I never thought that I would be a NICU mom.
The first time I walked into the NICU, I was completely overwhelmed. There were life support machines everywhere, beeping and blinking, working hard to keep all of those tiny babies alive. Words could never express how my heart ached when I saw my tiny baby hooked up to all of that equipment. Several friends and family members looked on, offering their love and support, but they still couldn’t fully comprehend the depth of my pain.
When my son was born at 25 weeks, a few friends of mine who had experienced the NICU before me, began pouring into my life with words of encouragement and hope for the future. Their support was a tremendous source of comfort.
As our days in the NICU turned to weeks, then months, I became intentional about connecting with the other NICU moms who were journeying alongside me. In doing so, I discovered that there’s an instant, unspoken bond that forms between people who share a heartache; we find strength in each other.
If you’re a new NICU parent, I want to encourage you to connect with others around you. One day, you might discover that you’ve introduced yourself to a new lifelong friend.
Here are four steps I took to connect with other preemie parents.
1) I found places to interact:
- I talked with other parents in my baby’s POD, a.k.a. his roommates’ parents.
- I spoke to other moms in the pump room.
- I connected with other parents in the parent lounge.
- I introduced myself to other parents in the pump parts wash station.
- I attended the parent support group meetings when I could.
Note: The rooms in your NICU might differ from mine, but it’s important that you find a time and/or place to connect.
2) I always started the conversation with a smile before asking whether they had a little boy or a little girl. After they responded, I would share that I had a little boy, what his name was, when he was born, how early he was, and/or how far we were into our NICU journey. Sometimes the conversation continued, sometimes it didn’t, and that was okay too. No matter the outcome, it always resulted in another friendly face in the hallways.
3) I kept the conversations positive, offering empathy and words of encouragement to the parents that I connected with. I also made sure to remember their babies’ names and stories so that I could ask them how things were going the next time we met.
4) I joined online preemie parent support groups, including one for my local area. There were many parents in the group whose children had grown and they offered invaluable insight and support.
By reaching out to other NICU parents, I discovered a beautiful community. I am so thankful for each and every friend I’ve made; they will always have a special place in my heart.
Love and Blessings,
Elise
The post, Connecting with Other NICU Parents, first appeared on Boys and Blessings.