Project Sweet Peas
  • Home
  • About
    • Locations >
      • Alabama
      • Delaware
      • Glendale, Arizona
      • Greater Lafayette
      • Greater Philadelphia Area
      • Greater Pittsburgh
      • Kansas
      • Morristown, New Jersey
      • New Hampshire
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Northeast Georgia
      • Reading, Pennsylvania
      • Southern Illinois
      • Southern New England
      • Terre Haute Indiana
    • Mission
    • History
    • Contact Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Financials
  • GIVE
    • Make a Gift
    • Match Your Gift
    • Host a Fundraiser
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • NICU Support
    • NICU Awareness Month
    • Care Packages
    • Food & Fuel Assistance
    • NICU Grad
    • Milestones
    • Facebook Forum
    • Mental Health Worksheets
    • Other Resources >
      • Regional Resources
      • National Resources
      • Disorder Resources
      • For Health Professionals
  • Bereavement Support
    • Memory Boxes
    • Write Your Grief
    • Luminary Vigils
    • Graphic Request
    • Other Resources
    • Hospital Memory Box Orders
  • NEWS & EVENTS
    • Dancing in the Rain
    • CuddlePea Buy 1 GIVE 1
    • In the News
  • Shop
  • Home
  • About
    • Locations >
      • Alabama
      • Delaware
      • Glendale, Arizona
      • Greater Lafayette
      • Greater Philadelphia Area
      • Greater Pittsburgh
      • Kansas
      • Morristown, New Jersey
      • New Hampshire
      • New York
      • North Carolina
      • Northeast Georgia
      • Reading, Pennsylvania
      • Southern Illinois
      • Southern New England
      • Terre Haute Indiana
    • Mission
    • History
    • Contact Us
    • Board of Directors
    • Financials
  • GIVE
    • Make a Gift
    • Match Your Gift
    • Host a Fundraiser
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • NICU Support
    • NICU Awareness Month
    • Care Packages
    • Food & Fuel Assistance
    • NICU Grad
    • Milestones
    • Facebook Forum
    • Mental Health Worksheets
    • Other Resources >
      • Regional Resources
      • National Resources
      • Disorder Resources
      • For Health Professionals
  • Bereavement Support
    • Memory Boxes
    • Write Your Grief
    • Luminary Vigils
    • Graphic Request
    • Other Resources
    • Hospital Memory Box Orders
  • NEWS & EVENTS
    • Dancing in the Rain
    • CuddlePea Buy 1 GIVE 1
    • In the News
  • Shop

A Dad's Role in the NICU

3/24/2015

 
Picture
Dads have such an important role in the NICU, but at times it can seem as if your role is secondary, as everyone around focuses on Mom and her recovery, needs, and emotions. Don't let this discourage you. Your role and support is vital to your child's wellbeing. 

You may find yourself feeling helpless and at a loss as to what to do.  Strong and often contradictory emotions, such as anger and sadness, guilt and grief, helplessness and hope may be swirling through your head throughout the day. Stop and take a moment to acknowledge what you are feeling and just how difficult your situation is. Here are a couple great tips of how to take care of yourself, spouse or partner and your baby.


Helping Yourself 

See if your NICU has a support group and consider attending. Most people you know have never experienced the NICU and they just can't relate to everything you are going through. Talking with others who are in the same situation as you can be very helpful. Be open and honest about your concerns and fears. If a support group isn't available, seek out a trusted friend or family member you can talk to. Exercise can be a good way to release some tension and clear your head. Don’t forget to get enough sleep, and eat as well. Your health is important too. 


Helping your Baby  

Looking at your new baby hooked up to machines, looking so small and frail… this is not what you imagined fatherhood to be like. You may be extremely nervous about holding your baby, and participating in his/her care for fear of doing something wrong. Pay close attention to what the nurses are doing and ask lots of questions so you can feel confident about helping. They know that all parents are nervous about what to do, so no question will surprise them. Take notes if you need to or have them stay right there with you the first few times until you feel comfortable. The most    important thing is not to let these opportunities pass you by. You will want to experience and remember these special moments. 


Helping your Spouse or Partner 

You may find yourself wondering just how Mom is able to handle everything--and the secret is, she can't without a lot of help. Make sure you are helping take care of her so she is able to focus on your child as well. Some things that may help: 

  • If she is pumping breast milk for your baby, be supportive.  Wash the pumping supplies and help label and store the milk .  
  •  Keep track of the insurance information. Help make some of the necessary phone calls to insurance companies, specialists, etc. 
  • Make sure the house, diaper bag and her purse or bag is stocked with some quick, healthy snacks like granola bars, fruit, and nuts.  Eating on the run will be commonplace now, so having some healthy options close at hand is important.  
  • Take over some of the household chores or enlist help to get them done. Laundry, cleaning, running errands—these still need to be done.  By taking some of these items of her to-do list, you ease her stress and worry immensely. 


Having a child in the NICU may be the hardest thing you ever face in your life, so now is not the time to play the hero and pretend you can do it all. Focus on what you can do to help your baby, and your spouse or partner and most importantly, yourself.

Justin Knox
9/16/2016 02:29:33 pm

My son was born yesterday 9/15/2016 @26 weeks gestation 1lb 2 oz where can I find support being a new NICU dad? I need HELP

ashlee walker
10/23/2020 09:23:13 am

LOVE SPELL TO BRING BACK EX LOVER AND RESTORE BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS 
 Hello everyone i want to testify of the great and powerful spell caster named dr Jumba who brought back my ex who left me and got engaged to another girl, We where happy together when all of a sudden he just change he used to call me every morning and and night before going to bed but all that stopped when i call him he yell at me and told me he didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore i was so sad and confused i didn't know what to do then i went online to search on how to get back my ex then i found an article where someone was talking about how the great and powerful Dr  Jumba helped her and she left his email address i took it and contacted him i told him my problem he only smiled and told me to relax everything will be OK i did everything he asked me to do and he assured me that after 24hrs he will be back, To my greatest surprise the next morning my boyfriend  came back knelling and begging me to accept him back now we are so happy together he can also help you contact him on email for any type of spell : Wiccalovespelltools@gmail.com or whatsapp: +1 (908) 517 4108
 blog : https://wiccaspelltools.blogspot.com/  WEBSITE:  drjumbaspellhome.wordpress.com     

Nina the Nomad link
12/17/2020 12:18:24 am

Grrateful for sharing this

Yanda Carter
1/18/2022 05:24:02 pm

I’m so excited my broken Marriage has been restored. “We recently made up, even though it was difficult. It’s been more than a month now, and everything feels like it’s returned to normal. He has begun to treat me better, and it’s been a healing process for both of us. The nightmare that had lasted for almost 2 years before we broke up is finally over. It’s like we fell in love all over again! We’ve both put the past behind us, and are trying to move forward – and for the first time in a long time, the future looks a lot brighter. I can’t express in words how grateful I am Dr Jumba! It’s like we’ve finally rediscovered those things about each other that made us fall in love in the first place. All of the worrying and stress has simply vanished. Thank you Dr Jumba for saving my broken Marriage and bringing my husband back to me!”. my husband and I are living together happily again.. All thanks to Dr Jumba. If you have any problem contact Dr Jumba now and i guarantee you that he will help you contact him through : wiccalovespelltools@gmail.com or +19085174108
website : https://drjumbaspellhome.wordpress.com


Comments are closed.

    Archives

    June 2015
    March 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Project Sweet Peas is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania. FEIN # 273679594


Related Websites:

www.nicuawareness.org
Make a Gift
Mission
History
Board of Directors
Division Listings
Giving
Picture
Copyright © 2021 | Project Sweet Peas | 45 Boylston St, Warwick, RI 02889 | info@projectsweetpeas.com