Nicu Heroes Podcast

Kelli and Natalie discuss the opioid epidemic and how it has affected NICU moms. Natalie talks about the importance of showing these moms compassion and how NICU nurses can model motherhood while working. 

Dr. Loraine Dickey speaks about starting the Narrative Initiative and how it enables people to connect through their stories. She and Kelli discuss family centered care and how it can be used in the NICU. Dr. Dickey talks about how NICU professionals can best communicate with families and how it's important to focus on the process, not the outcome. 

Kelli, Jasmine, and Kara talk about Family Nurture Intervention and the importance of bonding with babies in the NICU. They discuss how families can become emotionally connected to their baby in the NICU.

Darlene talks about being a Family Consultant at CHOP. She also discusses CHOP's Family Partner Program and the importance of the NICU professional looking at their cases through a family lens. Darlene explains the importance of Language of Caring and how that can be used in the NICU. Kelli talks to Keira about her experience of having triplets and how that led her to founding the Preemie Parent Alliance.

Kelli and Dr. Sue Hall discuss the Interdisciplinary Recommendations for Psychosocial Support of NICU Parents and how those guidelines came into existence. They talk about how the mental health of NICU families is just as important as the physical aspect. Dr. Hall what NICU professionals can do to help alleviate and/or prevent anxiety, depression, and PTSD in NICU families.

Kelli speaks about her own experience in the NICU and how that led her to founding Hand to Hold. She talks about her journey with anxiety, depression, and PTSD and how that inspired her to help other NICU families. She discusses the resources that are available to NICU families and how those resources can help NICU families in need.