Program Phases

Made for NICU Families

The NICU Parent Program was developed to meet the very specialized needs of families of hospitalized newborns, or families who have experienced stressful births. Whether you are adjusting to a premature birth, a neonatal medical illness or genetic diagnosis, a maternal health challenge, or some other unexpected birth crisis, the NICU Parent Program can help.

1. IN-HOSPITAL

It may be difficult to find time away from baby’s bedside, so the NICU Parent Program can come to you.  Appointments are held via telehealth video on your laptop or phone.  Many families have shared that having access to gentle and empathic professional support right in the NICU or at home during their baby’s hospital stay helped them cope better and reduced their level of anxiety considerably. The NICU Parent Program can:

  • Help you find ways to parent your baby in the NICU despite unavoidable disruptions in your parenting role
  • Contain and address the sometimes-overwhelming emotions of fear, anger, sadness, guilt, loneliness/isolation, emotional numbness, or stress/overwhelm that you may be feeling
  • Give you a non-judgmental and completely confidential place to bring any thoughts that may be coming up, such as frustrations about your baby’s medical care, or worries about baby’s prognosis
  • Provide a structured space for you to clarify priorities, questions, and action steps related to your baby’s care or other life demands
  • Find common ground for couples with very different coping styles to support and nurture each other
  • Deepen infant-parent bonding, even in the stressful NICU environment

The NICU Parent Program is unique in providing parent consultation that is specifically geared to the phases of a neonatal hospitalization. Whether you need support right at the beginning when your baby is first admitted, or somewhere in the middle of the ups and downs of the treatment “roller coaster,” you can rest assured that you will be held and supported with care.

2. TRANSITION HOME

Some families may not feel quite ready for this important transition. They may have some nervousness about suddenly becoming baby’s only caregivers, without the supportive presence of nurses and other providers that have taken such good care of baby up to now. Other families are really ready to bring baby home, but may have other life stresses that interfere with getting things ready for baby’s arrival.  Support geared to the discharge and homecoming phases of the hospitalization could include:

  • Addressing any worries you might have about taking on 24/7 care of your baby
  • Supporting your confidence as you adjust to full-time newborn care
  • Helping you to take time and space for self-care while juggling everything else. Yes, it’s possible.
  • Monitoring your anxiety/depression levels to make sure your recovery happens even as your focus is on your little one and what she/he needs
  • Practicing strategies to address feelings of overwhelm or anxiety as they arise
  • Supporting your wellbeing during unavoidable changes such as returning to work and finding babycare support
  • Providing opportunities for online groups where you can meet and share with other moms and dads of NICU grads… You are not alone!

We can schedule sessions at times that fit with your baby’s schedule, including weekends and evenings.

3. IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING A NICU STAY

Sometimes, parental distress can show up painfully in the years after a NICU medical crisis. Concerns about postpartum depression and anxiety can arise, or parents may be challenged with handling feelings of anger, irritability or a sense of overwhelm. There may be ongoing stress related to baby’s medical or developmental diagnosis and treatment, and tensions can snowball in the couple relationship or in the extended family.

In telehealth video sessions that are easy to schedule and attend from home, the NICU Parent Program can provide perinatal mental health assessment and psychotherapy for postpartum depression, anxiety and recovery from post traumatic stress, as well as help with couples or family problems, sibling adjustment, preparation for the next pregnancy or birth, and other issues that can come up in the years following a NICU hospitalization. Appointments can be arranged to fit your schedule as needed.

Specialized support — with a deep understanding of the NICU experience — means you will be truly heard, understood, and compassionately held as you and your family adjust and heal.

Call 510-575-3020 for a no-cost, 20-minute phone consultation to discuss your family’s needs and find out if the NICU Parent Program is right for you.