a micropreemie. Their journey inspired Danielle to set up @nicu_experience on Instagram
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Having a full term NICU baby: It is more common than you think
Most people don't know that a large majority of NICU admissions are babies who are born at full term. It is necessary to shed light on this, as there are often misconceptions that only premature babies need neonatal care, which is not the case.
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Navigating Medical Parenthood: A conversation with Amanda Griffith Atkins on Parenting a Child with a disability
Amanda Griffith Atkins' journey through parenthood offers a poignant look into the world of raising a child with a disability. Her honesty and compassion shine through, providing a community for parents facing similar challenges.
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The NICU Space Podcast
Check out our latest podcast episodes
NICU Twins, Single Motherhood & Survival Mode: Danielle's Story of Trauma, Resilience and Healing | S4E67
Danielle shares her journey through infertility, vanishing twin syndrome, and the premature birth of her twin girls during COVID — and the emotional reality of navigating NICU life with twins.
Why NICU Parents Stay in Survival Mode: Trauma, Hypervigilance & Healing | S4E66
Lottie from Leo's Neonatal and NICU Neuroscience explores what happens in the brain and body during and after neonatal care — trauma, hypervigilance, matrescence and how NICU can shape identity and long-term wellbeing.
Life after NICU: Managing Anxiety, Trauma, and Hypervigilance after Neonatal Care | S4E64
Lorna Tallowin, NICU parent and founder of Super Dinky, turns the questions back to me — my pregnancy, delivering unexpectedly at 31 weeks, and what the early weeks in neonatal intensive care were really like.
Group B Strep at 3 Days Old, Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy: Kate’s Story of Disability Acceptance and Hope | S3E62
Kate’s son Frank contracted group B strep meningitis at just 3 days old. Hear her story of Frank’s life now with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and how she remains positive through it all.
From 20 Weeks to 30 Years: How TEDx Speaker and CEO Audrey Williams Joseph Turned Her NICU Experience Into Lifelong Change | S3E60
When Audrey Williams Joseph went into labour at 20 weeks, she was told her baby wouldn’t survive. 30 years on, her son lives with complex needs and Audrey, now a TEDx speaker, is using her experience to create lasting change.
Seven Rounds of IVF, Pregnant with Twins, Loss and Twice in NICU with Aideen | S3E58
Aideen went through 7 rounds of IVF, two NICU experiences, and the loss of a twin. She conceived naturally four months after loss and is now pregnant again. Hear how she got through it all and why it’s so important to advocate for yourself.
Facing fertility difficulties and miscarriage with author of RoboBabies, Laura Gallagher | S3E57
Laura, author of “RoboBabies”, experienced fertility difficulties and losses which brought along lots of tricky emotions like shame and embarrassment – here’s her thoughts on how she got through it all.
Health anxiety & the divide between NICU and home with a sibling - Enya | S3E56
Feeling torn in half between your baby in NICU and your child at home is such a difficult time, and today’s guest, Enya, discusses how she handled that as well as her worsening health anxiety after a NICU stay with her 28 weeker, Roisin.
Attachment, Bonding and EMDR after NICU trauma with Clinical Psychologist Dr. Mara Tesler Stein | S3E55
Dr. Mara Stein gave birth to her twins at 30 weeks pregnant and she’s also a Clinical Psychologist who offers EMDR trainings to perinatal specialists. She's proof that your NICU trauma doesn't have to be with you for life.
Dear NICU Mama: Therapeutic writing, finding meaning after trauma and NICU’s impact on maternal mental health | S3E54
Dear NICU Mama is a non-profit that encourages NICU mums to write letters of hope to others going through the same thing. Ashley and Aisha join Dr. Frankie to talk through common themes, mental health and finding meaning again after NICU.
Neonatal Leave & Pay Act, Prem Aware schools and how employers can support NICU parents with Catriona from The Smallest Things | S3E53
The Smallest Things charity has been busy since we last spoke to Catriona, the founder! From the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act, to the charity’s Employer With Heart Charter, there’s lots to catch up on.
From premature birth to giving back through starting a charity: Rachael from Ickle Pickles | S3E52
Rachael and her husband, Andy, started the Ickle Pickles charity to give back after their son was born at just 28 weeks. We dive into what giving back means for Rachael, post traumatic growth and what her son’s life looks like today.
Birth trauma & healing through EMDR with Bethan from Advocates and Angels | S3E51
After Bethan experienced multiple traumas, including losing her four-year-old daughter, she developed anxiety, depression and PTSD. This is her story of how EMDR and therapy helped, and why she created her charity, Advocates and Angels.
Supporting Dads in NICU with Luke & Tom from Dad Matters | S3E49
It’s not just mums who need support in NICU – dads struggle with the experience too, and sometimes it takes time for it to sink in. Luke and Tom from Dad Matters join us to share their experiences and how they support dads in NICU.
Navigating multiple perinatal traumas: Rachel’s journey through NICU, HG, IVF and pregnancy loss | S3E45
Rachel shares her story of pregnancy loss to NICU, IVF, HG and everything in between. Despite it all, she’s still hopeful that her second earth-side baby is coming. If you’ve also been through perinatal traumas, this episode is for you.
Giving birth to triplets at 29 weeks: Bex, author of “Mum’s The Word” shares her NICU experience | S3E44
Bex has got four kids under five – and three of them are 16-week-old triplets. Come and hear her story of giving birth at 29 weeks pregnant, and how she’s handling life after the neonatal unit.
NICU during lockdown, OCD & pregnancy after birth trauma with Tori from season 1 | S3E43
Tori from season one joins Miracle Moon co-founders Dr. Frankie and Georgie to share an update five years after having baby Phoenix at 25 weeks right at the start of the first COVID lockdown, now that she’s pregnant again!
Neurodiversity, Birth Trauma & NICU: Untangling the Overlap with Jo & Lauren | S3E42
How does being neurodivergent shape the NICU and birth trauma experience? Jo and Lauren from The Neurodiversity Practice answer your biggest questions about ADHD, autism, and trauma in the context of neonatal care.
Losing one twin and raising the other with medical complexities: Danielle’s story | S3E39
Today’s guest, Danielle, spent nine months in NICU with her daughter Aleigha, and sadly lost Aleigha’s twin Madelyn one month after they were both born prematurely. She shares her experience on the podcast today.
Tricky In-law relationships, having the “perfect” Christmas and handling spending Christmas in NICU: Christmas Q&A | S3E36
Christmas can be a hard time for a lot of people, especially if you’re in NICU or recently come home. This Q&A episode addresses a lot of common problems in the hopes of making Christmas a less difficult time for you and your loved ones.
Supporting your baby's development in NICU and at home: Advice from neonatal development expert Inga Warren from FINE | S3E34
Our guest Inga Warren has 30 years of experience in improving care for infants and their families – learn more about how you can help your baby in NICU in today’s podcast episode.
First-time mum to premature twins at 40: How Psychologist Cristina handled conflicting emotions and the unique challenge of raising multiples | S3E33
Cristina became a first-time mother to twins at 40. Even with her doctorate in psychology, she still felt unprepared for the conflicting emotions she experienced. Learn how she handled it all in today’s episode of The NICU Space podcast.
Navigating grief and trauma after the loss of your baby, with Clinical Psychologist Dr Kara Davey | S3E32
Feeling alone and unsupported when grieving the loss of your baby can be really difficult. Our guest today, Dr Kara Davey talks through why therapy might be a good option for you, even if you see grief as a natural process to go through.
Supporting parents who have lost a child that was a twin, triplet or multiple: Millie and Heather from The Skye High Foundation | S3E31
The Skye High Foundation joins us to share more about their work supporting parents who have lost a twin, triplet or multiple through creating the purple butterfly symbol.
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S2E27 | How my own NICU experience inspired me to set up The Smallest Things Charity - Catriona Ogilvy
This week on the podcast, we talk to Catriona, the Founder of The Smallest Things, a UK premature baby charity that supports families in their journey after neonatal care and seeks to improve the long term outcomes of premature children.
S2E26 | Exploring NICU Parental Support: Insights from the EXPAND Study with Katie Sabin
In this episode, we speak with Katie Sabin, a dedicated PhD student at King's College London, who leads the 'EXPAND Study'. Her research sheds light on the emotional support needs of NICU parents, addressing important gaps in support.
S2E22 | A couple’s experience of NICU and how it made their relationship stronger
In this episode we talk about Danielle and Tyler’s experience of fertility struggles, of having a micropreemie in neonatal care during the pandemic and the impact this experience had on them as a couple adjusting to life as parents.
S2E21 | Infant Reflux and Tongue Tie: A Conversation with Faye from Rockabye Hub
In this episode, we talk to Faye, a nurse and advanced tongue-tie practitioner who is on a mission to support parents in uncovering the root causes of their babies' reflux. Reflux is a common challenge for parents of premature babies.
S2E20 | IVF, Baby Loss and Growing Your Family: with Jade @themindsetmumma
In this episode we have a heartfelt conversation with Jade, as she shares her deeply personal journey through parenthood. Our discussion covers essential topics, providing valuable insights into fertility, birth, and baby loss.
S2E14 | Navigating the World of Medical Parenthood and Rare Conditions: Insights from Madeline Cheney
In this episode we discuss Madeleine's experience of finding out at 20 weeks that her child would have medically complex needs and would need a neonatal admission when they were born, and the feelings she underwent during this.
S2E11 | Navigating Medical Parenthood: Amanda Griffith Atkins on Parenting a Child with a Disability
Amanda will be talking about her personal journey into parenthood and her experience raising her first child with Prader-Willi syndrome. We discuss her time in the NICU and the challenges of raising a child with complex medical needs.
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