Support for Parents of Preterm Birth
The experience of a preterm birth can be incredibly challenging for families. Along with navigating the possible medical concerns involved with a baby born before term, the experience of premature birth can pose emotional challenges for parents and families. Preterm birth may cause a great deal of stress for parents as they navigate the postpartum period and first interactions with their child within the medical system. Preterm birth certainly can be daunting, and having the right support can be essential in bolstering positive outcomes for families of preterm babies.
What is considered a preterm birth?
Preterm birth is considered to be any birth that occurs before 37 weeks of gestation. Currently in the US, preterm births consist of 1 out of every 10 babies born. The preterm birth of a baby can affect the full development of various organs, and it could result in conditions such as low birth weight, breathing difficulty, vision or hearing problems. After birth, babies born preterm, or ‘preemies’, are typically cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU. During this time, they are monitored while they reach full gestational development.
Navigating emotional waters.
Parents of preemies in the NICU are often confronted with many mixed emotions and feelings of stress. Some parents may feel internalized guilt about a preterm birth or feel a lack of control seeing their baby in intensive care. Feelings of excitement and joy to meet their baby may be overwhelming. Waves of worry or sadness may be present. Parents may struggle to feel connected to their baby who has become separated from them so early on in the postpartum period, or they may already feel a deep connection.
Often, all of these feelings may exist all at once. Although some feelings may be distressing, none of them are wrong or bad. They are normal responses to a stressful experience. And in navigating these experiences, the right support can be imperative to helping one cope, process, and face the obstacles at hand. With the right tools, community, and strategies, parents of preterm babies can experience healing and resilience in the face of adversity.
Community Resources & Networks
Having a strong network of community can be imperative in bolstering parents of preemies for success. In some cases, new parents of preemies may not have family or friends that live near them, and this can create feelings of isolation during a challenging time. Preterm parents might also feel isolated in their experience, and may find it hard to connect with their family and friends who have not experienced preterm birth.
There are several organizations that aim to offer connection, support, and network for preterm families. Some hospitals offer “buddy systems” for parents of babies in the NICU, in which parents are paired up and can help support each other. It is useful to check your hospital’s offerings and resources for families of preemies.
There are also several national networks that offer resources and support for parents of preemies:
Love for Lily is a local organization based in Boulder, CO that supports families with children in the NICU. They offer resources such as essential bags for NICU stays and grants to ease the burden of intensive care. This organization also offers facilitated support groups that offer practical coping skills and community connection.
Graham’s Foundation is a wonderful resource created by parents of preemies. They offer several resources for families, including a Preemie Parent Mentor program, the opportunity to connect with other preemie parents, grief and loss support, and also NICU support resources. They also offer care packages designed for parents of preterm babies at home.
Hand to Hold is a national nonprofit that is dedicated to offering preemie parents with emotional support, community support, and education. They currently offer support groups, peer mentor programs, a podcast with educational and supportive content. They offer resources at no cost for parents.
The Postpartum Wellness Center Boulder offers perinatal and maternal mental health counseling that can help preterm parents both process and feel held in their experiences. At the PWCB, we also offer monthly community events and virtual support groups for new parents, which can offer space for parents of preemies to connect with other new parents.
This article was written my Ellie Mortillaro. Ellie is a psychotherapy intern at the PWCB completing her Master's in Mindfulness-Based Counseling from Naropa University. In addition to working in perinatal counseling, she also has a passion for birth work and is trained as a labor doula.