Parenting in the NICU Coping With the NICU Experience Family and Friends Leaving the NICU Grief & Loss Glossary March of Dimes Helps Prematurity Home   Building Your Confidence You’ve had a premature or sick baby. If your baby was premature, most likely you’re still reeling from the shock of your baby's arrival weeks or months before the due date. You may never have fully adjusted to being pregnant, much less to being a new parent. You may feel distant from your baby—and the busy, hectic neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment doesn’t make it any easier. But this is an important time for you and your baby to get to know each other and for you to gradually take on your important role as Mom or Dad. Feeling More Confident Here are some suggestions to help you feel more confident as a parent in the NICU: If this is your first baby, remind yourself that all new parents feel anxious and unsure of themselves at times. Of course, these feelings are more intense because you have a baby in the NICU, but they are also a natural part of being a first-time parent. Even if you’re an experienced parent, you may feel uncertain of your abilities to parent this child. Remember that parenting in the NICU is different and challenging. It is natural to feel like a beginner as you learn how to meet your baby’s unique needs. Tell your baby’s nurses if you’re feeling unsure of yourself. They can help give you the support and guidance you need to become skilled at taking care of your baby. Use the words “my baby” and your baby's name. Also refer to yourself as Mom or Dad. As soon as you are told your baby is ready, learn how to feed, change, soothe and hold him. You will be amazed at how quickly you can do what might have at first seemed intimidating. Find out from your baby’s nurse what other things you can do for your newborn. Remind yourself that you have special qualities that no doctor or nurse can match: an intense love for your baby and a distinct familiarity that your baby finds calming. Excerpted from the March of Dimes booklet, "Parent: You & Your Baby in the NICU", written in collaboration with Deborah L. Davis, Ph.D., and Mara Tesler Stein, Psy.D., authors of "Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey".         Parenting in the NICU   Building Your Confidence     Becoming Informed     Getting Close with Your Baby     Holding Your Baby Close: Kangaroo Care     Feeding Your Baby     Caring for Multiples     Paying for NICU Care     Preemies: The Essential Guide       - View the Table of Contents       - View the Excerpt       - Buy the Book     Resources   March of Dimes Share. An online community serving NICU families. Share your story and meet other NICU families. Information specialists at the March of Dimes help answer your questions by e-mail and online chat. Resources
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