Supporting Families Through Premature Birth: Two Moms Find Strength Through Welcome Baby
November marks Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on the prevention and care of preterm births worldwide. In California, 1 in 11 babies (9.2% of live births) was born prematurely in 2023.
For families with newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), this journey can bring significant stress and emotional challenges as they navigate their baby’s critical care.
Maria Gets Support for Her Son in the NICU — and for Herself
When Maria’s son was born prematurely, he needed to stay in the NICU. The experience took an emotional toll on her. “I had trouble sleeping and the stress affected my milk supply,” Maria shares. “I had to pump at home and take the milk to the hospital, but I wasn’t producing enough because of all the stress.”
Through the Welcome Baby program with Maternal and Child Health Access, Maria received valuable guidance and resources to help her care for herself during this difficult time.
Maria shared that even though her Welcome Baby Registered Nurse couldn’t check on her baby since he was in the NICU, the nurse made sure to check on Maria. “She brought a nursing pillow, gave me some resources, and shared tips on how to relax.” Maria was eventually able to increase her milk supply.
Once Maria’s son came home, Welcome Baby continued to support her and the baby. Maria was grateful that her Parent Coach noticed her son had trouble with his grip. “She would help me with his fine motor skills because he couldn’t grab things,” Maria said.
Maria also shared how much she valued the trust she built with her Parent Coach: “I told her what I was going through, a depression because of my baby being in the NICU. Spending nights at the hospital and not being able to be with my other children at home.”
Maria’s story highlights how vital home visiting programs are for families experiencing the stress of a NICU stay. By providing emotional support, guidance, and trust, these programs help parents build confidence and resilience during challenging moments of early parenthood.
Welcome Baby Helps Nadia and the Rest of Her Family
Nadia, a client with the Welcome Baby program at Antelope Valley Partners for Health, was also grateful for the support she received after her baby was born early. “My son was born a little over four weeks early, and my youngest child before that is 18 years old,” Nadia shared. “I was very overwhelmed, we were definitely not prepared.”
Nadia’s Parent Coach, Maureen Ferrell, provided resources that helped Nadia and her family, including breastfeeding support, information on local food banks, and free backpacks and school supplies for her children. “That brought tears to my kids,” Nadia said. “You could see the happiness, joy, and relief.”
Nadia shared her story alongside her Parent Coach Maureen on Antelope Valley Partners for Health’s “Off the Record” podcast, reflecting on the impact of the Welcome Baby program.
Watch Maria and Nadia’s videos here, and explore the helpful resources below to help families with babies in the NICU:
Resources Related to Preterm Birth
- Webinar: Supporting NICU Families Through a Trauma-Informed Lens
- Webinar: Strength in Tiny Steps: Black NICU Family Circle
- Resources: Supporting Fathers in the NICU
- Ongoing Support Groups, Meetings, Classes: NICU Families Support
- Welcome Baby Book in English & Spanish: Chapters 3 & 8
- Parenting Resource Library in English & Spanish: NICU: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
Looking for support on your pregnancy and parenting journey? Find a free program in L.A. County near you:
eDirectory.HomeVisitingLA.org
Learn more about Welcome Baby: WelcomeBabySupport.org