As a neonatal ICU nurse, I have seen my fair share of parents whose lives have been disrupted by an unexpected admission into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). NICU admissions can occur for multiple reasons, the most commons being prematurity, respiratory complications, low blood sugar and infection. Assisting parents during this difficult time can be emotionally challenging as a healthcare professional.
The everyday stresses of life in the NICU can be too much for some parents to deal with effectively. Walking into the unit to see that your baby is back on a ventilator or whose feeding was held due to feeding intolerance can be a stressful experience to say the least. Although this is common occurrences in the NICU, this is not common for new parents to experience. Because of this, encouraging parents to connect with other NICU parents can help ease the feelings of isolation and despair. By interacting with other parents who are having similar experiences, NICU parents can have an outlet to express their fears and anxieties.
There are multiple resources available to these parents. NICU support groups can be extremely helpful, especially for those parents whom children will remain in the NICU for an extended period of time. Groups are usually facilitated by a member of the NICU, but lead by the members of the group. This is a great arena to express concerns and discuss various coping strategies. I have found that NICU parents are a great resource for one and other and they hold a special bond with each other. Sometimes these bonds last well after their NICU stays. Not sure where to find a support group? Check out PreemieCare for a list of groups in your area.
For those parents who would rather avoid face-to-face interaction, there are other resources available on the internet. The March of Dimes has an online community where NICU families can share their story and connect with other families without ever having to leave the comfort of their home. Parents can start a journal, post their experience or read what other families have gone through. This type of interaction can be very therapeutic and shows the family that they are not alone in their experience.
One common complaint you hear as a NICU healthcare professional is that parents have to re-live the experience over and over again when updating family members and/or friends. The events surrounding NICU admissions are not visions that parents want to continue to conjure up. So how does one keep family and friends updated without re-living the experience each and every time? Caringbridge.org is a great resource and allows parents to build a website for their baby and update family and friends by entering journal entries. Photos can be uploaded and family/friends can sign the guestbook and provide uplifting notes. Once the NICU experience is completed, parents have the option of printing a book which prints the entire contents of the website into a book for the family to cherish forever.
The NICU experience is like none other. The mixed emotions felt by parents and the uncertainties of each and everyday in the NICU can undoubtedly put a strain on families. Connecting with others, either in person or on-line, can help parents find support and relief to help them through this very difficult time.
