If your baby is currently in the NICU, and you are doubting the importance of your role as a parent, this podcast episode is for you! I hope as NICU parents you have been educated on the importance of your involvement with your baby - even while they are in the NICU! Parental engagement in the NICU has a plethora of benefits and not just for your baby, but for you as parents as well! 

Although as a NICU parent, you may feel completely powerless, you need to remember that you play a major role in the success of your baby by being present and simply loving on them! In the NICU, we cannot have positive outcomes for our infants without empowering and involving the parents! This is not meant to put additional pressure on you, but to simply remind you of your worth! Please realize that your role as a parent is incredibly important, even in the NICU!

Our guest, Katie Ross, is a Neonatal Occupational Therapist. She is very passionate about positively fostering the development of our specialized NICU population from the earliest stage of life. 
We continued our conversation on infant mental health and how it can be positively affected by parental involvement.

After I had my son William at 23 weeks, it has become even more apparent to me just how important parental engagement is for NICU babies. Not only do we both believe in the power of parental participation, but research has shown that when parents are present, they do skin-to-skin care, begin to respond to their infant’s cues, and learn to care for their own baby, it results in positive short and long-term outcomes for the baby.

Tune in to learn how parental involvement is so impactful. Once you recognize the importance of your role as a parent to your NICU baby, your anxiety and stress will decrease, it will enhance your ability to bond with your baby, promote continued engagement, and ultimately result in positive developmental outcomes for your baby! Yes, you as a parent can actually positively change the trajectory of your infant’s developmental outcomes by being present, learning and responding to your infant’s cues, and by giving them the love they need!


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